Although the Duke of Edinburgh was absent from Monday's Buckingham Palace concert — which featured British musical legends like Elton John and Paul McCartney — his presence was still felt by the cheering crowds.

Prince Philip, who was hospitalized with a bladder infection, will likely sit out the rest of the nationwide festivities marking Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee, Buckingham Palace announced earlier Monday.

Although the highly anticipated concert went on without Philip, his son Prince Charles led the crowd in a show of encouragement as they chanted the duke's name.

Palace officials said Prince Philip, who will turn 91 on Sunday, was taken to the King Edward VII Hospital in London from Windsor Castle as a precaution. He will likely remain in the hospital under observation for a few days.

"Prince Philip … is understandably disappointed about missing this evening's Diamond Jubilee concert and tomorrow's engagements," said the palace in a statement.

Prince Philip's humble beginnings

Philip was born a prince of both Greece and Denmark on June 10, 1921, on the dining table at his parents' home in Mon Repos, on the Greek island of Corfu.

Since the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1952, he has been the consort — kneeling before, standing beside and walking behind the sovereign.

Read the Duke of Edinburgh's full biography

The Queen's husband appeared in good health as recently as Sunday, when he participated in the elaborate river pageant on the River Thames alongside key members of the Royal Family. The Diamond Jubilee celebrations honour the Queen's 60 years on the throne.

Philip's hospitalization also means he will no longer meet privately with Canada's Gov. Gen. David Johnston on Wednesday, as previously scheduled.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is also in the U.K. for the jubilee celebrations, issued a statement through his office, wishing Philip a "quick and complete" recovery, reported CBC's Heather Hiscox from London.

Duke recovered from December health scare

It is not the first time Philip's health has made headlines.

In December 2011 the duke was hospitalized with a blocked coronary artery, a major health scare, during the holiday season.

For the first time in years, he was forced to miss the Royal Family's traditional Christmas festivities, which included attending a morning church service, viewing the Queen's annual Christmas broadcast and a shooting party on Boxing Day.

Philip recovered successfully from a coronary stent procedure after a four-day stay in hospital.

With files from The Associated Press