PRINCE Andrew was the first member of the Royal Family to arrive at Windsor Castle to comfort the Queen following Prince Philip’s death.
On Friday, the Duke of Edinburgh passed away peacefully in his private apartments surrounded by the Queen and a small group of his dedicated staff.
Read our live blog for the very latest news on Prince Philip’s death…
Around 10:40am yesterday morning, it was reported that Prince Andrew arrived first at the castle.
Andrew, who lives at the Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate, arrived at the back entrance to the Queen’s private apartments.
It is believed that Prince Edward made was second of the Queen’s children to arrive at the castle and paid another visit this morning to console the monarch.
Prince Charles arrived in the afternoon having driven from his Highgrove home in Gloucestershire.
A source close to the Prince of Wales said he was “comforted” by the fact he and his father had been in touch more regularly than ever in recent weeks and months and that they “had said all the things that needed to be said”.
The source told the Daily Mail: “It is some small comfort today that the prince was in much more regular contact with his father in recent weeks and months than he otherwise might have been.
“He was the only family member who was able to visit him in hospital and he was at Windsor as recently as the week before last.
“They spoke a great deal.”
Last night Prince Charles was spotted leaving Windsor Castle last night after visiting the Queen.
Charles, 72, was pictured in the passenger seat of the silver Tesla after spending the day with his family members.
It is not yet known if Princess Anne visited the royal residence to console the Queen.
Buckingham Palace announced the news of Prince Philip’s passing at midday, as the Queen spoke of her “deep sorrow” after her “beloved” husband passed away “peacefully” at Windsor Castle.
Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, inherited his father’s title of the Duke of Edinburgh yesterday.
But the title will later be inherited by Philip’s youngest son Prince Edward on Charles’ eventual accession to the throne.
It comes as..
- Queen shares poignant photo of Philip as she talks of ‘deep sorrow’
- Philip will NOT have State Funeral as Brits told to stay away due to Covid
- Queen was ‘by Prince Philip’s bedside’ when he died after final days ‘in good form reading in the sun’
- Harry wants ‘nothing more’ than to be with the Queen – but will he and Meghan fly back?
- Boris Johnson pays tribute to ‘extraordinary’ Prince Philip
- Prince Philip’s life in pictures
- Queen to enter ‘8 days of mourning’ for Prince Philip
- How Prince Philip’s early years saw him flee Corfu on a warship
Princess Anne said “life without him will be completely different” in an ITV broadcast on Friday night.
Princess Anne said of his key role as Prince consort: “It must have evolved quite dramatically from the early stages. I don’t think the structure in terms of support to the monarchy was designed to deal with a consort.
“And it took a while to find people who understood he had extraordinary experience and skills that they could make use of. But he also found ways he could make an impact.
“In all sorts of ways [life would be different without him], in terms of within our family it’s fundamental as without him it would be completely different.
“But I think also from society’s perspective – he’s been able to keep pace with the kind of technological changes that have such an impact… but at the bottom of all that, it’s not about the technology it’s about the people.”
Prince Edward added to ITV News: “My parents have been such a fantastic support to each other during all those years and all those events and all those tours and events overseas.
“To have someone that you confide in and smile about things that you perhaps could not in public. To be able to share that is immensely important.
“He was always able to manage interviews and say things that the rest of always dreamed we could say. He was brilliant. Always absolutely brilliant.
“He had a wonderful sense of humour but of course you can always misinterpret something or turn it against them, so it sounds like its not right.
“But anyone who had the privilege to hear him speak said it was his humour which always came through and the twinkle in his eye.”
Announcing the news of Prince Philip’s death, the official Royal Family website was replaced with a single page and heartfelt tribute to the duke.
Despite officials at the Palace declined to “go into any specifics” about the Duke’s passing, it is understood that his condition worsened overnight on Thursday with insiders warning that he had become “gravely ill”.
However, any talk of whisking Prince Philip back to the hospital was reportedly dismissed by the Queen.
One well-placed source told the Telegraph: “He spent most of the four weeks he was in hospital trying to get home.
“They operated on his heart in a bid to give him a little longer, maybe with the 100th birthday in mind.
“But he didn’t really care about that.
“He just wanted to be back in his own bed. There is no way he would have wanted to die in hospital.”
According to reports, there had been no dramatic decline in Philip’s health but it was gradual.
Earlier this week, staff said that the Duke was “on good form”, still writing and reading letters.
On warm days over the last few weeks, Philip would reportedly ask to sit in the sunshine with a rug over his legs and nod off.
Just after midday yesterday, the Union Flag was lowered to half-mast outside Buckingham Palace and on public buildings across the UK as the world mourns his death.
The Queen, 94, on Friday shared a photo of Philip in a heartfelt tribute to her “strength and guide”.
As the consort of the Queen, Prince Philip is entitled to a state funeral.
But in keeping with the duke’s no-fuss public image, it is believed that he had asked not to be given a full state funeral.
Instead, he will be given a military funeral, with a private service held at St George’s Chapel in Windsor and burial in Frogmore Gardens.
The public has been urged to stay away due to the threat of coronavirus.
Philip, who had spent a month being treated for an infection and a pre-existing heart condition, is believed to have died suddenly and unexpectedly, although peacefully.
