Royal families around the world have offered their condolences to the Queen and remembered Prince Philip’s eventful life today.
The Duke of Edinburgh died this morning aged 99, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands made a touching tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh.
They said: “Throughout his long life, he committed himself with dedication to the British people and to his many duties and responsibilities.
“His lively personality never ceased to leave an unforgettable impression.”
They went on to express their sympathy for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and all the members of the Royal Family.
King Carl Gustaf of Sweden praised Prince Philip’s dedication to his country in the wake of his death.
In a statement, he offered his condolences to Her Majesty The Queen and her family, as well as the British people.
He said: “Prince Philip has been a great friend of our family for many years, a relationship which we have deeply valued.
“His service to his country will remain an inspiration to us all.”
The Belgian Royal Palace has also offered their condolences.
King Philippe and Queen Matilde expressed their deep sadness in an Instagram post, which featured a photo of themselves with The Duke and The Queen.
“We will always cherish the memories of our warm encounters,” they said.
The Norwegian Royal Family will fly their flag at half-mast today and on the day of the Duke’s funeral in tribute.
In a statement, King Harald expressed the sorrow his family felt upon receiving the news.
“Our thoughts go to Queen Elizabeth and the immediate family at the passing of Prince Philip. Our condolences also go to the British people,” the statement read.
Queen Margrethe of Denmark, the Duke’s cousin, sent a personal message of condolence to the Queen.
The details of this message have been kept private.
Prince Philip was born into the Danish and Greek royal families, and previously stated that he thought of himself as Danish.
The Duke of Edinburgh married Princess Elizabeth in 1947, five years before she became Queen, and was the longest-serving royal consort in British history. He carried out more than 20,000 solo engagements.
A statement from Buckingham 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.”
Together they had four children, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
HRH had previously been admitted to hospital on 16 February where he remained for two weeks.
He was then transferred to St Bart’s hospital for treatment for an infection and heart condition after which he was discharged on 16 March in “good spirits” according to sources.
You can read all of SWL’s Prince Philip coverage here.
Featured image credit: Pixel Addict via Flickr under CC BY 2.0 license
