London ( CNN ) -- Prince Philip , husband of Britain 's Queen Elizabeth II , underwent `` exploratory '' abdominal surgery Friday at a London hospital , a Buckingham Palace spokesman said . The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to the hospital Thursday and is expected to stay there for up to two weeks , according to the palace statement . He is being treated `` following abdominal investigations . '' The surgery took place Friday , the palace said . It went as planned , and Philip is `` progressing satisfactorily . '' The 91-year-old is set to celebrate his birthday Monday . He had been expected to accompany the queen as she formally opened the British Broadcasting Corporation 's rebuilt central London headquarters , Broadcasting House , on Friday . She toured the broadcaster 's main newsroom and radio studios , and made a live appearance on the BBC news . The prince showed no signs of illness Thursday at a presentation at Buckingham Palace , according to the Press Association . The news agency reported Philip was joking and laughing with guests at a ceremony where the queen made him a member of the Order of New Zealand . After the presentation , the queen and Philip hosted a garden party in the grounds of Buckingham Palace as part of celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the queen 's coronation . He and other members of the royal family also attended a service at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday to mark the anniversary . Prince Philip : The man behind the queen . Philip left Greece a year after he was born there , following the 1922 overthrow of his uncle King Constantine I . Despite his roots in that country , he has a mixed ancestry and , like his wife , is a great-great-grandchild of Britain 's Queen Victoria . A Royal Navy veteran , he met Elizabeth in 1939 and married her in November 1947 . They have four children . In addition to his royal and military duties , Philip has served as president of the World Wildlife Fund and the International Equestrian Foundation . Philip has had a number of documented health problems in recent years , including treatment for a blocked coronary artery in December 2011 and a hospitalization in June 2012 for a bladder infection . He was admitted again to a hospital -- this time in Scotland -- for treatment of the latter ailment two months later . CNN 's Max Foster contributed to this report .
NEW : Prince ` ` progressing satisfactorily '' after surgery . Prince Philip , however , will be out for up to six weeks . He 's been hospitalized several times recently , including for bladder infections .