Prince Edward Had This To Say About The Death Of Prince Philip

Back in February, Prince Philip was rushed to the hospital under mysterious circumstances, with Buckingham Palace simply noting that the 99-year-old monarch hadn't contracted COVID-19. The Duke of Edinburgh was later confirmed to have had a successful surgery for an underlying heart condition. He was released from the hospital in mid-March, much to royal watchers' relief. Sadly, however, the palace confirmed today that Prince Philip had died peacefully in his sleep. The cause is not yet known. 

As the BBC reports, the monarch, who was due to turn 100 in June, died at home in Windsor Castle. The Duke of Edinburgh is reportedly being laid to rest in St. George's Chapel.

Philip left the British Navy to serve as the Queen's consort, holding the position for the longest term in U.K. history. Prime Minister Boris Johnson heralded how the Duke of Edinburgh "inspired the lives of countless young people." Tributes flooded in at Buckingham Palace as supporters came to pay their respects. Closer to home, however, his adult children are making their feelings clear. 

Princess Anne revealed in an interview prior to Prince Philip's death that she couldn't imagine life without her father. Her brother, Prince Edward, noted separately, "I'll remember my father in a number of ways. For what he has done in his public life, for all the organisations he has supported and influenced and obviously as my father and husband to my mother ... as a family we will remember that more than anything else" (via The Telegraph). Of his parents' long-term relationship, Edward gushed that they supported each other through thick and thin and shared a bond the public typically didn't see, and likely couldn't understand due to their social position. 

The current period of turmoil in the royal family, following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's explosive tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, has put a spotlight on the Duke of Edinburgh's dodgy reputation. However, Edward argues the portrayal of him is often inaccurate. "He used to give them as good as he got and always in a very entertaining way," he noted, explaining, "He had a wonderful sense of humour but of course you can always misinterpret something or turn it against them, so it sounds like it's not right." Philip's son maintains anybody who knew him was fully aware that the beloved patriarch frequently made statements with a wink and a nod.