13 Aug 2013

Prince Philip back on duty

7:25 am on 13 August 2013

Prince Philip has returned to public duties after undergoing abdominal surgery in June.

The Duke of Edinburgh on Monday handed out medals at the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the national academy of science and letters in Scotland.

He spent 11 nights at a clinic in London, where he had unspecified abdominal surgery in June.

Palace officials confirmed when he left the clinic on 17 June that he would take two months off to recuperate. He has had a series of health scares in recent years.

Prince Philip, 92, was applauded as he arrived and gave a brief wave before meeting dignitaries outside the venue.

"It's a great pleasure to be back in circulation again," he said.

Referring to the medal-winners, he joked: "I wish to God I could understand what they'd been doing!"