The Duke of Edinburgh dies aged 99

The Duke of Edinburgh has died, Buckingham Palace announces

The Duke of Edinburgh has died, Buckingham Palace has announced.

Philip, 99, was the longest-serving consort in British history.

A statement from the Palace said: “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.

“His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.”

The Duke and the Queen were married for more than 70 years and Philip dedicated decades of his life to royal duty, serving the nation at the monarch’s side.

He officially retired from public engagements in the summer of 2017.

The Queen and Philips in the quadrangle of Windsor Castle to mark the duke’s 99th birthday (Steve Parsons/PA)

 

Philip had returned to Windsor Castle on March 16 to be reunited with the Queen after spending a month in hospital – his longest ever stay.

He initially received care for an infection but then underwent heart surgery for a pre-existing condition.

Philip – father to the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex – was just two months away from his 100th birthday in June.

Philip briefly stepped out of retirement in July 2020 when he carried out a rare official public engagement at Windsor.

The duke looked in fine form as he made his way down the steps to the Castle’s quadrangle for a socially distanced ceremony to hand over his Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles role to the Duchess of Cornwall, who was almost 100 miles away at Highgrove.

The Duke of Edinburgh during the ceremony at Windsor Castle in July 2020 (Adrian Dennis/PA)

 

He showed he had lost none of his mischievous sense of humour when he joked with one of the soldiers about their fitness levels.

In April 2020, the duke released his first major statement since his retirement, praising key workers including refuse and postal staff, for keeping essential services running during the pandemic.

He was also pictured with the monarch at the Berkshire castle to mark his 99th birthday on June 10, at the secret lockdown wedding of his granddaughter Princess Beatrice on July 17 and with the Queen to mark their 73rd wedding anniversary in November.

Tanya Francis 9th April 2021

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