Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth has died, Buckingham Palace said on Friday. He was 99 and a leading figure in the British royal family for almost seven decades.
The Duke of Edinburgh, as he was officially known, had been by his wife’s side throughout her 69-year reign. It is the longest in British history. During this time he earned a reputation for a tough, no-nonsense attitude and a propensity for occasional gaffes.
“It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,” the palace said in a statement.
“His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. Further announcements will be made in due course. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.”
A Greek prince, he married Elizabeth in 1947. He played a key role in modernizing the monarchy in the post-World War Two period. Behind the walls of Buckingham Palace, Prince Philip was one key figure the queen could turn to and trust.
“He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years,” Elizabeth said in a rare personal tribute to Philip made in a speech marking their 50th wedding anniversary in 1997.
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