Prince Philip has died at the age of 99.
The Duke of Edinburgh “passed away peacefully” this morning (9 April) at Windsor Castle.
A statement from Buckingham Palace said: “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.
“The royal family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.”
The palace said further announcements will be made “in due course”.
The duke spent a month in hospital this year; having been admitted to King Edward VII’s hospital in London in February, he then underwent a successful procedure for a pre-existing heart condition, and treatment for an infection, at another hospital in London, St Bartholomew’s.
He left hospital on 16 March, when he was said to be in “good spirits”, and returned to Windsor.
Prince Philip made a huge contribution to the equestrian world. He was one of the top eight British polo players in the 1960s, and when he retired from the game in 1971, turned his interests to carriage driving.
He excelled in four-in-hand international driving, and is credited with essentially creating the modern sport of combined driving, as president of the FEI from 1964 to 1986. He represented Britain in three European and six World Championships, finishing sixth overall in the 1982 World Championships.
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Aged 65, Prince Philip switched to driving homebred Fells, and continued to compete with teams of ponies throughout his 60s and 70s. He encouraged his children to ride and took great pleasure in the achievements of Prince Charles in polo and hunting and Princess Anne in eventing and racing.
The duke once said: “Some optimists tend to assume that, once you have learned the lesson that horses bite at one end and kick at the other, there is nothing further to worry about – no such luck, I am afraid. That is only lesson one in a learning process that goes on as long as you are mug enough to continue to associate with horses.”
See next week’s H&H magazine for full tributes to Prince Philip, out 15 April.
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