Queen Elizabeth II was at peace with the growing possibility of losing her 73-year-old husband, Prince Philip, after years of health problems.
Former Queen’s press secretary Charles Anson told People magazine on Friday that the 94-year-old monarch was prepared for Philip’s death simply because she thought so much about where it became second nature to accept the inevitable.
“She would have thought about it a few times and her way would have been to stay as steady and as calm as possible,” Anson told the publication. “It comes naturally to her through her temperament and her experience.”
Anson added: “In my years of working with her, she was always calm, no matter what was going on. But for anyone, it’s a very cathartic moment.”
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HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in his military uniform, around 1990. (Photo by Terry O’Neill / Iconic Images / Getty Images)
(Terry O’Neill / Iconic Images / Getty Images)
Anson worked for the Queen during his years, saying that Philip had no doubts about his role as Elizabeth’s biggest supporter and advocate – a position Philip held with great honor, according to the royal insider.
“There were some things they had to deal with together that were difficult, but it was a long marriage with a lot of happiness,” Anson said. “He took his role as support for the queen as monarch very seriously.”
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Anson was able to offer the queen ‘great support from a strong man of action that he was. He was, of course, of his generation to stand by his wife’s side, ‘Anson continued, adding:'[Philip] agreed very quickly to see to it that he was in that role of support, as well as managing his own life. ‘
In the days before Philip’s death, Elizabeth was surrounded by her inner circle of people in her household and they received “an enormous amount of family support” and will also “comfort them from the enormous support from around the world,” Anson conveyed .
When Princess Elizabeth left and The Duke of Edinburgh walked on the grounds of Broadlands in the south of England, home of the Duke’s uncle, Earl Mountbatten on their honeymoon, November 1947.
(Reuters)
The Duke of Edinburgh underwent heart surgery earlier this year, but his health battle started well beforehand.
In 2011, he was rushed by helicopter to a hospital after suffering from chest pain and being treated for a clogged coronary artery. In 2017, he spent two nights at King Edward Hospital and in 2018 he was admitted to hospital for ten days for a hip replacement.
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Philip was last admitted to hospital in December 2019 and spent four nights in King Edward Hospital for what according to the palace was planned treatment of an existing condition.
The royal family confirmed Philip’s death in a statement on Friday.
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“It is with deep sadness that Her Majesty the Queen announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully at Windsor Castle this morning,” the statement read.
At the time of his death, Philip’s full title was His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, Knight of the Garter, Knight of the Thistle, Order of Merit, Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the British Empire , Companion of the Order of Australia, Companion of the Queen’s Service Order, Privy Counselor.
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He was the second person ever to bear the title ‘Duke of Edinburgh’, the first being his great-great-uncle, Prince Alfred Ernest Albert. His son, Prince Edward, will now accept the title.
Fox News’ Melissa Roberto contributed to this report.