Prince Philip Will Miss Paralympics Opening

The Duke of Edinburgh will not attend the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games on August 29, Buckingham Palace has said.

A statement said that the Duke would not go to the event next week following his recent hospital stay due to a recurrence of a bladder infection.

Prince Philip was due to accompany the Queen on Wednesday when she officially opens the ceremony.

The statement added: "His Royal Highness continues to recover well from his recent infection and will remain at Balmoral."

The 91-year-old Duke was discharged from Aberdeen Royal Infirmary earlier this week after five nights in hospital. He then rejoined the Queen on her summer break at Balmoral in Scotland.

Prince Philip was in good spirits when he left hospital and told staff he was heading home to enjoy the rest of his holiday.

He was treated for the illness that also affected him in June when he was admitted to hospital after braving cold, wet and windy conditions on the royal barge for several hours during the Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the River Thames.

This also forced the Duke to miss some of the major events taking place for the Jubilee celebrations.

At that time he had recently recovered from a successful procedure to clear a blocked coronary artery last December, spending four nights in hospital over Christmas.

A Palace spokesman said that the Princess Royal and the Earl and Countess of Wessex would accompany the Queen at the opening of the Paralympic Games next week.

More names of other Royals who will be going will be released in due course, he added.

News of Prince Philip came as the Paralympic cauldron was lit in London and the torch relay began.