Heartbroken Queen’s statement as she announces ‘beloved’ Philip has died.
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who the Queen once described as her “strength and stay”, has died after dedicating his life to the Royal Family
The Queen announced the death of her “beloved husband” Prince Philip is a short statement.
She revealed that the 99-year-old Duke of Edinburgh passed away peacefully at Windsor Castle this morning.
A statement from Buckingham Palace said: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced 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 of Edinburgh dedicated his life to the Royal Family and his wife the Queen, who once described him as her “strength and stay”.
Earlier this year Philip had his longest ever hospital stay, when he was admitted to King Edward VII’s Hospital in London on February 16 as a precautionary measure after feeling unwell.
However on March 1 he was transferred to St Bartholomew’s Hospital so doctors could continue treating an infection while also carrying out tests and observation for a pre-existing heart condition.
He leaves behind four children, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchilden.
The Queen will now enter a period of mourning for eight days, during which time all state affairs will be put on hold.
Philip retired in 2017 when he was 96 with 22,219 solo engagements to his name.
He spent the final years of his life living away from his beloved wife, staying at the Royal Family’s Sandringham estate, however the pair were reunited due to lockdown which they spent in Windsor.
Even though he is entitled to a full-blown state funeral, the Duke has been very clear about wanting something simple.
It’s also reported that he was closely involved in the arrangements before his death.
The exact details will be announced in the coming days.
Born in 1921, Philip served in the Royal Navy and became known over the years for his jokes and gaffes.
It is said the Queen, who was then Princess Elizabeth, “never looked at anyone else” after they met and once Philip proposed his destiny as royal consort was sealed.
Elizabeth and Philip were distant cousins, and first met at a wedding in 1934 when she was only nine.
But it was when they met again years later that they began to exchange letters and fell in love.
They became secretly engaged in 1946, but the formal engagement was delayed until Elizabeth turned 21 in April 1947.
Even though his wife later took the throne, Philip could never become king as that would make him outrank the Queen.
Putting aside his own career ambitions, he proved his strong sense of duty serving the country through hundreds of engagements every year, refusing to stop working even in his 90s.
During her Diamond Jubilee Speech in 2012, the Queen said: “During these years as your Queen, the support of my family has, across the generations, been beyond measure.
