Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, says hospitalised Prince Philip is 'slightly' better

Prince Philip has been in the hospital for two weeks, and the Duchess of Cornwall has updated the public on his health. Photo / AP

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, is "slightly improving" and the royal family is keeping its fingers crossed for the royal's recovery, his daughter-in-law Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, said Wednesday.

On February 16, the duke, 99, was admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital in London where he was treated for an infection. On Monday, he was transferred to a specialised cardiac care hospital, St Bartholomew's, to undergo further treatment alongside testing and observation for a pre-existing heart condition.

Camilla met with health service staff and church representatives supporting the UK coronavirus mass vaccination process, and said Phillip is "slightly improving". Photo / AP

"We heard today that he's slightly improving. So that's very good news," Camilla said during a visit to a coronavirus vaccination center in London. "We'll keep our fingers crossed."

The duchess is married to Prince Charles, eldest son of the duke and the Queen.

Buckingham Palace said on Monday that the duke was "comfortable and is responding to treatment but is expected to remain in hospital until at least the end of the week".

The two-week stay is already his longest-ever stint in hospital.

A policeman carries a wellwisher's card and balloon outside St Bartholomew's Hospital where the duke is being treated. Photo / AP

His illness is not believed to be related to the coronavirus. The duke and the Queen, who is 94, received Covid-19 vaccinations in January.

The duke, who retired from royal duties in 2017, rarely appears in public. During England's current coronavirus lockdown, he has been staying at Windsor Castle, west of London, with the Queen.

The duke married the then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947 and is the longest-serving royal consort in British history. He and the Queen have four children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

- AP