Prince Philip has died peacefully at Windsor Castle at the age of 99, just weeks after he reunited with the Queen following a month-long stay in hospital.

The Queen announced her "deep sorrow" as she confirmed the Duke of Edinburgh, who had recently been treated for a pre-existing heart condition and an infection, died on Friday morning, just two months before his 100th birthday.

Dad-of-four Philip was the longest-serving consort in British history, dedicating decades of his life to royal duty, serving the nation at the monarch's side.

A statement from Buckingham Palace, released at midday, said: “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.

"His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. Further announcements will made in due course. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss."

Philip will lie in rest at the castle but he will not have a state funeral in line with his final wishes. The funeral arrangements are codenamed Forth Bridge, after the Scottish landmark and Unesco World Heritage Site.

Prince Philip was last seen in public as he left King Edward VII's Hospital in central London on March 16 (
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)

The royal ceremony will take place at St George's Chapel amid the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions, which limit the number of mourners to 30 and require social distancing.

The public has been asked not to gather or attempt to attend any of the events due to the pandemic.

There will be no lying-In-state ahead of the funeral, and all official flags to be flown at half-mast until 8am the day after the service.

An official death notification, a framed plaque containing the statement, was placed on the metal fence at the Palace, but it was taken down a short time later to prevent crowds from gathering amid the pandemic.

Prince Charles paid tribute to his father's 'astonishing' achievements (
Image:
Getty)

His oldest son Prince Charles told the BBC: "Well you know he didn't suffer fools. So if you said anything that was in any way ambiguous - he'd say 'make up your mind!'

"Perhaps it's made one choose your words carefully. He was very good at showing you how to do things, instruct you in various things."

Charles added: "His energy was astonishing in supporting my mama, and doing it in such a long time.

"What he's done, amounts to an astonishing achievement, I think."

His daughter Princess Anne said in an interview with ITV News: “Without him life will be completely different. But from society’s perspective he was able to keep pace with the kind of technological changes that have such an impact… but above all that it’s not about the technology it’s about the people.”

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shared a poignant message on their Archewell website, which read: "In loving memory of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. 1921 - 2021.

"Thank you for your service. You will be greatly missed."

The announcement was published on the Royal Family's website
Princess Anne said life would be completely different without her father (
Image:
ITV News)

An online book of condolence has been opened for people to share their messages, and the public have been urged to donate to charity instead of leaving flowers at royal residences.

The Royal Family said in a statement on Twitter: "During the current public health situation, Books of Condolence will not be available for the public to sign. The Royal Family ask that members of the public consider making a donation to a charity instead of leaving floral tributes in memory of The Duke."

Police reminded people to social distance as dozens gathered to look at the notification and pay tribute at the duke's London home, where the Union Jack flag was lowered to half mast and mourners placed flowers at the foot of the gates.

Amid the sombre mood, Buckingham Palace asked people not to gather as they could breach England's Covid-19 rules.

A mourner cries outside Buckingham Palace after Philip's death was announced at midday (
Image:
REUTERS)

Prince Edward, the youngest of the Queen and Philip's four children, hailed his parents' "fantastic" marriage and recalled his father's "wonderful" sense of humour.

The Earl of Wessex, 57, told ITV News: "I’ll remember my father in a number of ways.

"For what he has done in his public life for all the organisations he has supported and influenced and obviously as my father and husband to my mother and all the work that he has done there and as a family we will remember that more than anything else."

Many family members had been forced to see less of Philip in the last year due to the pandemic, with grandson Prince Harry, who lives near Los Angeles with his pregnant Meghan Markle and one-year-old son Archie, telling how he kept in touch with the Queen and the duke through video calls.

Greece-born Philip was also father to Prince Charles, 72, Princess Anne, 70, and Prince Andrew, 61, and had been married to the Queen for 73 years.

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He was the third longest-living British royal, behind Princess Alice, who died aged 102 in 2004, and the Queen Mother, who was 101 when she died in 2002.

The Royal Navy hero had a glittering career in the military, and was one of the last surviving UK veterans to have served in the Second World War, when he witnessed the historic surrender of Japanese forces in 1945.

His greatest legacy is likely to be the pioneering Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for youth, which he founded in 1956 and has since been expanded to almost 150 countries. Active with many charities, he was a patron, president or member of more than 700 organisations during his lifetime.

Following Buckingham Palace's announcement, Boris Johnson led the tributes from British politicians and world leaders, saying the nation's longest-serving consort "helped to steer the Royal Family and the monarchy so that it remains an institution indisputably vital to the balance and happiness of our national life".

Philip recently released from hospital

A gaunt-looking Philip left King Edward VII’s Hospital in Marylebone, central London, in a wheelchair on March 16 following his longest ever stay, and returned to Windsor Castle, where he and the Queen, 94, had been shielding together in HMS Bubble, the nickname given to the couple's reduced household of devoted staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

At the time, the Royal Family's patriarch, who retired from public life in August 2017, was said to be in good spirits as he was discharged, and waved as he arrived home for the first time in a month.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said at time: "His Royal Highness wishes to thank all the medical staff who looked after him at both King Edward VII’s Hospital and St Bartholomew’s Hospital, and everyone who has sent their good wishes.

An announcement is displayed on the fence of Buckingham Palace (
Image:
REUTERS)
The Queen and Philip (pictured in June last year) had been shielding at Windsor Castle (
Image:
PA)

"His Royal Highness wishes to thank all the medical staff who looked after him at both King Edward VII’s Hospital and St Bartholomew’s Hospital, and everyone who has sent their good wishes."

A source added that the duke was in "good spirits" the day he was discharged.

When he was admitted in February, Buckingham Palace described it as a "precautionary measure" and said he would be there for “a few days of observation and rest”.

But it turned into a month-long stay, split between King Edward VII’s Hospital and St Bartholomew’s Hospital, where he underwent heart surgery.

The Queen and other senior royals carried on with official duties while Philip was in hospital.

Philip had been treated for heart problems in the past and in 2011 was rushed to hospital by helicopter from Sandringham after suffering chest pains as the royal family was preparing for Christmas.

A two-year-old girl leaves flowers outside the gates of Buckingham Palace (
Image:
REUTERS)

In the serious health scare, he was treated for a blocked coronary artery at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire and underwent a minimally invasive procedure of coronary stenting.

He was treated for a bladder infection in 2012 and had exploratory surgery on his abdomen in June 2013.

The Royal Family's official website was temporarily unavailable while "appropriate changes" were made following Philip's death.

It was switched to a holding page in memory of the duke. It featured a central image of Philip on a black background, accompanied by the Palace’s statement.

Tributes paid to Philip

The Union Jack flag on Buckingham Palace was flying at half mast. Increased numbers of police officers are patrolling beside the Palace gates where groups of passers-by had gathered there.

Dozens of wellwishers had also gathered outside the gates of Windsor Castle, where Queen continues to stay during the Covid pandemic.

Asked why she made the half-an-hour journey from Wokingham, Berkshire, to pay her respects, gym owner Mary Marrison, 40, said: “I think it’s what makes us British, having a monarchy.

“And he’s been the support of our monarch for all of our lives, and I feel like he deserves the respect.”

Sian Keen, 25, an event manager from Windsor, carried a bundle of tulips as she made her way to the gates of the castle with her friends to pay tribute to the duke.

Bouquets of flowers are left outside Windsor Castle in memory of Philip (
Image:
Stephen Lock / i-Images)

She said: “I think for people our age, this is the first royal who has died, I think it has affected us in a way I didn’t think it would at first. “We wanted to come by, we live close by and thought it was a nice gesture.”

Patsy and John Parnell, who live locally in Windsor, said they would wave at the Duke of Edinburgh at events they had attended.

Mr Parnell said. “We’ve walked up and down this road for a long, long time and just feel like the man has reached the ripe old age of 99 and he’s done great things.

“From my point of view this is the first real big dent in the royal family.

“I know they’ve had their ups and downs but this one is so serious, I mean now she (the Queen) is on her own.

“He’s not an easy man to understand, he kept himself to himself, but nevertheless you have to admire that he was a man of principle.

“He stood by his wife and he never veered from duty, I can’t find any fault in him.”

Flags in Downing Street were lowered to half mast following the announcement, as politicians paid tribute to the duke and offered messages of condolence to the monarch.

Speaking from a podium in Downing Street, the Prime Minister said: “He (Philip) was an environmentalist, and a champion of the natural world long before it was fashionable.

“With his Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme he shaped and inspired the lives of countless young people and at literally tens of thousands of events he fostered their hopes and encouraged their ambitions.

“We remember the duke for all of this and above all for his steadfast support for Her Majesty the Queen.

“Not just as her consort, by her side every day of her reign, but as her husband, her ‘strength and stay’, of more than 70 years.

The Royal Family posted this announcement on Twitter at midday (
Image:
RoyalFamily/Twitter)

“And it is to Her Majesty, and her family, that our nation’s thoughts must turn today.

“Because they have lost not just a much-loved and highly respected public figure, but a devoted husband and a proud and loving father, grandfather and, in recent years, great-grandfather.”

The Cabinet will meet at 5pm to pay tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh, Downing Street said.

Parliament will be recalled from its Easter recess on Monday, a day earlier than its scheduled return, for further tributes.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the UK had lost an "extraordinary public servant" who "dedicated his life to our country".

He added: “However, he will be remembered most of all for his extraordinary commitment and devotion to The Queen.

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“For more than seven decades, he has been at her side. Their marriage has been a symbol of strength, stability and hope, even as the world around them changed - most recently during the pandemic. It was a partnership that inspired millions in Britain and beyond.

“My thoughts are with The Queen, the Royal Family and the British people as our nation comes together to mourn and remember the life of Prince Philip.”

Former prime ministers offered condolences to the Queen, with Tony Blair saying Philip should "be remembered and celebrated in his own right as a man of foresight, determination and courage".

Mr Blair added: “He was often way ahead of his time in protection of the environment, in reconciliation between religious faiths and of course in the creation of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which remains one of the most innovative and effective programmes for the betterment of young people anywhere in the world.

"My condolences and prayers and those of my family are with Her Majesty the Queen and all the Royal Family.”

Jockeys and trainers hold a two minute silence on Ladies Day of The Grand National horse racing festival at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool (
Image:
Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

David Cameron said: “It was an honour and privilege as prime minister to see up close what a powerful advocate the duke was for the causes he believed in."

US President Joe Biden paid a poignant tribute to the Duke, sending his "deepest condolences" to the royals and the people of the UK.

He said in a statement: "Over the course of his 99-year life, he saw our world change dramatically and repeatedly. From his service during World War II, to his 73 years alongside the Queen, and his entire life in the public eye - Prince 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, and so much more. His legacy will live on not only through his family, but in all the charitable endeavours he shaped."

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey tweeted: "We will always be grateful for his amazing service. We shouldn’t forget Prince Philip was a much-loved husband, father, grandfather & great grandfather.

"So our thoughts are with The Queen and the whole Family at this difficult time."

As parties in Scotland suspended campaigning for the Holyrood election, First Minister Nicole Sturgeon wrote on Twitter: "I am saddened by news that the Duke of Edinburgh has died. I send my personal and deepest condolences - and those of @scotgov and the people of Scotland - to Her Majesty The Queen and her family."

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “We offer our sincere condolences to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, his children and their families on this sad occasion. He will be missed by the many organisations that he supported as Patron or President over many decades of service.”

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Arlene Foster added: “He had a strong interest in Northern Ireland and I had the privilege of meeting him on a number of his many visits here.

“He had a profound and positive impact on thousands of our young people who found their purpose, passion and place in the world through participation in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards."

Government ministers, the Mayor of London, the heads of Commonwealth states and other world leaders and royal families also offered tributes to the duke, along with figures from the defence, business, sporting and entertainment worlds.

The BBC suspended its planned scheduling and ITV made changes to its Friday schedule, and moments of silence were held at The Grand National at Aintree Racecourse and cricket matches.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: “Today, we mourn the loss of an extraordinary man, who devoted his life to public service and helping others. I extend my deepest sympathies to Her Majesty The Queen and the entire Royal Family at this sad time.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the duke as a "man of great purpose and conviction, who was motivated by a sense of duty to others".

People gather outside Buckingham Palace after Philip's death, despite pleas not to (
Image:
PA)

He added: "Prince Philip contributed so much to the social fabric of our country - and the world."

Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister of Australia, said in a statement: “He embodied a generation that we will never see again."

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said a national memorial service will be held in Wellington to honour the duke.

She added: "Prince Philip will be fondly remembered for the encouragement he gave to so many young New Zealanders through The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award."

Irish President Michael D Higgins expressed his “great sadness” at the duke’s death.

He added: “I recall with a special appreciation how welcome he made Sabina and I feel in 2014, when I was making the first State Visit by an Irish Head of State to the United Kingdom in 2014.

"My hope is that these visits in 2011 and 2014, which he shared, will continue to be symbols of what we share as neighbours in friendship, peace and a sustainable future.”

Prince Philip with his family at his grandson Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle in May 2018 (
Image:
AFP)

Robert Abela, Prime Minister of Malta, said Philip "made Malta his home and returned here so often. Our people will always treasure his memory. Our sincerest condolences to Her Majesty The Queen and to the @Royalfamily".

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has conveyed his condolences to the Queen after the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.

"Many important events in the contemporary history of your country are connected with the name of His Royal Highness," Mr Putin said in a statement.

"He has rightfully enjoyed the respect of the British nation as well as international recognition."

A Kremlin statement said Mr Putin "wished Queen Elizabeth II fortitude and resilience in the face of this severe and irreparable loss and requested that his sincere condolences be passed to all the members of the royal family".

Religious figures also paid their respects.

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said in a statement: "On the occasions when I met him, I was always struck by his obvious joy at life, his enquiring mind and his ability to communicate to people from every background and walk of life.

"He was a master at putting people at their ease and making them feel special."

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said: "On behalf of the Jewish communities of the Commonwealth, I send our most profound condolences to Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family on the passing of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh.

"I enjoyed immensely my personal conversations with the Duke of Edinburgh, during which I was deeply moved by his extraordinary sense of duty.

"We remember the Duke’s interaction with, and affection for, the Jewish community in the UK and his connection with Israel, where his mother is buried and which he visited in 1994."

The death of the duke comes in the midst of the worst public health crisis for generations as the UK and countries around the globe reel from the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

It has also taken place in the aftermath of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's bombshell Oprah interview which left the monarchy in crisis after Meghan accused an unnamed royal of racism and the institution of failing to help her when she was suicidal.

Philip's final engagements

Philip briefly stepped out of retirement in July 2020 when he carried out a rare official public engagement at Windsor.

The duke looked in fine form as he made his way down the steps to the Castle's quadrangle for a socially distanced ceremony to hand over his Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles role to the Duchess of Cornwall, who was almost 100 miles away at Highgrove.

He showed he had lost none of his mischievous sense of humour when he joked with one of the soldiers about their fitness levels.

Prince Philip died peacefully at Windsor Castle two months before his 100th birthday (
Image:
Getty Images Europe)

In April 2020, the duke released his first major statement since his retirement, praising key workers including refuse and postal staff, for keeping essential services running during the pandemic.

He was also pictured with the monarch at the Berkshire castle to mark his 99th birthday on June 10, at the secret lockdown wedding of his granddaughter Princess Beatrice on July 17 and with the Queen to mark their 73rd wedding anniversary in November.

On December 18, Philip released a rare public message praising teachers and school staff for their efforts teaching the nation's children during the pandemic.

The Queen and Philip spent a quiet Christmas in 2020 at Windsor alone, except for their staff, and Buckingham Palace announced on January 9 2021, during England's third national lockdown, that they had both received their Covid-19 vaccinations.

But the duke was hospitalised for a month from the middle of February, eventually having heart surgery.

The Queen's 'strength and stay'

The Duke of Edinburgh was once described by the Queen as her "strength and stay" and has been a constant presence by her side for more than 70 years.

Born in 1921, Philip served in the Royal Navy and has become known over the years for his jokes and gaffes.

Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten photographed after their wedding in November 1947 (
Image:
mirrorpix)

After he first met the Queen, Elizabeth "never looked at anyone else" and once Philip proposed his destiny as royal consort was sealed.

Putting aside his own career ambitions, he proved his strong sense of duty serving the country through hundreds of engagements every year, refusing to stop working even in his 90s.

He became patron or president of 800 organisations, founded the Duke of Edinburgh Awards in 1956 and won a place in the nation's hearts for his no-nonsense attitude and witty quips, or "gaffes".

He leaves behind four children, eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchilden.

Philip bowed out of public life in August 2017, retiring at the age of 96 with 22,219 solo engagements to his name.

It was perhaps an unexpected path for the boy born on June 10, 1921 on the Greek Island of Corfu and descended from Greek and Danish royalty.

Philip stood by the Queen's side at her Coronation in June 1953 (
Image:
Daily Mirror)

While not exactly from humble beginnings, Philip's childhood gave no clue that he would one day be the longest-serving British royal consort and a key figure at the heart of the world's most famous Royal Family.

His mother was Princess Alice of Battenberg and his father was Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and he was their only son with four older sisters.

His family was exiled from Greece when he was a baby and Philip was educated in France, Germany and the UK.

He eventually joined the British Navy in 1939 age 18 and served in the British Forces during WWII.

Elizabeth and Philip were distant cousins, and first met at a wedding in 1934 when she was only nine.

But it was when they met again in 1939 that they began to exchange letters and fell in love.

Philip attended thousands of events and engagements over the years (
Image:
Rex Features)

They became secretly engaged in 1946, but the formal engagement was delayed until Elizabeth turned 21 in April 1947.

Philip changed his name to Mountbatten - the anglicised version of Battenberg - before the wedding in order to sound more British and they were married in Westminster Abbey on November 20 1947.

Elizabeth's father King George VI, who she was very close to, wrote about giving her away: "When I handed your hand to the Archbishop, I felt I had lost something very precious."

He added: "I can see that you are sublimely happy with Philip which is right but don't forget us, is the wish of your ever loving and devoted... Papa."

In a letter to her parents on her honeymoon, Elizabeth wrote: “Philip is an angel. We behave as though we had belonged to each other for years.”

Philip was Britain's longest-serving consort and was by the Queen for more than 70 years (
Image:
PA)

And he wrote: “She is the only thing in this world which is absolutely real to me.”

It was not long before the couple became parents with the birth of Prince Charles in November 1948 shortly followed by Princess Anne in 1950.

In 1949 Philip's naval career saw him stationed in Malta where he and Elizabeth enjoyed a carefree existence, attending dances and free to act like a normal husband and wife.

But on February 6 1952, a huge responsibility fell on Elizabeth's young shoulders when her father died and she became Queen aged just 25.

It was Philip who told his wife she was now Queen after news reached them in Kenya where they were staying in the Treetops hotel.

From that moment Philip's life also changed as his role became to support Elizabeth in her official duties.

Much later he admitted to the BBC about the job: "There was no precedent. If I asked somebody, 'What do you expect me to do?' they all looked blank.

"They had no idea, nobody had much idea."

Nevertheless he worked to carve out a niche for himself.

Two more children followed - Prince Andrew in 1960 and Prince Edward in 1964 - and Philip assumed the role as head of the household at home if not in official life.

In public, he may have walked a step behind his wife, but there can be no underestimating the importance of Philip to the Queen's reign.

As she said herself in a speech for their Golden Wedding anniversary in 1997: “He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.”