Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Dead at 99
Prince Philip passed away on Friday (April 9). He was 99.
The Royal Family confirmed Philip's death early Friday morning in a statement shared to Twitter.
"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," the statement read.
The announcement confirmed that Prince Philip passed away peacefully at Windsor Castle.
Philip had been plagued by various health ailments and medical issues over the last few years.
In June 2017, Philip was admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital for treatment of an infection. In April 2018, he underwent hip replacement surgery. In December 2019, he was hospitalized to receive treatment for an undisclosed "pre-existing condition."
He and the Queen were vaccinated against COVID-19 at Windsor Castle on January 9, 2021. The following month, on February 16, Philip was admitted to a hospital as a "precautionary measure" after reportedly falling ill from an infection.
On March 1, he was transferred to a different hospital to undergo "testing and observation" relating to a heart condition.
Prince Philip was born in Corfu, Greece on June 10, 1921. Born into the Greek and Danish royal families, his family was exiled from Greece during his infancy amid the Greco-Turkish War, and he spent his youth studying across Europe. In 1939, at the age of 18, he joined the British Royal Navy, in which he served during World War II.
The same year, Philip began corresponding with the then-Princess Elizabeth, after first meeting back in the mid-1930s. The pair fell in love and began to exchange letters. Following the war, in 1946 Philip asked Elizabeth's father, King George VI, for her hand in marriage. In 1947, Philip renounced his Greek and Danish royal titles and became a naturalized British citizen. Their engagement was announced on July 10, 1947.
On November 20, 1947, Philip and Elizabeth were wed at Westminster Abbey. The morning of the ceremony, he was bestowed the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
Philip was the longest-serving partner of a reigning British monarch, as well as the oldest male member of the British royal family ever.
On August 2, 2017, Philip retired from his royal duties at the age of 96.
Prince Philip is survived by his wife, Queen Elizabeth II, 94, as well as their four children: Charles, Prince of Wales, 72; Anne, Princess Royal, 70; Prince Andrew, Duke of York, 61; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, 56.