Queen Elizabeth II’s lifelong companion, 99-year-old Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh, passed away. His Royal Highness died peacefully at Windsor Castle, according to an official statement released by Buckingham Palace, on Friday, April 9, 2019.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson honored him by reflecting on the earned affection of generations Prince Philip earned in the U.K, the Commonwealth of Nations, and globally.
On February 17, the Duke was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London because he was feeling unwell. The palace later disclosed he was being treated for an infection.
Prince Phillip was transferred to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, also in London, on March 1. Doctors at St. Bart’s continued to treat the infection. He was also treated for a pre-existing heart condition. After undergoing heart surgery, the Duke was returned home in mid-March.
Prince Philip Marries Princess Elizabeth
The couple was married for over 70 years. They have four children; Charles the Prince of Wales, Anne Princess Royal, Prince Andrew the Duke of York, and Prince Edward the Earl of Wessex.
Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark first met the Queen when she was a 13-year-old princess. At the time of their first meeting, he was a young naval cadet. In 1939, he was asked to spend time with Princess Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, England.
After that short visit, Philip and Elizabeth began regularly corresponding. Their romance blossomed. When the princess turned 21, Buckingham Palace announced the couple’s engagement — July 1947. They wed a few months later and in November the prince was given the title Duke of Edinburgh.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
CNN: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, dead at 99; by Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
Town and Country: Prince Philip Was the Queen’s “Strength and Stay;” by Victoria Murphy
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Inset Image Courtesy of Joe Lane’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
