Prince Philip 'Comfortable, in Good Spirits'

The 96-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II is recovering after undergoing a successful hip replacement operation Wednesday, Buckingham Palace said. The palace said Prince Philip is "progressing satisfactorily at this early stage" and is likely to spend several days at King Edward VII Hospital in London, the AP reports. He is said to be "comfortable and in good spirits." Philip had suffered from hip pain in recent weeks. Before he went into the hospital on Tuesday, he missed a number of family events, including an Easter church service with the queen and other members of the royal family.

The British Orthopedic Association said Philip's surgery was necessary because he was suffering from osteoarthritis. Ananda Nanu, the board's president, said hip replacement patients need strong pain relief after their operations. Most can be mobile 24 hours after surgery and increase their activity every day after that, he said. "At the age of 96, there are slightly greater risks, but he will be looked after by an extremely skilled team," Nanu said of the prince. Philip announced his retirement from royal duties in May and curtailed most of his charity work although he still accompanies the queen on occasion. He has suffered from heart disease and other ailments in recent years.

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