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Prince Philip

Prince Philip pulls out of Maundy Thursday appearance due to a hip problem

The Duke of Edinburgh has pulled out of a planned engagement today due to a hip problem.

Prince Philip, who turns 97-years-old in a few weeks, did not accompany The Queen to church for the traditional Maundy Thursday service.

As a result, The Queen attended the service at Windsor Castle alone.

Prince Philip was named as attending the service in the order of service which was published earlier this month.

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the Duke was due to attend, but had to pull out.

A spokesperson said: “The order of service was printed some weeks ago when it was hoped the Duke would be able to take part. His Royal Highness has since decided not to attend.”

A royal source said: “The Duke was keen to attend but made this decision because he has been experiencing some trouble with his hip.”

Maundy Thursday has been a long-held custom for the royal family dating back to the 13th century. It is an ancient ceremony originating from when Christ gave his disciples the commandment after washing their feet after the Last Supper before Good Friday.

The Queen has celebrated this special day by distributing commemorative coins to 90 men and women, each representing a year of her life. The Royal Maundy service was held in Saint George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The 180 recipients of the Maundy money are retired pensioners throughout the United Kingdom. This breaks with the usual tradition of selecting recipients from each of the different dioceses.

The recipients are recommended for this honour for their service to the Church and their communities.