Buckingham Palace has confirmed now that Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, has passed away at the age of 99. In a heartbreaking statement released by the Queen, it read, “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. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. Further announcements will be made in due course. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.”

Prince Philip was admitted at the King Edward VII Hospital on February 17th after he felt unwell. The palace later confirmed that he was being treated for an infection. On March 1, he was transferred to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, also in London, where doctors continued to treat the infection as well as undertake testing for a pre-existing heart condition. After heart surgery, the duke was discharged from hospital in mid-March.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Palace is unsure whether or not to hold a public tribute. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid tribute to the duke, saying that he’d “earned the affection of generations here in the United Kingdom, across the Commonwealth, and around the world.”

The Prince married the then Princess Elizabeth in 1947 after a courtship that charmed a country still reeling from the ravages of World War II.