Happy 99th birthday to the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip!
Philip turns 99 on June 10. The longest-serving royal consort in British history will mark the occasion in his typical low-key manner. He and Queen Elizabeth, who celebrated her 94th birthday in April, continue to stay at Windsor Castle. They have been in self-isolation since mid-March when health crisis concerns began to mount in the UK.
The entire royal family is making sure to mark the special occasion. The Royal Family account released a new photo of Philip and Elizabeth. The sweet photo is a reminder of their beautiful 72-year marriage. The couple has certainly seen a lot since Elizabeth took the throne 68 years ago.
The Clarence House and Duke and Duchess of Cambridge accounts have also paid tribute to Philip on this special day. It's different from other birthdays, which are typically marked with multiple-gun birthday salutes and bells ringing. All royal events have been canceled through the summer as they continue to shelter in place and protect the safety of Philip and Elizabeth.
Prince Philip celebrates his 99th birthday on June 10. The Duke of Edinburgh is the oldest and longest-serving royal consort in British history. He and Queen Elizabeth celebrated 72 years of marriage in November.
The Royal Family social media accounts shared a new photo of Elizabeth and Philip for the special occasion. The Queen wore a cream and yellow floral Angela Kelly dress, while Philip wore a Household Division tie.
The photo was taken just last week at Windsor Castle. The couple has been self-isolating there since health crisis concerns in the UK began mounting in March.
Philip has never been one for a fuss, so chances are he may have enjoyed this year's quiet celebrations. He and the Queen shared lunch and spent the day together. He joined members of the family on a video chat to celebrate.
The family also shared their well-wishes for the Duke of Edinburgh online. The Clarence House account shared three photos of Philip and Prince Charles. In one, father and son are riding in a boat together. The second was a more recent photo of the consort and the future king. The final was the official portrait of Elizabeth and Philip.
Prince William and Kate Middleton shared their best wishes for Philip in a series of photos shared on their KensingtonRoyal account. In one, Kate smiles at the duke as he waves to crowds. The other shows William and Philip sharing a laugh.
"Wishing a very happy 99th Birthday to The Duke of Edinburgh!" they captioned the images.
The formal public celebrations that would occur for the prince have been canceled due to continued social distancing. There were no multiple-gun salutes in London. The bells at Westminster Abbey did not ring. The celebrations were also skipped for Queen Elizabeth's birthday in April.
All royal events have been canceled through the summer. The health of the queen and Philip are of the utmost importance to all arms of the royal family. They are likely to continue self-isolating until information on the situation becomes clearer.
Prince Philip's health came into the spotlight in December, when he spent four nights at King Edward VII Hospital for scheduled treatment related to a preexisting condition. He has otherwise appeared to be in good health. Many have credited his long athletic background as what has kept the duke going for so long.
Some sources close to the Queen have feared that this prolonged time off may play into the Queen's consideration of retirement. She reportedly has expressed the desire to retire and spend more time with Philip, but a timeline has never been set forth. The fear is that if this goes on for too long, she may be forced to retire.
Prince Philip retired from public duties in 2017. In his 65 years at the Queen's side, he made 22,219 solo public appearances. While he maintains relationships with many of the organizations he has supported over the years, he no longer makes appearances with them.
Philip has accomplished much more than simply making public appearances. He's written 14 books. He's given 5,496 speeches. The Duke of Edinburgh has been passionate about environmental issues, conservation, science, and engineering.
In April, he made a rare statement commending medical professionals and scientists working on a vaccine, in honor of World Immunization Week.
He first acknowledged the important work of the science and medical professions and educational and research institutions working on the global health crisis. He then said:
"On behalf of those of us who remain safe and at home, I also wanted to thank all key workers who ensure the infrastructure of our life continues; the staff and volunteers working on food production and distribution, those keeping postal and delivery services going, and those ensuring the rubbish continues to be collected."
