Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II's husband, and the British monarch's longest-serving consort has died at the age of 99.
The duke had been married to Queen Elizabeth II for over 70 years, making him the longest-serving consort in British history. He was set to turn 100 in two months, on June 10th.On March 16, Philip returned to Windsor Castle after spending nearly a month in the hospital, his longest stay ever.
He was treated for an infection at first but then had to have a heart operation due to a pre-existing condition. His death was greeted with a flood of tributes from all over the world.
Philip served as the queen's supporter for 65 years before retiring from public life in 2017 and largely disappearing from view since then.
Philip's death, however, brings an end to a 74-year marriage for his wife, Queen Elizabeth II, which started as a fairytale love story. Sadly, after 74 years of marriage, their love story comes to an end.
Early days
Philip was born in a Greek Royal family, but when he was eighteen months old, his family was expelled from the region. He entered the British Royal Navy in 1939, aged 18, after receiving his education in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
During WWII, he distinguished himself as a member of the Mediterranean and Pacific Fleets. Philip was given permission by George VI to marry Elizabeth.
Love At First Sight
The third cousins had first met in 1934 at a family wedding and then again in 1937 at George VI's coronation (they shared the same great-great-grandparents, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert). They finally met in 1939, when she was 13 and he was 18. The princess had followed her parents to the Royal Naval College in the United Kingdom, where he was a cadet. Philip, who is 18, dazzled Elizabeth, 13, by leaping backward and forwards across a tennis net. The first stirrings of passion were observed when Philip came to Windsor Castle for Christmas in 1943.
Philip returned to London after the war. He proposed to her while walking through the garden. In July 1947, Elizabeth and Philip declared their engagement, and just over four months later, they married.
Lovable Husband and Father
Philip explained why he left the navy in a 2011 interview: "Being married to the queen, it seemed to me that my first responsibility was to support her in the best way I could."
Philip remained one of the most active royals until his retirement, even after the couple's children took on official duties in support of the queen.
He gave up his Greek and Danish titles and became a naturalized British subject before the formal announcement of their engagement.
Philip retired from active military service in 1952, having attained the rank of commander, and was made a British prince in 1957.
The couple had four children - Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward - and he was a much-loved grandfather and great-grandfather. He had eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
Sporty Personality
Polo and Prince Philip have been involved in each other's lives for over 60 years. He had already shown his athletic ability while still at school in Scotland, captaining both the cricket and hockey teams. In addition to playing for other teams, the Prince founded the Windsor Park team. He was the winner of some of the game's most prestigious cups. Prince Philip played until 1971 when he was forced to retire due to arthritis.
3 Royal Visits To India And A Tiger Controversy
In 1961, 1983, and 1997, the UK's longest-serving royal consort joined the Queen in India. He was photographed with the Queen, the Maharaja, and Maharani of Jaipur, and a dead eight-foot tiger he had shot while on a hunt during his 1961 visit to India. In the same year, he was elected President of the World Wildlife Fund UK. He also shot a crocodile and mountain sheep on that trip but it was the photograph of the tiger that caused ripples around the world. During Prince Philip's last visit to India to mark the 50th anniversary of independence in 1997, he joined the Queen on a visit to Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Punjab.