Prince Philip has been living a quiet life in a five-bedroom cottage in Sandringham since September last year, after having represented the Crown and the Queen for decades through his royal work. The Duke of Edinburgh has carried out 22,219 solo engagements since the Queen ascended to the throne in 1952. 

Having worked well into his 90s, as he retired aged 96, Prince Philip has maintained quite an active lifestyle which, according to one medical expert, is likely helping the Duke today to maintain good health.

Scott McDougall (MPharm), founder of The Independent Pharmacy, told Express.co.uk: “Despite suffering a few public health scares in recent years, including four nights in the hospital just before Christmas, Prince Philip seems to be in excellent health for a man of his age, partaking in royal duties as recently as a few years ago.

“His athletic upbringing as an avid cricket player likely played a part in this.

“However, his 13 years in the Navy would have required him to be in peak physical condition, which likely set him in good stead for a long and healthy life.  

“Most importantly though, he stayed active throughout his 70s and 80s.

“This is when a man’s physical and mental wellbeing generally begins to deteriorate, so staying mentally and physically active helped mitigate this natural deterioration.

“It’s also important to note his standing within the Royal Family has given him access to a healthy diet and the opportunity to enjoy a relatively stress-free retirement.”

Speaking about Prince Philip’s royal work, the expert added: “Of course, how ageing affects someone is unique to the individual and their life experience, with some older men staying athletic well into their 90s.

“It is likely that Prince Philip’s retention of an active lifestyle, such as his public commitments well into his 90s, has lead to continued good physical and mental fitness.”

The Duke of Edinburgh, who carried out his last solo engagement on August 2 2017 in the backyard of Buckingham Palace, spent four nights in hospital in the run-up to Christmas last year.

The palace said in a statement the admission to the King Edward VII hospital in London was a “precautionary measure”.

It added: “The Duke of Edinburgh travelled from Norfolk this morning to the King Edward VII Hospital in London for observation and treatment in relation to a pre-existing condition.”

Prince Philip is also said to have suffered a “bit of a wobble” during last autumn.

However, a source added, his mind remained as sharp as ever. 

They told The Sun: “A few weeks ago Philip had a bit of a wobble and hasn’t felt so energetic.

“He has been living quietly at Sandringham, where he spends most of his time reading and pottering about.

“Until recently he has been very active — carriage riding, fishing at Balmoral and driving around royal estates — although he no longer drives on public roads following his crash in January.

“His mind is as sharp as ever.” 

Mr McDougall pointed out which difficulties men of Prince Philip’s age usually face.

He said: “It is common for men of Prince Philip’s age to face difficulty walking unaided, especially as they are more prone to accidents which might prevent them from walking as frequently.

“Unfortunately, during his older years, a man’s cognitive abilities will also begin to diminish.

“However, it is possible to hold off this natural process by keeping an active routine, challenging your mind with puzzles and stimulating it with a regular conversation.

“These are all activities that Prince Philip has likely had the time and freedom to do as a royal.”    

Source: Read Full Article