Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, dead at 99

Prince Philip, the lifelong companion of Queen Elizabeth II and the longest-serving consort in British history, died at the age of 99 on Friday.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. 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.

The death of the duke comes after a period of poor health. Philip spent a month in two London hospitals, where he was treated for an infection and underwent heart surgery, before being discharged in mid-March.

Philip’s funeral will be held at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, “in line with custom and with His Royal Highness’s wishes,” the College of Arms, which oversees many ceremonial aspects of the royal family’s work, said in a statement Friday.

The statement added that the duke would not have a state funeral, and that the funeral would not be proceeded by a lying-in-state.

“The funeral arrangements have been revised in view of the prevailing circumstances arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and it is regretfully requested that members of the public do not attempt to attend or participate in any of the events that make up the funeral,” the statement added.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in the gardens at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh in July 2017.

Related article Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, longtime consort to Queen Elizabeth II, dies ?

The bells of London’s Westminster Abbey, where Prince Philip married Queen Elizabeth more than 70-years-ago, rang on Friday evening in honor of him.

Gun salutes will be fired across the UK at noon on Saturday, the UK Ministry of Defence wrote in a statement. “Across the United Kingdom, in Gibraltar and on HM Ships at sea, saluting batteries will fire 41 rounds at one round every minute for 40 minutes,” it wrote.

“The public are encouraged to observe the gun salutes from home, they will take place behind closed doors but broadcast online and on television,” the statement added.

More details on funeral arrangements are expected to be confirmed by Buckingham Palace on Saturday, according to a royal source.

The royal family joined the British government in asking the public to not gather at the royal residences, in light of coronavirus restrictions, and “make a donation to a charity instead of leaving floral tributes in memory of The Duke of Edinburgh.”

An online condolences book has been launched on the family’s official website for those who wish to leave messages, Buckingham Palace said.

The College of Arms also gave details for the period of mourning, stating that all “official flags, including the Union Flag, will be flown at half-mast from now until 08:00 on the day following the funeral.”

Charles, the Prince of Wales, visited his mother the Queen on Friday afternoon, traveling from his Gloucestershire home to Windsor Castle, a royal source told CNN.

The source also said the Prince of Wales had been in constant contact with his father since his hospitalization in February.

Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, said Britain’s Prince Philip would be “greatly missed,” in a statement following the news of the death of Harry’s grandfather.

Set on a full-screen dark background, the message, which was posted on the front page of the couple’s Archewell charity, simply reads: “In loving memory of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, 1921-2021. Thank you for your service … you will be greatly missed.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid tribute to the duke, saying that he’d “earned the affection of generations here in the United Kingdom, across the Commonwealth, and around the world.”

US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden said in a statement: “Philip gladly dedicated himself to the people of the UK, the Commonwealth, and to his family. The impact of his decades of devoted public service is evident in the worthy causes he lifted up as patron, in the environmental efforts he championed, in the members of the Armed Forces that he supported, in the young people he inspired.”

Former US President Barack Obama praised the late Prince as “an extraordinary many” who “showed the world what it meant to be a supportive husband to a powerful woman,” he wrote on Facebook.

“Yet he also found a way to lead without demanding the spotlight – serving in combat in World War II, commanding a frigate in the Royal Navy, and tirelessly touring the world to champion British industry and excellence,” he added.

A lifetime of service

Philip, also known by his official title of the Duke of Edinburgh, was the longest-serving British consort. He married the then Princess Elizabeth in 1947 after a courtship that charmed a country still reeling from the ravages of World War II.

In his seven decades of service, Philip often accompanied the Queen on royal engagements, and conducted thousands of his own solo appearances. He once referred to himself as “the world’s most experienced plaque unveiler,” while the Queen lauded him as her “constant strength and guide.”

The duke was known for off-the-cuff remarks that often displayed a quick wit but occasionally missed the mark, sometimes in spectacular fashion. Philip continued making public appearances well into his 90s, retiring only in August 2017.

He supported a number of philanthropic endeavors and was associated with around 800 organizations. He founded the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme, a youth development program that operates in more than 130 countries and territories around the world.

Britain's Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, poses in his military dress uniform circa 1990.

Prince Philip was born into the royal families of Greece and Denmark. His family left Greece in 1922 and settled in Paris after his uncle, King Constantine I, was overthrown.

From left, Princess Fedora of Greece, King Michael and his mother, Princess Helene, Princess Irene of Greece, Princess Marguerite of Greece, Prince Philip and Prince Paul of Greece enjoy a vacation in Mamaia, Romania, in 1928.

Prince Philip, second from left, is seen with his schoolmates at the MacJannet American School outside of Paris, circa 1929.

Prince Philip is dressed for a production of "Macbeth" while attending school in Scotland in July 1935.

Prince Philip was the youngest of five children and the only son. After his parents' separation in 1930, he was sent to England and raised there by his maternal grandmother and uncle.

Prince Philip sits with his fiancee, Princess Elizabeth, in July 1947. He had become a naturalized British citizen and a commoner, using the surname Mountbatten, an English translation of his mother's maiden name. He was also an officer of the British Royal Navy and fought in World War II.

Prince Philip, seen here batting, during cricket practice while in the Royal Navy in 1947.

Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth married in November 1947.

Philip and Elizabeth hold their children Prince Charles and Princess Anne in August 1951.

Prince Philip jumps off water skis as he reaches the beach at Marmaris in Turkey in 1951. The photo was taken during his last posting as commander of HMS Magpie.

Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth dance in Ottawa in October 1951.

Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth were on a tour of the commonwealth when her father, King George VI, died on February 6, 1952. She was next in line for the throne.

Prince Philip waves from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after his wife's coronation in June 1953.

Prince Philip plays polo for Cowdray Park in the semi-finals of the Roehampton Cup in 1954.

The Queen, center, and Prince Philip, left, pose with a tiger Philip killed on a hunting trip during an official visit to India in 1961. They are seen with the Maharaja and the Maharani of Jaipur.

Prince Philip sails during the Cowes Regatta in August 1962.

Prince Philip laughs as the Beatles fight over the Carl Alan Award he presented to the band in March 1964.

The Queen and Prince Philip, accompanied by sons Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, wave from a Buckingham Palace balcony during a parade in June 1964.

The royal couple return to Buckingham Palace after a ceremony in June 1965.

The Queen and Prince Philip leave Westminster Abbey in April 1966.

Prince Philip competes in a bicycle polo match in August 1967.

Prince Philip paints during the filming of the documentary "Royal Family" in 1969.

Prince Philip and his daughter, Princess Anne, prepare a barbecue on the Balmoral Castle estate in August 1972.

The Queen and Prince Philip attend the Royal Windsor Horse Show in April 1976.

The Queen and Prince Philip pose for a photo in 1979 with their children Prince Edward, Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew.

Prince Phillip fishes in a Scottish loch in 1993.

Prince Phillip hunts at the Sandringham estate in 1994.

Prince Phillip tours the London Stock Exchange in 1998.

Former South African President Nelson Mandela chats with Prince Philip in November 2000.

Prince Philip rides a mini motorbike at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May 2005.

Prince Philip competes in the Sandringham Country Show's horse driving trials, held on the Norfolk Estate in 2005.

The Queen and Prince Philip attend the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony in June 2011.

Prince Philip visits Sherborne Abbey during his wife's Diamond Jubilee tour in May 2012.

The Queen presents Prince Philip with New Zealand's highest honor, the Order of New Zealand, at Buckingham Palace in June 2013.

The royal couple arrives at the Royal Ascot horse races in June 2014.

Prince Philip signs the guest book at Hillsborough Castle in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in June 2014.

Prince Philip smiles as he visits an Auxiliary Air Force squadron in Edinburgh, Scotland, in July 2015.

Prince Phillip and his grandson Prince Harry attend the Rugby World Cup final in October 2015.

The Queen and Prince Philip wave to guests in June 2016, during celebrations for her 90th birthday.

Prince Philip feeds a banana to an elephant in Dunstable, England, in April 2017.

Prince Philip makes his final public appearance before his retirement in August 2017, attending a parade of the Royal Marines at Buckingham Palace. The event also marked an end to Philip's 64 years as captain general, the ceremonial leader of the Royal Marines.

This portrait, painted by Ralph Heimans, shows Prince Philip in the Grand Corridor of Windsor Castle. It was unveiled in December 2017.

Prince Philip attends the wedding of his grandson Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018.

Prince Philip poses with the wedding party after Harry and Meghan's wedding in May 2018.

Prince Philip is seen at the wedding of his granddaughter Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in October 2018.

Prince Philip speaks with Sir David Attenborough ahead of an Order of Merit luncheon in May 2019.

The Queen and Prince Philip pose for a photo in June 2020, ahead of Philip's 99th birthday.

The Queen and Prince Philip look at a homemade anniversary card that was given to them by their great-grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in November 2020.

Prince Philip, right, leaves a London hospital in March 2021. He had a heart procedure a couple of weeks earlier.

Prince Philip's life in pictures

Prev Next

After retiring, Philip spent much of his time at the Queen’s rural Sandringham estate. He was occasionally seen in later years at private family events such as the weddings of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and of Princess Eugenie to Jack Brooksbank, both at Windsor Castle.

Philip’s advanced age meant that his health had been the subject of much media focus in recent years. In December 2019, he was taken to hospital as a “precautionary measure” for what Buckingham Palace described as a “pre-existing” condition. He had previously been admitted to hospital on multiple occasions for a variety of reasons, including for a hip replacement and for treatment for bladder infections.

The duke was born the Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark on the Greek island of Corfu in 1921. He left Greece aged 18 months with his family when King Constantine was forced to abdicate after a revolt by Greece’s war-stretched military forces. The family moved first to Paris and later, in 1928, to England.

Philip had an itinerant childhood, educated variously in the UK, France, and Germany.

He became a decorated naval officer for his service during World War II, and when peace returned, rekindled an earlier friendship with Elizabeth that quickly blossomed into a public romance.

In order to marry, the duke renounced his Greek title, became a naturalized British subject and took the surname Mountbatten, derived from his mother’s side of the family. The marriage ceremony was held at Westminster Abbey in 1947. He and Elizabeth had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward.

Tributes for the duke have flooded in from all over the world, including the Commonwealth nations of India, Australia and Canada. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had “distinguished career in the military and was at the forefront of many community service initiatives. May his soul rest in peace.”

Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Philip “embodied a generation that we will never see again.” Canada’s Justin Trudeau said “Prince Philip was a man of great purpose and conviction, who was motivated by a sense of duty to others. He will be fondly remembered as a constant in the life of our Queen.”

CNN’s Laura Smith-Spark and David Wilkinson contributed to this report.