Queen Elizabeth II Was By Prince Philip's Side When He Died 'In His Own Bed' At Windsor Castle
Apr. 11 2021, Published 11:13 a.m. ET
There until the final moments. Queen Elizabeth II was by husband Prince Philip's side when he passed away on Friday, April 9, at 99 years old.
The late duke, who returned home from the hospital in mid-March after a 28-day stay, wanted to pass away "in his own bed" and "on his own terms," a source told The Telegraph.
"He spent most of the four weeks he was in hospital trying to get home. They operated on his heart in a bid to give him a little longer, maybe with the 100th birthday in mind. But he didn't really care about that," a royal source explained. "There is no way he would have wanted to die in hospital."
Despite Philip's health declining on Thursday night, the Queen "quickly dismissed" taking him to the hospital, the Daily Mail reported.
The 94-year-old monarch reportedly called her children and some of her grandchildren, including Prince William and Prince Harry, to relay the sad news before the royal family publicly announced the news on Friday morning.
At the time, the palace 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. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss. Further announcements will be made in due course.”
One day after Philip's death, the Queen — who was married to Philip for 73 years — shared a sweet tribute on social media.
“'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.' -Her Majesty The Queen, 1997," The Royal Family Twitter account captioned a photo of the couple on Saturday, April 10.
Prince Edward's wife, Sophie of Wessex, declared that the Queen "has been amazing" during this trying time.
