Prince Philip May Have Had A Bigger Role In The Queen's Death Than You Realize

Queen Elizabeth II is best remembered for being the United Kingdom's longest-reigning monarch. She was well-loved by her public, finding a way to connect with the people of her country. Author Clive Irving, who wrote "The Last Queen: How Queen Elizabeth II Saved the Monarchy," explained her impact (via NBC News).

"She has throughout her reign managed to make people feel that she is the spirit and the soul of the country," Irving said. "She gives over a maternal feeling. She's a safe pair of hands at the top. No one else has ever been able to convey that as she did."

Though the queen was able to connect with the public in a special way, no one knew her as well as her husband of seven decades, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The couple shared a romance in front of the public eye that lived up to its storybook feeling behind closed doors. Now, a source is stating that the death of Prince Philip may have had an impact on the queen's death. She was never the same after his passing.

After meeting Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, when she was just 8 years old, Queen Elizabeth II leaned on him for support throughout her time as monarch (per Us Weekly). The couple got engaged in 1947 and would go on to tie the knot that same year. Together, they would have four children and stay together until Philip's passing in 2021. "He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years," Elizabeth shared about her husband in 1997. It's no surprise that the queen struggled with the duke's death.

Royal expert Katie Nicholl recently shared that she believes Philip's passing had a great impact on Elizabeth, ET Online reports.

"I think she ultimately died of a broken heart, really," Nicholl shared. "She was never the same after Philip went. They'd been together for 74 years. He was, she said, her strength and stay. He supported her in everything she did in life. I think it's fair to say that she wouldn't be the queen that she was without the support of Philip, and I think something in her died when he went."

She added, "She held on for as long as she could," continuing, "She did her constitutional role. She swore in her new Prime Minister. She made sure she tidied everything up, and I think, in the end, she just wanted to be back with him, and I think that's why we saw that double rainbow over Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle."