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A completely restful retirement was never going to be Prince Philip's style.

Last month he was spotted out carriage driving.

One of his favourite pastimes, it's not necessarily for the faint-hearted, sitting on a carriage in charge of two enormous horses.

It's certainly not the average hobby of a 96-year-old man, especially one we now know has been struggling with his hip for about a month.

Last week, the Palace first told us about the hip problem, after he couldn't make it to a church service with the Queen at Windsor.

So while the breaking news of an operation on Wednesday is unusual for Prince Philip, it's not a complete surprise.

Last May, the Palace announced that Prince Philip would be retiring from his own programme of public duties.

At the time, his son Prince Edward told me he wouldn't be entirely putting his feet up, but it was time for him to do the things he enjoyed.

After 70 years of public service, he deserved it.

At Christmas I thought it was remarkable to see him walking to church at Sandringham unaided, no walking stick and no one holding onto him to help.

But clearly he is getting more frail, and while the Duke remains as active as he can be, this hip operation is a reminder that he isn't getting any younger.

Like any family they will have concerns about a man of his age having surgery. He turns 97 in June.

He will also know he will be expected at one big public engagement next - Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in Windsor on 19 May.

So an operation now is probably a sensible choice if he's to feel in better shape for his grandson's big day.

We were told at the time of his retirement that he wasn't stepping back from public life for medical reasons although I got the sense he didn't fancy the constant media speculation about his health.

Which is why he would now hate the thought of the TV cameras and photographers camped outside the hospital waiting for an update.

He has been such a huge part of public life that interest is inevitable.