Cardinal George Pell has been admitted to hospital days after being cut from the Pope’s inner circle.

The former Archbishop of Sydney and Melbourne arrived at St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Darlinghurst for knee surgery.

He was taken into the underground carpark of the hospital in Sydney on Friday morning to avoid photographers, reports The Daily Telegraph.

It comes after he was removed from the Vatican’s inner circle of advisers by Pope Francis on Wednesday.

The Vatican said in October Francis had written to Chilean Cardinal Javier Errazuriz, Congolese Cardinal Laurent Mongengwo and Australian Cardinal George Pell thanking them for their five years of service on the so-called Group of Nine, or C-9.

Though he has been away from Rome since announcing his leave of absence in June 2017, Pell technically remains prefect of the Vatican’s economy secretariat.

Pell, 77, has been in Australia since the middle of last year.

Poor health, including problems with his knees, has stopped Pell from taking long-haul flights, and attending high-level meetings in the Vatican.

The Pope was shedding advisers ahead of a high-stakes Vatican summit early next year.

Francis summoned the presidents of all the world’s bishops conferences to Rome for a three-day meeting in February.

The Vatican said the three cardinals wouldn’t be replaced on the council.