Prince Philip Has Died at 99

By Emily Dixon

Apr 9, 2021

Prince Philip, the Queen's husband, has died at age 99.
The Duke of Edinburgh passed away Friday morning, just under a month after leaving hospital following heart surgery.
"It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh," the royal family said in a statement.

Prince Philip has died at age 99, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday. The Duke of Edinburgh passed away Friday morning, just under a month after leaving hospital following heart surgery.

"It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh," a statement on the royal family's website read. "His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle."

"Further announcements will made in due course," the statement continued. "The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss." Flags in the U.K. are currently being lowered to half mast to mark a period of mourning, the Guardian reports.

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Philip was born in Corfu in 1921, and married the then-Princess Elizabeth married in 1947, five years before her coronation. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary last November. The Duke was the longest serving royal consort—the spouse of a monarch—in British history, the BBC reports. His long history of racist comments, however, tarnished his legacy.

The Duke of Edinburgh had experienced health issues for several years, and announced his retirement from royal engagements in 2017, as the Guardian reports. His final public appearance was at a Royal Marines military parade at Buckingham Palace in August 2017.

Prince Philip and the Queen quarantined throughout the coronavirus pandemic at Windsor Castle. In February of this year, Philip was admitted to King Edward VII's hospital in London as a "precautionary measure" after "feeling unwell," the palace said, and was subsequently transferred to St Bartholomew's hospital to receive surgery for a pre-existing heart condition. He was then returned to King Edward VII's hospital, and discharged on March 16, after spending a total of 28 days in hospital.

Philip is survived by four children, eight grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.