LONDON (Reuters) – Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s husband and a pivotal figure in the British royal family for nearly seven decades, has passed away at the age of 99, Buckingham Palace said Friday.
The Duke of Edinburgh, as he was officially called, had stood by his wife’s side during her 69-year reign, the longest in British history. During that time, he earned a reputation for a tough, no-nonsense attitude and a penchant for occasional blunders.
“It is with deep sadness that Her Majesty the Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,” the palace said in a statement.
His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. Further announcements will be made in due course. The royal family, along with people around the world, mourn his loss. “
Philip, a Greek prince, married Elizabeth in 1947. He played a key role in modernizing the monarchy in the post-World War II period, and behind the walls of Buckingham Palace was the only key figure the Queen could turn to and trust. .
“He has, quite simply, been my strength and residence all these years,” said Elizabeth in a rare personal tribute to Philip delivered in a speech on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary in 1997.
“I, and all of his family, and this and many other countries, owe him a greater debt than he would ever claim, or we’ll ever know.”
Philip spent four weeks in the hospital earlier this year for treatment of an infection and to undergo a heart procedure, but returned to Windsor in early March. He died just two months before he was due to celebrate his 100th birthday.
Flags at Buckingham Palace and government buildings across Britain were lowered to half mast. No details of his burial have yet been announced, but ceremonies are likely to shun the grand display of splendor that often follows the royal death.
That would reflect Philip’s well-known aversion to drama, and it is unlikely that there will be a state funeral or that his body will remain in state.
The prince’s charm and reluctance to tolerate those he considered foolish or sycophantic put him in a respectful position among some Britons. But to others, his sometimes abrupt demeanor made him appear rude and aloof. He was a delight to newspaper editors who were happy to pick up any stray comment at official events.
The former naval officer admitted that he found it difficult to give up his military career and take up the job as consort of the monarch, for which there was no clear constitutional role.
“Like the expert coachman that he was, he helped guide the royal family and monarchy so that it remains an institution indisputably vital to the balance and happiness of our national life,” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
HEAD OF THE FAMILY
Privately, the prince was considered the undisputed head of his family, but protocol required the man dubbed ‘the second handshake’ to literally spend his public life one step behind his wife.
There was no precedent. When I asked someone ‘what do you expect me to do?’ They all looked blank – they had no idea, no one had much idea, ”he said in an interview on the occasion of his 90th birthday.
After completing more than 22,000 solo performances, Philip retired from public life in August 2017, although he did appear at official appointments occasionally thereafter.
His last appearance was last July at a military ceremony at Windsor Castle, the royal palace west of London where he and the monarch stayed during COVID-19 lockdowns.
“On the occasions when I met him, I was always struck by his obvious joy in life, his inquiring mind and his ability to communicate with people from every background and career,” said Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury.
“He was a master at putting people at ease and making them feel special.”
QUEEN WITHOUT PHILIP
The Queen, who is 94, came to the throne in 1952 and the couple, who were third cousins, married in Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947.
They had four children, Prince Charles, heir apparent, Princess Anne, and Princes Andrew and Edward.
They celebrated their 72nd birthday the same day Andrew stepped down from public duties over the controversy surrounding his association with disgraced American financier Jeffrey Epstein, one of a number of recent crises the family has faced.
The death of the queen’s husband and close confidant will raise questions as to whether she might consider resigning, but royal commentators say there is little or no chance that this will happen.
In recent years, the Queen has reduced the number of official assignments she carries out and has transferred many royal duties and patronage to Prince Charles, his son William, and other senior royals. But it still fulfills the most symbolic state functions of the monarchy, such as the opening of parliament.
While officially playing second fiddle to his wife, Prince Philip was considered the private head of the family.
Some royal guards have said his absence from this role in recent years with declining health has played a role in some of the monarchy’s recent trials, such as the crisis of Charles’ youngest son Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, and the decision they give up their royal roles.
“The most important lesson we have learned is that tolerance is the only essential ingredient in any happy marriage,” Philip said in a 1997 speech.
“It may not be that important when things are going well, but it is absolutely essential when the going gets tough. You can assume that the queen has the quality of tolerance in abundance. “
Reporting by Michael Holden, William James and Andy Bruce Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Frances Kerry