Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s Husband, Has Died at Age 99

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth’s husband, died on Friday, April 9. He was 99 years old. 

“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,” Buckingham Palace said via a statement on Twitter. “His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.”

The statement added, “Further announcements will be made in due course. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.” Though the cause of death was not named at this time, the prince consort had spent a month in the hospital earlier this year while he underwent a procedure for a preexisting heart condition. He was released on March 16 and returned to Windsor Castle. 

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth married in 1947, making him the longest-serving consort in British history. He was a champion of environmental causes, science, and technology before his retirement from public service in 2017.

Together, Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth had four children: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward. He is also survived by his grandchildren—princes William and Harry; Peter and Zara Phillips; princesses Beatrice and Eugenie; and Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn—as well as several great-grandchildren. 

As news of Prince Philip’s death became known, several notable figures shared their condolences with the royal family. Among them was the Archbishop of Canterbury, the head of the Church of England. “I join with the rest of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in mourning the loss of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, and give thanks to God for his extraordinary life of dedicated service,” the Archbishop of Canterbury wrote in a statement. 

He continued, “On the occasions when I met him, I was always struck by his obvious joy at life, his enquiring mind and his ability to communicate to people from every background and walk of life. He was a master at putting people at their ease and making them feel special.”

We’ll keep this post updated as more information becomes available.