The Buckingham Palace announced yesterday that the Duke of Kent had suffered a mild stroke. The 77-year-old royal was taken to a London hospital in the early hours of Monday, where his condition was assessed by doctors.
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
Although the Queen’s cousin is still believed to be under the supervision of doctors, his condition has improved and the Duke if “looking forward to resuming official engagements as soon as possible”.
Posted by artemisiasroyalden on March 21, 2013
https://artemisiasroyalden.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/the-duke-of-kent-hospitalised-after-a-mild-stroke/
Her Majesty had everyone worried with her hospitalisation yesterday but it looks like there was nothing serious for she has already left hospital.
Her Majesty thanks the nurses
In the morning, she had a visit from her personal physician, Professor John Cunningham, who asserted the Queen was well enough to be discharged. Apart from being the Queen’s personal physician, Professor Cunningham also occupies the position of the Head of the Medical Household to Her Majesty.
The Queen left King Edward VII Hospital shortly before 3pm. Before being driven away, she made sure to thank the doctors and nurses for their excellent care and flashed her charming smile to the waiting photographers. The Queen was driven back to Buckingham Palace where she will stay tonight – as apparent by the royal standard flying over the Palace (which is done only when the Monarch is in the residence).
Meanwhile, other members of the Royal Family are stepping in to cover for Her Majesty while she is recuperating; the Countess of Wessex and the Duke of Edinburgh will now attend a reception hosted for Members of the British and European Parliaments.
Posted by artemisiasroyalden on March 4, 2013
https://artemisiasroyalden.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/queen-elizabeth-ii-leaves-hospital/
Queen Elizabeth II
The Queen was admitted to King Edward VII hospital on Sunday to be treated for symptoms of gastroenteritis.
Her Majesty’s condition was initially treated by her personal physicians. However, at some point they advised the best course of action would be a hospitalisation It is possible the Queen suffers from dehydration, a common symptom of gastroenteritis, which may require giving her fluids intravenously.
No information is given on how long Queen Elizabeth will stay in hospital, although according to doctors, it would normally take about two days for her condition to be stabilised. All of the Queen’s engagements for the upcoming week, including a high-profile official visit to Rome – were cancelled.
Posted by artemisiasroyalden on March 4, 2013
https://artemisiasroyalden.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/queen-elizabeth-hospitalised/
King Juan Carlos
King Juan Carlos of Spain successfully underwent surgery for herniated discs in his lower spine at a Madrid hospital on Sunday.
The operation lasted for about three hours and “proved entirely satisfactory”, according to the Royal Household. The procedure was performed by neurosurgeon Manuel de la Torre, who told the reporters it would take between two and six months for the King to fully recover.
His Majesty will likely require remaining in the La Milagrosa Clinic in Madrid for about a week, to recuperative from the procedure.
Posted by artemisiasroyalden on March 4, 2013
https://artemisiasroyalden.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/king-juan-carlos-of-spain-underwent-a-surgery/
It’s was a rather unfortunate week health-wise from royals across the world.
Queen Elizabeth II was forced to cancel a visit to Swansea on Saturday to celebrate St David’s Day, after developing symptoms of gastroenteritis. She will now spend the weekend at Windsor and will be “assessed in the coming days”. It is very unusual of Her Majesty to cancel engagements for health reasons.
Elizabeth II and King Juan Carlos
King Juan Carlos of Spain had to be treated on Wednesday because of a dislocated left hip. The procedure was non-invasive and lasted for less than an hour. The King had undergone a surgery on his left hip in November of 2012, after suffering from osteoarthritis in his left hip. At the beginning of the week, His Majesty felt numb pain and after x-rays the doctors found he had a “slight dislocation” of the left hip.
Posted by artemisiasroyalden on March 2, 2013
https://artemisiasroyalden.wordpress.com/2013/03/02/week-in-review-24-february-03-march-royal-health-worries/
Paras, Crown Prince of Nepal
The condition of Paras, Crown Prince of Nepal shows slight improvements, according to a statement released by his doctors. The statement further informs that the doctors were able to stop internal bleeding in the Prince’s abdomen, although his blood pressure remains dangerously low. Paras is yet to regain conciousness following his hospitalisation. The doctors found internal bleeding yesterday and although they succeeded in stopping it, the Crown Princess overall condition is given as “critical but stable”.
On February 19, the Crown Prince was admitted to Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital in Bangkok after he suffered a heart attack. This is his second hospitalisation; in 2007, Paras was admitted to the Norvic International Hospital in Kathmandu after suffering a mild heart attack. Back then, he underwent a 50-minute balloon angioplasty to clear a blocked artery. This time, the Prince’s condition appears to be much more serious.
Posted by artemisiasroyalden on February 24, 2013
https://artemisiasroyalden.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/nepals-former-crown-prince-in-critical-but-stable-condition/
Pope Benedict XVI will resign on February 28. Shortly after news surfaced, Vatican released Papal Declaration announcing Benedict XVI’s decision.
Pope Benedict XVI
Full text of Pope’s declaration
Dear Brothers,
I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.
Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.
From the Vatican, 10 February 2013
Unusual as the announcement may seem, Papal resignations are actually nothing new. It is part of the Code of Canon Law and the Code of Canons of the Easter Churches. The only condition is that the decision must be made freely and be manifested in a proper way. There are plenty of precedents too.
Posted by artemisiasroyalden on February 11, 2013
https://artemisiasroyalden.wordpress.com/2013/02/11/pope-benedict-xvi-to-resign-on-february-28/
Artemisia's Royal Den 