hale and hearty: Doctors allow Duke home to rejoin Queen

Philip was in good spirits as he left Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where he had spent the previous five nights.

The 91-year-old royal even joked with senior hospital managers, who had gathered to say goodbye, telling them to behave themselves.

Philip is famous for not wanting a fuss made about himself, and was praised by senior staff nurse Denise Webster.

Ms Webster, who was amongst the senior staff seeing him go, said: “The Duke was a very good patient, and as he left the hospital he told staff to behave themselves and he said he was going back to enjoy the rest of his holiday.”

Philip’s latest health scare came at the start of his traditional summer break with the Queen at Balmoral.

Early last week, he went to the Isle of Wight to take part in Cowes Week events as admiral and member of the Royal Yacht Squadron.

After going to Scotland, he was taken last Wednesday by ambulance from Balmoral to hospital following a recurrence of the bladder infection.

In June he was admitted to hospital with the same infection the day after braving cold, wet and wind during the Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the River Thames.

While at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, he had no visitors after being advised by doctors to rest, but he was in regular contact with royal relatives by telephone.