And fears grew for the 99-year-old with medical experts warning he could be kept in for up to six weeks while he is treated for an underlying condition.
Philip was moved by ambulance at around 11am from the private King Edward VII hospital in Central London to St Bartholomew’s, Britain’s oldest hospital near St Paul’s Cathedral.
Staff held up umbrellas to ensure the Duke’s privacy as he was carried by stretcher to the waiting vehicle.
A royal source said: “The staff and all the Royal Family are united in their prayers for the Duke.
“There has been an almighty and collective effort to keep him and the Queen safe during the coronavirus crisis over the past 11 months but there was a significant shift in the mood when everyone started finding out the Duke wasn’t coming home any time soon.
"Everyone’s thoughts are now firmly centred on him pulling through this illness.”
Buckingham Palace said: “The Duke remains comfortable and is responding to treatment but is expected to remain in hospital until at least the end of the week.”
But medical experts tonight suggested the Duke could be in hospital for “four to six weeks” and given intravenous antibiotics if he has a heart infection.
NHS cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra said: “It’s more likely he had an infection elsewhere.
“It could’ve been in the urinary tract or a chest infection and the stress on his body put strain on his heart.
“Therefore he had to be taken to a specialist cardiac centre to make sure heart is functioning while he is treated for the infection. What makes it more likely is his underlying heart issues.
"This is all speculation and it’s difficult to draw conclusions with the limited information.
“He’s far healthier than the average person of his age and is clearly a very robust and resilient man.
“I wish him very well and hope he gets better soon.”
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