Five Years Since Prince Philip's Death: Reflections

Five years after the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the royal family and the public continue to reflect on his life of service and his profound partnership with Queen Elizabeth II. Philip passed away peacefully on April 9, 2021, at Windsor Castle at the age of 99, just two months before his 100th birthday.

The official cause of death, recorded by Sir Huw Thomas, head of the royal medical household, was listed as old age, a designation permissible for those over 80 whom the physician had treated for an extended period. Prior to his passing, Philip had faced several health challenges. In February 2021, he spent 28 days in King Edward VII's Hospital for treatment of an infection and a procedure for a preexisting heart condition, his longest known hospital stay. Earlier incidents included hip replacement surgery in 2018, a car accident in January 2019 that prompted him to surrender his driving license, and a December 2019 hospitalization for another preexisting condition. Historian Hugo Vickers, in his book Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History, claimed Philip had been diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer in 2013 and battled it for nearly eight years, though...