In sad news, Buckingham Palace has confirmed Prince Philip has passed away aged 99.
WATCH: Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip living together at Windsor
In an official statement, the Palace confirmed that the Duke passed peacefully on Friday 9th April, 2021.
“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 statement read.
“Further announcements will made in due course. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss. Friday, 9 April 2021.”
Prince Philip has battled with several health issues over the years, including undergoing a hip operation, suffering from a bladder infection and an abdominal operation in recent times.
After officially retiring from attending public engagements at the age of 96, the Duke scaled back on royal duties and until COVID-19 hit, spent most of his time at Wood Farm on the Queen’s Sandringham estate.
While Philip has made plenty of headlines over the years as being one of the most outspoken members of the royal family, fans were surprised to learn he was regarded as the most loved royal among staff at Kensington Palace.
This revelation was confirmed by actor Matt Smith, who portrayed the Duke in the Netflix series The Crown.
“In the Royal house he’s the most popular of all of them,” Matt previously said, while referencing his initial research of the Duke ahead of his dramatic portrayal in the popular series.
Prince Philip’s earlier years
Prince Philip Mountbatten was born on the Greek island of Corfu on June 10, 1921 to Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg.
The royal was one of five children: Princess Cecilie of Greece and Denmark, Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark, Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark, and Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark.
He was educated in Paris before moving to the UK. There he resided at Kensington Palace with his uncle, George Mountbatten.
In 1933 Philip continued his education in Germany at a school which was owned by his brother-in-law. He then relocated with this school to Scotland.
In 1937, his sister, Princess Cecilie, and her family were tragically killed in a plane crash.
Two years later, in 1939 Philip joined the Royal Navy where he worked his way up to second-in-command of a ship during the Invasion of Sicily at just 21 and he served in the Second World War.
Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth
Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II met when she was 13 years old. Philip proposed when she was 21 (he was 26 at the time) and they got married on November 1947 at Westminster Abbey.
The couple lived in Malta for a few years – it was here they had their first son, Prince Charles in 1949.
A year later in 1950, they welcomed their first daughter who they named Anne.
Princess Elizabeth then became Queen in 1953 aged just 25 after her father’s sudden death.
In 1960, Queen Elizabeth gave birth to their third child, Prince Andrew, and in 1964, their last child Prince Edward was born.
Prince Philip had eight grandchildren when he died: Prince William, Peter Phillips, Princess Beatrice of York, Lady Louise Windsor, Prince Harry, Zara Phillips, Prince Eugenie of York and James, Viscount Severn.
He also had ten great-grandchildren – the youngest being Zara and Mike Tindall’s newborn baby boy, who they named Lucas Philip Tindall.
Prince Philip’s retirement
Buckingham Palace confirmed that Prince Philip was retiring from royal duties in July, 2017.
The Duke’s last official royal engagement was on August 2, 2017, when he met with the Royal Marines, aged 96.
“The Parade will take place on the Buckingham Palace forecourt on Wednesday, 2nd August and will bring The Duke’s programme of public engagements to a conclusion. His Royal Highness may still choose to attend events alongside The Queen from time to time,” an official statement read.
