Prince Philip Dead At 99 — Queen Elizabeth In ‘Deep Sorrow’ As 'Beloved’ Husband The Duke Of Edinburgh Dies At Windsor Castle

Apr 09, 2021 by apost team

Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, has died at age 99, according to an April 9 Buckingham Palace announcement. Having been married to Queen Elizabeth II for more than 70 years, he was the longest-serving spouse of any British monarch.

In Britain, flags around the country are hanging at half-mast in mourning of the royal family’s loss.

“It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,” Buckingham Palace wrote in a statement posted online.

“His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. Further announcements will (be) made in due course. The Royal Family join(s) with people around the world in mourning his loss.”

Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, retired from his royal duties in 2017 at the age of 95, removing himself from the public eye. Before stepping back, he was considered one of the busiest royals, having had more than 22,000 solo appearances, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. However, since his retirement, his health has deteriorated. In 2018, he underwent hip surgery ahead of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding. Less than a year later, Philip was also in a car accident, which led to him voluntarily relinquishing his license.

Just nine weeks ago, Philip was admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital in London on Feb. 16 on a precautionary basis since he reportedly felt unwell. Following his admission, the prince underwent surgery for a heart condition.

Buckingham Palace released a statement following his March 16 release from the hospital that called the procedure “successful.”

"His Royal Highness wishes to thank all the medical staff who looked after him... and everyone who has sent their good wishes," the statement read.

In an oft-quoted speech on the date of the queen and Philip’s 50th wedding anniversary in 1997, the queen called her husband her “strength and stay.”

“He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments,” the queen said. “But he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.”

Prince Philip was born June 10, 1921, on the Greek island of Corfu, the son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark. Despite his roots, Philip was primarily educated in Great Britain, attending Gordonstoun School in Scotland and the Royal Naval College in England. Following his service in World War II — Philip was a pilot for the British Royal Navy in the Mediterranean and Pacific — he became a British subject, which meant giving up his claim to Greek and Danish royalty.

In 1947, that same year, Prince Philip, 26, married then-Princess Elizabeth, 21, at Westminster Abbey. From then until Elizabeth’s crowning in 1953, Philip continued his military service with the Royal Navy as a commander of the Magpie, a frigate ship. 

“It’s easy to look at the military career of a royal male and see it as a rite of passage, but with Philip one needs to look beyond that,” said Ashley Jackson, a professor of imperial and military history, of Philip’s military career. 

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“This wasn’t a brief dalliance in the military. It’s important to note that he’s clearly an exceptional officer.”

Prince Philip’s youngest son has said in the past that his father is also particularly memorable beyond his military accolades.

“The great thing about my father is that nobody’s ever forgotten meeting him, so they’ve all got their stories,” said Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, at Windsor Castle in May 2017.

“Wherever he’s been, wherever in the world — people remember him. You can’t really get a better accolade than that,” he added.

Prince Philip is survived by his wife, Queen Elizabeth II, and four children, including Charles, the Prince of Wales; Andrew, the Duke of York; Edward, the Earl of Wessex; and Princess Anne. He also has eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. According to ABC News, in the wake of his passing, Prince Philip's title will likely go to his youngest son, the 57-year-old Prince Edward.

In a national address from Downing Street, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had this to say about Prince Philip’s death on Friday:

“Prince Philip earned the affection of generations here in the United Kingdom, across the Commonwealth and around the world,” Johnson said in his opening remarks.

“Like the expert carriage driver that he was, he helped to steer the Royal Family and the Monarchy, so that it remains an institution indisputably vital to the balance and happiness of our national life. We remember the Duke for all of this and, above all for his steadfast support for Her Majesty the queen.”

Along with their statement, the official website of the royal family posted a memorial picture of Prince Philip. The rest of the website is “temporarily unavailable while appropriate changes are made.”

Rest in peace, Prince Philip. How will you remember Prince Philip? Let us know — and help keep Prince Philip’s legacy alive by passing this article on to friends and family members.