The Duke of Edinburgh, the 90-year-old husband of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, was taken to hospital Friday for "precautionary tests" after suffering from chest pains, Buckingham Palace said.
"His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh was taken to Papworth Hospital in Cambridge from Sandringham House for precautionary tests after experiencing chest pains," the palace said in a statement.
The duke, also known as Prince Philip, was taken from a family Christmas celebration being held at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, southeast England, to the cardiothoracic unit at the nearby hospital.
The royals were spending their traditional Christmas holiday at the Queen's 60-acre (24-hectare) residence, where the Duchess of Cambridge is spending her first Christmas as a member of the royal family.
The prince, who is Britain's longest-serving consort, is well-known for his tireless spirit and outspoken views.
However, he has recently suffered from occasional bouts of poor health and pulled out of a trip to Italy in October after suffering a cold.
The duke received a front-page apology from the Evening Standard newspaper in 2008 after it incorrectly diagnosed an illness he was suffering from as prostate cancer.
A chest infection hospitalised him the same year, but he went on to make a full recovery.
Margaret Holder, a royal commentator, told the BBC: "It's obviously very worrying for the queen and the rest of the royal family who are gathering at Sandringham for Christmas.
"It might not be as serious as it sounds, it's possible it could be a bit of indigestion and they are just checking it over, let's hope it's something simple like that," she added.
Philip was born into the Greek royal family in 1921 but was exiled from Greece, along with his family, when he was a child.
After studying in Britain and Germany, Philip joined the British Royal Navy in 1939 and served with the Mediterranean and Pacific fleets during World War II.
It was during his time in the navy that he began correspondence with Princess Elizabeth, who ascended to the British throne in 1952.
The pair became engaged in 1947 and married later that year at London's Westminster Abbey.
The queen and the duke are set to "travel as widely as possible throughout the United Kingdom" next year to celebrate Elizabeth's diamond jubilee.
The prince is a staunch supporter of the armed forces and also lends his name to an award scheme aimed at helping young people.
Away from the services he maintains a keen interest in science, technology, industry and the environment, as well as sports from cricket and polo to equestrianism and flying.
In addition, he has served as a patron of a number of organisations, including the World Wide Fund for Nature, and as chancellor of the universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh.
In Britain and the Commonwealth, his name is most synonymous with the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, which was set up in 1956 and aims at developing the confidence and skills of young people aged 15 to 25.
Prince Philip's off-the-cuff remarks have often landed in him in hot water, although Britons tend to view his politically incorrect comments with a sense of humour.
Papworth hospital describes itself as Britain's largest specialist cardiothoracic hospital and treats more than 22,800 inpatient and day cases and 53,400 outpatients each year from across the country.
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