CAMBRIDGE: Britain's Prince Philip was on Saturday in "good spirits" after his wife Queen Elizabeth II and his children visited him in hospital as he recovered from heart surgery, Buckingham Palace said.
The gruff 90-year-old suffered chest pains on Friday at the Sandringham estate in eastern England, where the royal family are spending Christmas, and was taken by helicopter to Papworth hospital in Cambridge.
Prince Philip, Britain's longest serving royal consort, underwent a "minimally invasive" procedure to unblock a coronary artery and will remain in hospital for a short time under observation, the palace said.
The queen, her younger sons Prince Andrew and Prince Edward and her daughter Princess Anne flew by helicopter from Sandringham to the hospital just before 1100 GMT, a palace spokeswoman told AFP.
"The visit lasted 45 minutes. Prince Philip was in good spirits," the spokeswoman said.
Heir to the throne Prince Charles and Charles' wife Camilla arrived later at the hospital from their Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, southwest England, for a separate visit, the spokeswoman said.
"No further visits by the family are expected," she said, scotching speculation that Charles' son Prince William and new wife Catherine might also visit the hospital.
"The Queen will remain briefed and Prince Philip will remain in hospital under observation for a short period," the spokeswoman said.
Another palace spokeswoman, Ailsa Anderson, told media outside the hospital said that a traditional church service at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate would go ahead as planned.
The queen and her husband traditionally spend Christmas Day morning at the church and greet well-wishers on their way to and from the service.
Prince Philip is also normally responsible for welcoming guests to the 60-acre (24-hectare) Sandringham estate and organises the Boxing Day shoot.
"Tomorrow's church service is going ahead as planned and we don't anticipate changes to the royal family's Christmas celebrations," the spokeswoman said.
The palace refused to say how long the prince was likely to remain in hospital but the BBC reported that it could be four or five days.
British Prime Minister David Cameron's Downing Street office said he had been "kept informed of the situation and wishes the Duke of Edinburgh a very speedy recovery."
Greek-born Prince Philip married the then Princess Elizabeth 64 years ago and is well-known for his outspoken views and energy.
But he announced after celebrating his 90th birthday this year that he would be winding down his royal duties.
The health scare comes at the close of a year in which the wedding of her grandson Prince William to Kate Middleton gave the royals an enormous boost.
It could mean he is confined to hospital over Christmas at a time when Catherine is spending her first Christmas at Sandringham as a member of the royal family.
The palace said overnight that tests had revealed he had a "blocked coronary artery which caused his chest pain. This was treated successfully by the minimally invasive procedure of coronary stenting," it said.
The procedure involves inserting a tube-like device called a stent into the blocked artery to open it up and help restore a healthy blood flow. It is often performed under local anaesthetic.
Medical experts said many patients leave hospital only a day after having similar treatment and that it is usually done under local anaesthetic.
"The recovery period is very rapid after this. Very often the people are discharged from the hospital within a day or two," cardiologist John Barton told the BBC.
Philip has largely been in good health and joined his wife on an 11-day tour of Australia in October, although he pulled out of a trip to Italy in October nursing a cold.
In 2012 the queen is due to mark her diamond jubilee celebrating 60 years on the British throne, but while other royals are scheduled to tour the globe next year, she and Philip are set to stay in Britain.
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