Prince Philip, husband and trusted friend of Queen Elizabeth II, dies at 99

Prince Philip, who was Queen Elizabeth’s husband for more than seven decades and helped to modernize the British monarchy and steer the royal family through repeated crises, died on April 9. He was 99. The Duke of Edinburgh, as he was officially known, had been by his wife’s side throughout her 69-year reign, the longest in British history. During that time he earned a reputation for a tough, no-nonsense attitude and a propensity for occasional gaffes. “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,” the palace said in a statement. A Greek prince, Philip married Elizabeth in 1947. He went on to play a key role helping the monarchy adapt to a changing world in the post-World War II period, and behind the walls of Buckingham Palace was the one key figure the queen could trust and turn to. A ceremonial funeral was scheduled to take place on April 17 at Windsor Castle. (Reuters) This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.