Prince Philip dies, aged 99: Latest news as Duke of Edinburgh's legacy is remembered - live updates
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Funeral: when and where is it being held, and who is invited?
Prince Philip tributes: World leaders react to Duke's passing
Gun salutes marking the death of the Duke of Edinburgh are to take place today across the UK, in Gibraltar and at sea.
Saluting batteries will fire 41 rounds at one round every minute from midday in cities including London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, as well as Gibraltar and from Royal Navy warships, the Ministry of Defence said.
Prince Charles led the tributes to his father on Friday night, saying the Duke of Edinburgh would want to be remembered as an individual “in his own right”.
The Prince of Wales said: “He didn’t suffer fools gladly so if you said anything that was in any way ambiguous, he’d go ‘make up your mind’, so perhaps it made you choose your words carefully. He was very good at showing you how to do things and instructing you how to do things.”
Britain has entered eight days of national mourning for the Duke during which flags will be flown at half mast, TV presenters will wear black and Parliament will pass no new laws.
Follow the latest updates below.
04:19 AM
Team Windsor: how the Royal family will rally round the Queen
The Duke of Edinburgh’s children and grandchildren are to rally round the Queen to help her in the wake of his death, in a transition the Royal family has been preparing for years.
Plans for the next generation of royals to "step up" have been in place since before the Duke's retirement, in what was once described by aides as "Team Windsor".
Significantly derailed by a series of disasters for the institution, those plans will now see the rest of the family pick up the slack to fill the shoes of the man famous for his dedication to duty.
While the Queen is expected to resume her duties as monarch after a period of mourning, she will be able to lean on two younger generations of working senior Royals for a smooth transition long in the planning.
Read the full story here.
03:43 AM
Who will inherit the Duke of Edinburgh's title?
The title of the Duke of Edinburgh will eventually be inherited by Prince Philip’s youngest son, Prince Edward.
Under plans first announced in 1999, Edward will succeed his father in the Dukedom with the blessing of Prince Philip and the Queen.
When Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones married in 1999, they were given the titles the Earl and Countess of Wessex, but Buckingham Palace also announced that Edward would eventually one day succeed his father as the Duke of Edinburgh.
READ MORE: Who will inherit the Duke of Edinburgh's title following Prince Philip's death?
03:07 AM
Eight days of mourning
Britain has entered eight days of mourning for the Duke of Edinburgh during which flags will be flown at half mast, TV presenters will wear black and Parliament will pass no new laws.
Between now and Prince Philip's funeral, the Queen will not carry out any duties either in public or in private, and any new laws requiring Royal Assent will not be sent to her for approval.
Churches and public buildings have been told not to open books of condolence for the Duke because of Covid restrictions. Official Government guidance says an online book of condolence, opened on the Royal family's official website on Friday night, should be the sole portal for the public to express their personal tributes.
National mourning will last until 8am on the day after the Duke's funeral, with all official flags, including the Union flag, to be flown at half mast on Government buildings.
Read more: Britain enters eight days of national mourning – here’s what it means
02:35 AM
Gyles Brandreth: The Philip I knew
In the summer of 2000, in the run-up to the celebrations marking the 100th birthday of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, I asked the Duke of Edinburgh, then 79, if he fancied the idea of living to be as old as his mother-in-law, Gyles Brandreth writes.
“God Almighty,” he harrumphed, “I can’t imagine anything more ghastly. I’ll be dead long before then, I hope.”
“And when you are dead,” I said, “how do you think you will be remembered?”
He looked gloomily about him and sighed (we were at Buckingham Palace, sitting in what is known as The Duke of Edinburgh’s Sunshine Room).
“If the media have anything to do with it, ‘cantankerous old sod’, I suppose.” He leant forward and looked me straight in the eye. “Isn’t that what I am? A cantankerous old sod. Isn’t that it?”
On that particular day, it was. The Duke had his moods. He could be irritable, contrary, pig-headed and ungiving.
But on the whole and as a rule – and I knew him for almost 50 years – he was the best of company: funny and surprisingly tolerant.
Read more: Philip was the best of company – and the best of men
01:57 AM
How the newspapers reacted
Prince Philip's death on Friday, at the age on 99, has dominated news coverage in Britain and overseas.
The Telegraph front page features a simple photograph of the Duke in his military livery.
The Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror both print a message from the Queen on their front page, in which she says goodbye to her "beloved".
Read more: Prince Philip: How the newspapers reacted to the Duke of Edinburgh's death
01:24 AM
Commonwealth leaders share tributes
Leaders in Africa have paid their respects to Prince Philip and joined the wave of support for the Royal Family from Commonwealth countries.
Samia Suluhu Hassan, the president of Tanzania, tweeted her condolences: “On behalf of the government and the people of the United Republic of Tanzania, I convey my heartfelt condolences to you Your Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, and through you to the people of the United Kingdom following the sudden demise of HRH Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
“We stand with you during this difficult time of loss and mourning. May his soul rest in eternal peace.”
Cameroon's President Paul Biya wrote a letter to Queen Elizabeth, saying: “I salute the memory of Prince Philip, who was always at your side to embody the monarchy and contribute to the success of your reign.
“My wife and I wish to express our deepest sympathy to you, the royal family, the government and the British nation at this time of sorrow.”
01:20 AM
How Philip shaped his grandchildren's lives
Of Prince Philip’s eight grandchildren, one will now receive particular attention. Prince Harry will be desperate to come back to Britain for his beloved grandfather’s funeral, Harry Mount writes.
In all the bombshell revelations of the Sussexes’ interview with Oprah Winfrey last month, his devotion to his grandparents was clear.
“I’ve never blindsided my grandmother. I have too much respect for her,” Harry insisted. The Duchess added that, when she heard about the Duke of Edinburgh’s illness, “I just picked up the phone and I called the Queen just to check in.”
Amid the subsequent furore over the couple’s claim that the colour of their son’s skin tone had been discussed by members of the family, Harry also acted in his grandparent’s defence. “He wanted to make sure I knew, and if I had an opportunity to share it, that it was not his grandmother or grandfather that were part of those conversations," Winfrey later revealed.
That interview showed, then, what a central figure Prince Philip was in his grandson’s life, even thousands of miles away in Los Angeles.
Read more: Prince Philip shaped the lives of his grandchildren – starting with William and Harry
12:46 AM
The funeral: When is it, and who is invited?
The Duke of Edinburgh's funeral plans will be completely revised due to coronavirus restrictions and will be announced in the coming days.
Buckingham Palace sources said they would adhere to current guidelines, which allow just 30 mourners.
Members of the public have been asked not to attempt to attend or participate in any of the events that make up the funeral.
The Duke left strict instructions that he should have a relatively low-key funeral in his final wishes, swapping a formal lying-in-state for commemorations remembering his military ties and charity patronages.
The Duke, who hated “fuss” and took a no-nonsense approach to life, had planned a royal ceremonial funeral, rather than a State funeral, giving him the same status as Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
Read more: Prince Philip's funeral arrangements: when and where is it being held, and who is invited?
12:15 AM
His final days spent in dignity
In the end, it happened exactly as the Iron Duke would have wanted it – as ever, with his beloved wife by his side, says Camilla Tominey.
Determined to die at home rather than in hospital, Prince Philip was able to pass away "peacefully" at Windsor Castle, where he was Ranger for more than half a century, very much on his own terms.
As his frail condition worsened overnight on Thursday, with insiders warning that he was "gravely ill", any talk of whisking the 99-year-old back to hospital was quickly dismissed by the Queen.
According to one well-placed source: "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."
Read more: Prince Philip’s peaceful passing reflects a remarkable life lived in self-effacing dignity
12:03 AM
'A heck of a guy'
There have been 14 occupants of the White House while Prince Philip was consort to the Queen, and the tributes from those still living poured in, Nick Allen writes.
He was remembered by all for his dignity, commitment to duty and steadfast support of the monarch, but also for his energy, wit and charm.
Joe Biden, the current incumbent of the White House, summed up the general reaction from Americans of all political stripes.
In a rare unscripted moment in the Oval Office, the US president said: "He was a heck of a guy."
From Mr Biden there is no greater compliment.
Read more: Presidents lead America in tribute to Prince Philip
11:55 PM
Today's top stories
Britain has entered eight days of mourning for the Duke of Edinburgh during which flags will be flown at half mast, TV presenters will wear black and Parliament will pass no new laws
The Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral had been meticulously planned in accordance with his wishes. But Buckingham Palace confirmed yesterday that coronavirus restrictions meant all arrangements had been completely revised
The Duke of Sussex is expected to return to the UK from the USA for the funeral of his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, despite widespread travel restrictions
Prince Charles paid a heartfelt tribute to his father last night, saying the Duke of Edinburgh would want to be remembered as an individual “in his own right”
Donald Trump has paid tribute to Prince Philip, saying he "defined British dignity and grace", as world leaders and personal friends remembered the Duke of Edinburgh
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