Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Photo: Getty Images
Prince Philip, the husband of 74-year-old Queen Elizabeth II, has died at the age of 99. Buckingham Palace confirmed the death of the Duke of Edinburgh in a release on Friday morning. “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,” reads a statement from the palace. “His Royal Highness passed away peacefully at Windsor Castle this morning.” Earlier this year, the duke was admitted to a hospital in London for an infection and to monitor his existing heart condition. After undergoing heart surgery, he was discharged in mid-March. Details of his funeral were not immediately released, but Sky News reports that the queen will sign the final plans in the coming days, adding that the duke is requesting a royal ceremonial funeral rather than a state funeral.
He was born in 1921 as Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. He was raised in France and the United Kingdom before joining the Royal Naval College and joining the Royal Navy in 1939. Royal Air Force. In 1947 he married Elizabeth, who would become Queen Elizabeth II in 1952. He became the longest-serving British company in 2009. Together they had four children: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. He is also survived by his eight grandchildren, including Princess William and Harry, and ten great-grandchildren.
Prince Philip’s inner life is dramatized in the fictional Netflix series The crown, where he is played the first four seasons by Matt Smith and Tobias Menzies. Jonathan Pryce will take over the role for seasons five and six. “Netflix, Left Bank Pictures, Sony Pictures Television, and the production team to The crown is very sad to hear of the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, ”the team said in a statement. “We are thinking of the royal family at this sad time.”