What happens next?

As a senior royal, Prince Philip's death triggers a period of national mourning and the implementation of a well-rehearsed protocol.

For official planning purposes, the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral preparations have been codenamed "Forth Bridge", after the landmark crossing near the Scottish capital. 

Preparations for his wife Queen Elizabeth II's funeral are codenamed "London Bridge". Her eldest son and heir, Prince Charles, is "Menai Bridge", after the suspension bridge in northwest Wales.

All were referred to in the Netflix drama series "The Crown".

- No state funeral -

Hours after announcing Philip's death, Buckingham Palace said arrangements for his funeral and any other official remembrance events were "being considered" by the Queen.

"Details will be confirmed in due course," it added, asking the public "not to gather in crowds" to express their condolences.

However the Royal College of Arms, a heraldic organisation closely involved in the implementation of royal protocols and proclamations, detailed some of the expected formalities.

"The funeral will not be a State Funeral and will not be preceded by a Lying-in-State," it stated on its website. 

"His Royal Highness's body will lie at rest in Windsor Castle ahead of the funeral in St George's Chapel. This is in line with custom and with His Royal Highness's wishes."

It noted funeral arrangements will have been revised due to coronavirus restrictions and noted members of the public should "not attempt to attend or participate in any of the events that make up the funeral".

Government regulations being eased from Monday will allow up to 30 people to attend a funeral.

- Simple, no 'fuss' -

The Covid-secure arrangements may well have suited Prince Philip who, according to newspaper reports over the years, had expressed a preference for a no-fuss funeral.

That stands in contrast to the death of Queen Elizabeth II's mother, also called Queen Elizabeth, who lay in state in the historic Westminster Hall next to the Houses of Parliament after her death in 2002.

Some 200,000 people filed past to pay respects, with the line snaking back miles (kilometres) up the River Thames.Philip, a plain-spoken former naval commander, said he wanted a military-style funeral service in St George's Chapel, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married in 2018. 

Those present would be family members, friends and heads of Commonwealth countries, the Mirror reported.

Prince Philip reportedly did not want to be buried in St George's Chapel or at Westminster Abbey, but instead in Frogmore Gardens at Windsor Castle. 

The Royal Burial Ground there includes the mausoleum of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert. 

Edward VIII, who abdicated in order to marry Wallis Simpson, is also buried there.

- Gun salutes - 

Philip is said to have been closely involved in funeral arrangements being coordinated by Buckingham Palace with the help of the government 

Ahead of the service, the country will see several remembrance events in his honour.

On Saturday, various British army artillery units across the country and the world are expected to conduct simultaneous gun salutes, a tradition dating back centuries to mark significant national events.They have previously marked the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 and former prime minister Winston Churchill in 1965.

Units involved are set to fire one round at the start of each minute for 40 minutes, from locations including the Tower of London, Edinburgh and Cardiff Castles and Hillsborough Castle in Belfast.

Meanwhile on Monday, parliament will reconvene from an Easter recess a day early so lawmakers can share their sentiments, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson leading the tributes in the House of Commons.

- National mourning -

The College of Arms said all official flags, including the Union Jack, will be flown at half-mast until 8:00 am on the day after the funeral.

The Royal Standard above the royal residence will remain flying, however, to represent the continuity of the monarchy.

Members of the royal household will wear dark clothes and armbands. The Royal Household website has been changed, as have the family's official social media platforms -- including Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle's personal Archwell foundation website.

The funeral of a senior royal family member should take place eight days after the death, according to the National Association of Civic Officers.There will be an announcement on whether to hold a national two-minute silence on the day of the funeral.

The last major royal funeral was that of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, just over a month after the death of her younger daughter, the monarch's sister Princess Margaret.

(AFP)

Prince Philip (1921-2021): Lesser-known facts about the Duke of Edinburgh

As the world mourns the death of the Queen’s husband, here are some lesser-known facts about the Duke of Edinburgh that you may not have known.

Billboards with an image of Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh are displayed alongside the Clydeside Expressway in Glasgow, Scotland on April 9, 2021, after the annoucement of the death of Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. 

Philip's death latest hammer blow for the Queen

The death of husband Prince Philip is the latest and heaviest blow to hit Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, with family disputes and scandal rocking the monarch as her record-breaking reign draws to a close.

Here are the crises faced by the 94-year-old monarch in recent months.

Prince Harry and wife Meghan quit as frontline royals

The 2018 wedding of Prince Harry, the Queen's grandson, and US actress Meghan Markle marked a high point for the family, following his brother William's marriage and the birth of great-grandchildren for the monarch.

The arrival of a telegenic celebrity of mixed race into the royal fold was hailed as a sign that the family was moving with the times and equipped to deal with a changing society.

But the honeymoon period did not last long and rumblings of a family rift exploded into full view last year when the couple announced they were quitting frontline duties and moved to California.

Harry and Meghan's bombshell Oprah interview

Sadness at their departure turned into a full-blown crisis for the Queen last month when the couple rained bombshells down on the family during an interview with US television icon Oprah Winfrey.

Meghan accused an unnamed family member of speculating about the potential skin colour of their son-to-be Archie, and said that the family had ignored he pleas for help over mental health issues.

The interview caused a firestorm on both sides of the Atlantic, damaging the family's carefully curated brand and its appeal to younger Britons.

The Queen responded by saying that Harry and Meghan were still "much-loved" members of the family and that the race accusations would be investigated, but added that recollections of the event "may vary".

Prince Andrew's Epstein scandal 

The Queen's second-eldest son Prince Andrew stepped back from frontline royal life in 2019 amid an outcry over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a much-criticised television interview, Andrew denied having sex with a 17-year-old girl allegedly procured by the disgraced millionaire financier.

The royal was lambasted from all quarters for his lack of judgement and empathy with Epstein's victims, while his claims that he never sweated and only stayed at the disgraced financier's home because he was "honourable" drew derision.

The unprecedented interview was the first time Queen Elizabeth II's second son has answered questions from the media about Virginia Robert's allegations.

Roberts, now Giuffre, claims she was forced to have sex with the prince on three occasions -- in London in 2001 when she was 17, in New York and on Epstein's private Caribbean island. Andrew has repeatedly denied the accusations.

Peter Hunt, a former royal correspondent for the BBC, said the ill-advised interview was "the latest indication of a malaise afflicting the Royal Household".

Death of Prince Philip 

But it is the death of husband Philip, her "rock" for 73 years, that will be the hardest blow to bear.

Philip stepped down from public engagements in 2017, but had been by the Queen's side throughout the recent tribulations, although he was languishing in hospital with an infection during Harry's interview.

The couple had performed thousands of engagements together, and led the family through decades of unprecedented change.

Royal biographer Christopher Wilson called him "the guiding hand, the disciplinarian" keeping family members in check.

The Queen, not known for airing her inner feelings in public, said in 1997 he had "quite simply been my strength and stay all these years".

(AFP)

France's Macron pays tribute to 'exemplary life' of Prince Philip

Prince Philip will be remembered as a decorated naval officer, a dedicated philanthropist, and a constant in the life of Queen Elizabeth II. The thoughts of all Canadians are with her and the entire Royal Family as they mourn this significant loss. https://t.co/fgw9jyTM20

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 9, 2021

Germany's Merkel hails Prince Philip's 'sense of duty'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the death of Prince Philip Friday filled her with "great sadness" and that her "thoughts are with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and the royal family".

"His friendship with Germany, his straightforward nature and his sense of duty will remain unforgotten," Merkel said in a statement released by her spokeswoman.

US President Joe Biden pays tribute to Prince Philip

US President Joe Biden paid tribute to Prince Philip Friday as a selfless servant of Britain and its people.

"From his service during World War II, to his 73 years alongside the Queen, and his entire life in the public eye, Prince Philip gladly dedicated himself to the people of the UK, the Commonwealth, and to his family," Biden said in a statement.

First ministers of Scotland and Wales pay tribute to Prince Philip

The first ministers of Scotland and Wales joined other leading British politicians in paying tribute to Prince Philip after his death on Friday (April 9).

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said her thoughts were with the entire royal family, adding that she could imagine "just how devastated" Queen Elizabeth would be.

Sturgeon said political parties in Scotland had agreed to suspend campaigning for a parliamentary election in May as a mark of respect.

In Wales, the country's first minister Mark Drakeford sent condolences on behalf of the country's government and people.

Drakeford said Philip would be "sorely missed" by organisations he had supported across the country.

Flowers laid at Windsor Castle in memory of Prince Philip

Floral tributes were left outside Windsor Castle on Friday (April 9) following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip.

Mourners gathered outside the castle, where Philip and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, had resided since the outset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Black and red-clad Windsor Castle wardens were among those leaving floral tributes to the 99-year-old.

Royal portrayal: Actors who essayed the role of Prince Philip on screen

https://www.wionews.com/photos/royal-portrayal-actors-who-essayed-the-role-of-prince-philip-on-screen-376408

EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF PRINCE PHILIP

1921: Prince Philip is born on the Greek island of Corfu, the only son of Prince Andrew, younger brother of the king of Greece. His mother is Princess Alice of Battenberg.

1922: The family relocates to France after Philip's father is forced into exile. His uncle, the king, is forced to abdicate during general unrest.

1928: Philip moves to England to live with his Mountbatten relatives ? his grandfather had changed the family name from Battenberg to Mountbatten amid anti-German sentiment during World War I.

1939: Philip joins the Royal Navy as a cadet as World War II looms. He later serves in the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean and the Pacific and is promoted several times. He rises to commander in 1952, but his naval career ends shortly after because of his royal duties.

1947: Philip's engagement to Princess Elizabeth is announced in July. They marry in November at Westminster Abbey. He is made the Duke of Edinburgh on his wedding day.

1948: The couple's first child, Prince Charles, is born. He becomes heir to the throne four years later.

1950: Princess Anne is born.

1952: Elizabeth's father, King George VI, dies while she and Philip are in Africa and she becomes queen.

1956: Philip founds the Duke of Edinburgh's Award program, which expands to more than 100 countries. It challenges young people to a series of outdoor activities designed to improve team building and fitness skills.

1960: Prince Andrew is born.

1964: Prince Edward is born.

1982: Philip's grandson Prince William is born to Charles and his wife Princess Diana. William becomes second in line to the throne after his father.

2009: Philip becomes the longest-serving royal consort in British history.

2011: At 90, Philip says he is winding down his workload. He receives successful emergency treatment for a blocked coronary artery.

2017: Philip announces that he will no longer carry out public engagements due to his advanced age.

2019: The 97-year-old Philip is in a serious car crash near the queen's Sandringham estate. He is not hurt, but the driver of the other car suffers a broken wrist. Philip gives up his driver's license.

2021, Feb. 16: Philip is admitted to a London hospital where he is treated for an infection, and later transferred to another where he undergoes a heart procedure. He spends a month in hospital before being discharged March 16.

2021, April 9: Buckingham Palace officials say Prince Philip dies peacefully at Windsor Castle. (AP)

Prince Philip and the Queen: A match made of love and duty

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, died on Friday at the age of 99. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince tied the knot in 1947 and since then, the pair became one of the royal family's longest relationships. Prince Philip was the royal consort for nearly 73 years, a record in the British monarchy. 

Here's a look back at the Royal couple's long-running marriage full of honesty, understanding and strength. 

Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip passes away 

Scott Morrison, prime minister of Australia pays tribute

For nearly 80 years, Prince Philip served his Crown, his country and the Commonwealth.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh was, in the words of Her Majesty, her ‘strength and stay’. He embodied a generation that we will never see again.

Prince Philip was no stranger to Australia, having visited our country on more than 20 occasions. Through his service to the Commonwealth he presided as patron or president of nearly 50 organisations in Australia. Given his own service, Prince Philip also had a strong connection with the Australian Defence Force.

For 65 years, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme has encouraged over 775,000 young Australians to explore their leadership potential. Forty thousand young Australians are currently participating in the program.

Australians send our love and deepest condolences to Her Majesty and all the royal family. The Commonwealth family joins together in sorrow and thanksgiving for the loss and life of Prince Philip. God bless from all here in Australia.

Further details about Australia’s remembrance of Prince Philip will be announced over coming days. Flags will be lowered in honour of His Royal Highness.  

Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth who played a leading figure in the British royal family for almost seven decades, has died aged 99, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.

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 which time he earned a reputation for a tough, no-nonsense attitude and a propensity for occasional gaffes.

Let's take a look at his life story

Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats said:

Prince Philip dedicated his life to our country. We will always be grateful for his amazing service, not least the powerful legacy he leaves to millions of young people who have taken part in his unique Duke of Edinburgh award scheme.

His quiet and steadfast counsel and support of the Queen is perhaps his greatest if unquantifiable contribution to our nation’s history.

At this sad time for millions, we should never forget Prince Philip was a much-loved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. So our thoughts must be with the whole royal family, but in particular with the Queen at this difficult time.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson pays tribute to Prince Philip

He was an environmentalist, and a champion of the natural world long before it was fashionable.

With his Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme he shaped and inspired the lives of countless young people and at literally tens of thousands of events he fostered their hopes and encouraged their ambitions.

We remember the duke for all of this and above all for his steadfast support for Her Majesty the Queen.

Not just as her consort, by her side every day of her reign, but as her husband, her ‘strength and stay’, of more than 70 years.

And it is to Her Majesty, and her family, that our nation’s thoughts must turn today.

Because they have lost not just a much-loved and highly respected public figure, but a devoted husband and a proud and loving father, grandfather and, in recent years, great-grandfather.

Prince Philip: the strength behind the crown

He often grabbed headlines for his gaffes, but Prince Philip was portrayed by royalists as the silent stalwart, who shelved his personal ambitions to support Queen Elizabeth II over seven decades.

Born into the Greek royal family -- although he preferred to be thought of as a Danish prince -- the Duke of Edinburgh never wore a crown himself.

Yet he was a permanent public presence at the queen's side, who called him her "strength and stay".

Like her, his life was ruled by duty and tradition, putting his considerable energy behind numerous charities and carrying out 22,219 solo public engagements since Elizabeth rose to the throne in 1952.

But Philip regularly got into hot water for what were politely referred to as "politically incorrect" off-the-cuff remarks -- quips that from anyone else would be seen as downright racist.

"You managed not to get eaten, then?" he remarked to a British student who had trekked in Papua New Guinea in 1998.

And on a historic state visit to China in 1986, the self-described "cantankerous old sod" warned a group of British students: "If you stay here much longer, you'll all be slitty-eyed."

There was also his reputation as a womaniser, something that worried the royal family even before he and queen married.

They reportedly found the young naval officer "rough, ill-mannered and uneducated" and worried he "would probably not be faithful".

The man the queen's formidable mother privately referred to as "The Hun" because of his German Battenberg blood, was quickly suspected of a string of affairs, which would later be resurrected in the hit Netflix series "The Crown".

But Philip laughed off talk of philandering -- with Sarah, the Duchess of York's mother often cited as one of his former lovers.

"For the last 40 years I have never moved anywhere without a policeman accompanying me. So how the hell could I get away with anything like that?" he said.

At home, the duke had a reputation for being cold towards his four children, Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward.

But many observers considered Philip to be the glue that held together the royal family.

And in a rarely seen softer side, it emerged the late princess Diana addressed him as "Dearest Pa" in letters in which he offered solace over her deteriorating marriage to his eldest son Charles.

- 'Trial and error' -

Philip, the world's longest serving consort, was blessed with robust health for much of his long life, and conducted his final official appearance in August 2017 at the age of 96.

But he was admitted to hospital with various complaints as he advanced into his 90s, most recently for a heart procedure.

In January 2019, at the age of 97 and still driving, he was involved in a car accident near the royal estate of Sandringham in eastern England.

His Land Rover Freelander overturned and two other motorists were injured.

Prosecutors decided not to press charges after the prince, who walked away unscathed, voluntarily surrendered his driving licence.

The accident saw him withdraw from public life and he spent much of 2020 in isolation with the queen at their Windsor Castle home west of London, shielding from the coronavirus pandemic.

But he made several appearances, including at the wedding ceremony of his granddaughter Princess Beatrice in July, four months before celebrating his own 73rd wedding anniversary.

He also attended a military ceremony at Windsor in July when he handed over his ceremonial military role as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles regiment to his daughter-in-law Camilla, wife of Prince Charles.

Never one to talk about his own feelings, the prince admitted in a rare 2011 interview that he had carved out his own role in the royal family by "trial and error".

Asked if he had been successful, he told the BBC in his typical forthright manner: "I couldn't care less. Who cares what I think about it? I mean it's ridiculous."

But the queen has been more forthcoming about his worth.

"He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years," she said in a speech to mark their golden wedding anniversary in 1997.

- Exile from Greece -

Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark was born on a kitchen table on Corfu on June 10, 1921, the only son of prince Andrew of Greece -- the younger brother of Greece's king Constantine -- and princess Alice of Battenberg.

Aged just 18 months, he and his family were evacuated in a British Royal Navy ship from politically unstable Greece, with the toddler reputedly carried in a cot made from an orange box.

The family settled in Paris with young Philip heading to the austere Gordonstoun public school in Aberdeenshire, northeast Scotland, where he became head boy.

He pursued his love of sailing and at the outbreak of World War II in 1939 became an outstanding Royal Navy cadet before serving on battleships in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.

As the war progressed, Philip was mentioned in despatches and promoted through the ranks.

By 1945, he was a first lieutenant and witnessed the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay with the British Pacific Fleet.

Philip had been formally introduced to princess Elizabeth, the future queen, in July 1939.

The pair shared a great-great grandmother -- Queen Victoria -- making them distant cousins, and they kept in touch during the war, meeting on a number of occasions.

But it was not until July 1947 that their engagement was announced and they tied the knot that year on November 20 at Westminster Abbey in London.

- 'Duty to serve her' -

The royal couple made their first major tour together -- to Canada and the United States -- in 1951.

By now a commander, Philip's naval career was cut short by the death of Elizabeth's father, king George VI, in 1952, which brought her to the throne.

"Prince Philip was a highly talented seaman," said his contemporary Terence Lewin. "If he hadn't become what he did, he would have been First Sea Lord (chief of naval staff) and not me."

Philip once admitted the curtailment of his career was "disappointing" but said, "being married to the queen, it seemed to me that my first duty was to serve her in the best way I could".

Yet he remained closely involved with the armed services and the queen marked his 90th birthday in 2011 by appointing him Lord High Admiral -- the titular head of the British Royal Navy and an office until then held by her.

He was a keen flyer, clocking well over 5,000 hours of pilot time, and turned his love of horses to competition, first as a polo player and later representing Britain at carriage-driving.

He also maintained an interest in science, technology and the environment and for years drove a liquid petroleum gas taxi around London.

His greatest legacy may lie in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, which was set up in 1956 to develop the confidence and skills of young people aged 15 to 25 in Britain and the Commonwealth.

His youngest son, Edward, said its importance was likely to be greater due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on formal education.

Philip was also patron of a number of organisations, including the World Wide Fund for Nature, and chancellor of the universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh.

(AFP)

Here is the statement from Buckingham Palace announcing the death of Prince Philip

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.

His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.

Further announcements will made in due course.

The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.

Friday, 9 April 2021