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Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and consort to Queen Elizabeth II, dies aged 99

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who served as consort to his wife Queen Elizabeth II for more than 60 years, has died at the age of 99.

Key points:
    Born in Greece to royalty, he escaped political turmoil as a baby
    Prince Philip became Queen Elizabeth II’s trusted adviser and father to her children
    He was a patron of more than 800 organisations and a staunch supporter of the armed services
    Prone to gaffes, he sometimes became a target for media ridicule

The duke had suffered failing health in recent years, and retired from royal duties in 2017.

On March 16 he had been released from London’s King Edward VII hospital, after being admitted a month before as a "precautionary measure".

A statement from Buckingham Palace at the time of his admission said he had been sent to hospital on the advice of his doctor after feeling unwell.

A week later the Palace said he was battling an "infection" and would be staying in hospital.

However the royal family continued to give an upbeat assessment of his health, with his youngest son Prince Edward saying he was "a lot better" and was "looking forward to getting out".

On March 1, Prince Philip was transferred to St Bartholomew’s hospital, also in London, where tests were carried out on a pre-existing heart condition. A procedure for that condition was successfully carried out on March 4.
LIVE: Follow all the reaction to Prince Philip’s death

"His Royal Highness will remain in hospital for treatment, rest and recuperation for a number of days," the palace said afterwards. He was later sent back to Edward VII to recover.

Prince Philip was previously admitted to King Edward VII just before Christmas in 2019 for treatment for a pre-existing condition, and remained there for several days.

The prince, who would have turned 100 in June, retired from public life in August 2017 but occasionally made appearances at royal engagements.

He spent Christmas 2011 in hospital after an operation to clear a blocked artery and he missed the end of celebrations to mark the Queen’s 60th year on the throne in 2012 after being hospitalised with a bladder infection.

In 2013, the Greek-born former naval officer underwent "an exploratory operation following abdominal investigations".

He was admitted to hospital in 2017 for treatment for an infection, also arising from a pre-existing condition, and last year spent 10 days in hospital for hip replacement surgery.

In January 2019, Prince Philip was unhurt when his Land Rover flipped after a collision with another car near Sandringham.

He gave up his driving licence after police gave him a warning for driving without wearing a seatbelt.

Known for his forthright manner, Prince Philip was a key source of support for the Queen, who described him as her "strength and stay" throughout their 73-year marriage and her record-breaking reign.

Prince Philip is survived by his wife the Queen and his children Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward and their families.