96岁的菲利普亲王要进行“臀部”手术

For the most part, Prince Philip takes bouts of ill-health in his stride. But confronted by the possibility that an untreated hip complaint could prevent him participating in his beloved sport of carriage driving, he has accepted medical advice.

菲利普亲王将治疗臀部微恙问题，但是医生可能会建议他不要参加心爱的架马车比赛。

The aim of today’s procedure is, however, twofold. It means, hopefully, he will be fit enough not just to take part in the Royal Windsor Horse show on May 9, but, crucially, to be an active participant at Prince Harry’s wedding ten days later.

治疗被分为两个阶段。菲利普王子有望参加5月9日温莎城堡的赛马车，更重要的是，也能出席十天后哈里王子的婚礼。

Both are key fixtures in Philip’s diary. Indeed, Harry favoured Windsor as his wedding venue because it would be easier for his grandfather to attend.

这两项活动都是菲利普王子的固定日程，哈里选择在温莎城堡结婚也是因为对祖父来说到温莎城堡更容易些。

Although he’s 96 and therefore the prospect of a general anaesthetic cannot be taken lightly, Philip remains supremely fit and remarkably strong for his age.

尽管已是96岁高龄，全麻实施起来也很艰难，菲利普亲王还是一如既往的健朗。

He still walks quickly with one hand behind his back, as of old. And he still cuts a dapper figure, with tailored suits and well-polished shoes; this helps give the impression of a much younger man.

步入老年，菲利普亲王依旧健步如飞，一只手背在身后，衣服剪裁得体，鞋子发亮，利落精干，看起来年轻不少。

Someone seeing him for the first time would not believe he’s a nonagenarian. The Queen Mother underwent two hip operation in her nineties. She had a hip replacement at 95 and then, at 97, had Surgery after fracturing her left hip. She recovered to continue carrying out public engagements.

第一次见他的人绝不会相信菲利普亲王已经九十多岁了。女王的母亲九十岁的时候做过两次臀部手术，95岁做过髋关节置换，97岁左髋关节骨折后做了手术。康复后也一直出席着公共活动。

The Duke of Edinburgh, of course, has officially retired from royal duties but he still makes a point of showing up at events, often unexpectedly, but to the delight of organisers.

菲利普亲王也已退休，但仍会在各大活动中意外露面，让主办方惊喜不已。

He had hoped to join the Queen for the Maundy service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor last Thursday, and his name was in the order of service. He was also absent from the royals’ traditional Easter Sunday church service. The previous week he pulled out of a ceremony to hand over his role as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards to Prince Andrew.

上周四，菲利普本想和女王一起参加温莎城堡圣乔治教堂的濯足节，也在名单中，却遗憾缺席。复活节星期日教堂活动也是如此。前一周他参加了职位交接仪式，将自己近卫步兵第一团团长的职位交给了安德鲁王子。

The fact is that he has endured severe back pain for more than 20 years. It is the reason why, at times, he has appeared irritable in public. But the hip problem has become acute.

其实二十多年来菲利普一直忍受着巨大的背痛，这也是为什么有时候他在公众面前喜怒无常，但是眼下臀部的问题较为突出。

A close friend of the duke describes his condition as ‘the bones in his hip grinding together.’

有亲友说菲利普“臀骨都磨碎了”

Surgery, says the friend, does not intimidate him. ‘For him, it is a simple choice; if without the procedure it means he cannot continue carriage-driving, then it is worth undergoing an operation. He will only stop when he no longer enjoys it, not because he can’t do it. Above all he wants to remain active.’

但是菲利普对手术并不恐惧。“对他来说选择很简单，要是不做手术就没法参加驾马车比赛。这场比赛值得手术。驾马车是菲利普所爱，除非能力有限，不然他不会放弃。他还是想参加比赛的。”

When Philip retired from public duties last year, it was not for medical reasons – he simply wanted to enjoy more of his leisure time.

去年菲利普退休却不是因为身体状况，只是想好好享受闲暇时光。

Just a few days after Buckingham Palace announced the decision, he was carriage-driving at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

这不，退休消息公布没几天，菲利普就参加了温莎王室驾马车比赛。

He turned 96 last June, and a week later helped the Queen celebrate her official 91st birthday at the annual Trooping the Colour parade. On June 20, he spent the day at Royal Ascot, where temperatures were so hot that the dress code in the Royal Enclosure was relaxed for the first time.

去年6月，菲利普迎来了96岁生日，一周后又和女王在军旗敬礼分列式上庆祝了她91岁的生日。6月20日，参加了阿斯科特赛马会，天气炎热，菲利普也是第一次在皇家禁地穿着不那么谨严。

Royal life has always agreed with him and most of his ailments and injuries have been sports-related.

菲利普一直很习惯王室生活，身体的各种小毛病也都是由运动引起的。

Philip suffers from arthritis in his right wrist, and broke a bone in his ankle playing polo. His arthritic wrist forced him to give up polo in 1971 – when he was 50 – after which he decided to take up carriage-driving.

右手腕患有关节炎，打马球时膝盖骨折。右手腕关节炎在1971年菲利普50岁的时候迫使他放弃了马球这项运动，随后菲利普又开始驾马车。

The duke is also an advocate of healthy eating combined with exercise. He once said he more or less followed the Atkins diet and he drinks only moderately.

菲利普也是健康饮食和锻炼的提倡者，他说自己时不时地在遵循阿特斯金减肥法，饮酒适度。

He takes the stairs – two at a time - rather than lifts, and still fits into the uniform he wore on his wedding day.

每天上楼都是两阶台阶一跨，不坐电梯，至今仍能穿上婚礼时的礼服。

But it is Harry’s wedding day in seven weeks’ time that has recently been on his mind. Says the friend: ‘With convalescence, he hopes to be there.’

7周后哈里的婚礼是菲利普近来的心头大事。朋友说：“他希望康复期后能参加婚礼。”