LONDON (Reuters) – Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth and a leading figure in the British royal family for nearly seven decades, has died at the age of 99, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.
The Duke of Edinburgh, as he was officially known, had been by his wife’s side throughout his 69-year reign, the longest in British history. During this time, he earned a reputation for a harsh, meaningless attitude and a propensity for occasional banter.
“It is with great sorrow that Her Majesty the Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, Her Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,” the palace said in a statement.
“His Royal Highness died peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. Other opportunities will be made on time. The royal family joins people from all over the world in mourning their loss.
A Greek prince, Philip married Elizabeth in 1947. He played a key role in modernizing the monarchy during the post-World War II period, and behind the walls of Buckingham Palace was the key figure in the which he could resort to and trust. .
“It has simply been my strength and my stay all these years,” Elizabeth said in a rare personal tribute to Philip, made in a speech on the occasion of her fiftieth birthday in 1997.
“I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a bigger debt than I would ever claim, or we will know.”
Philip spent four weeks in hospital earlier this year for an infection and undergoing a heart procedure, but returned to Windsor in early March. He died just two months before celebrating his 100th birthday.
The flags of Buckingham Palace and government buildings across Britain were lowered at half mast. Details of his funeral have not yet been disclosed, but ceremonies are likely to avoid the large displays of pomp that often follow royal deaths.
This would reflect Philip’s well-known aversion to drama, and it is unlikely that there will be state funerals or that his body will be in condition.
The prince’s charm and inclination to tolerate those he considered foolish or psychophanic earned him a position of respect among some Britons. But for others, his sometimes abrupt behavior made him seem rude and distanced. It was a pleasure for newspaper editors who wished to gather any erroneous comments at official events.
The former naval officer admitted that it was difficult for him to give up the military career he loved and take on the job of consort of the monarch, for which there was no clear constitutional role.
“As the expert carriage driver he was, he helped lead the royal family and the monarchy so that it remains an indisputably vital institution for the balance and happiness of our national life,” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson .
FAMILY HEAD
In private, the prince was considered the undisputed head of his family, but the protocol forced the man baptized as “the second handshake” to spend his public life literally a step away from his wife.
“It simply came to our notice then. If I asked someone ‘what do you expect me to do?’, They all seemed blank: they had no idea, no one had much idea, ”he said in an interview on the occasion of his 90th birthday.
After completing more than 22,000 solo appearances, Philip retired from public life in August 2017, although he later appeared occasionally in official engagements.
His last appearance was last July at a military ceremony at Windsor Castle, the royal palace in west London, where he and the monarch have resided during the closures of COVID-19.
“On the occasions I met him, I was always struck by his joy in life, his inquiring mind and his ability to communicate with people from all walks of life and backgrounds,” he said. say the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.
“He was a master at putting people at ease and making them feel special.”
QUEEN WITHOUT PHILIP
The 94-year-old queen came to the throne in 1952 and the couple, who were third cousins, were married at Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947.
They had four children, Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, Princess Anne, and Princes Andrew and Edward.
They celebrated their 72nd birthday on the same day that Andrew resigned from public office over the controversy over his association with the unfortunate American-funded Jeffrey Epstein, one of the most recent crises the family has suffered.
The death of the queen’s husband and closest confidant will raise questions about whether she could consider abdication, but royal commentators say there is little or no chance of this happening.
In recent years, the queen has reduced the number of official engagements she carries out and has passed on many royal functions and sponsorships to Prince Charles, his son William and other members of the royal family. But it still fulfills the most symbolic functions of the state of the monarchy, such as the opening of parliament.
While officially performing his wife’s second violin, Prince Philip considered himself the private head of the family.
Some royal vigilantes have said that his absence from this role in recent years with declining health has played a role in some of the monarchy’s recent difficulties, such as the crisis of Prince Harry, Charles ’young son and his wife Meghan, and the decision that was seen relinquishes her royal roles.
“The main lesson we have learned is that tolerance is the essential ingredient of any happy marriage,” Philip said in a 1997 speech.
“It may not be so important when things are going well, but it is absolutely vital when things get difficult. It can be taken from me that the queen has the quality of tolerance in abundance. “
Report by Michael Holden, William James and Andy Bruce Edited by Guy Faulconbridge and Frances Kerry