Media across the globe today scrambled and speculated over word that Buckingham Palace had called an ‘emergency meeting’ in the early hours of the morning for palace staff.
When the news broke it was 4:00am in the UK and it was believed an official announcement would be made at 8am London time, which was then pushed back to 10am, leaving six long hours for news outlets to prepare for possible outcomes.
Naturally, the questions of both Prince Philip and The Queen’s health were raised as a theories for the gathering of staff from all around the UK, including Windsor Castle, Balmoral and Sandringham. (In January, the royal couple suffered bouts of ill health with heavy colds forcing them to miss their traditional Christmas Day church service.)
“Everyone is on tenterhooks,” one source explained to explained to The Daily Mail.
“Although meetings involving the entire royal household are occasionally called, the way this has been done at the eleventh hour is highly unusual and suggests that there is something major to be disseminated.”
In fact – thankfully – the news that followed was that The Queen’s husband was stepping down from his royal duties. The palace confirmed in a statement:
“His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh has decided that he will no longer carry out public engagements from the autumn of this year. In taking this decision, The Duke has the full support of The Queen.
“Prince Philip will attend previously scheduled engagements between now and August, both individually and accompanying The Queen. Thereafter, The Duke will not be accepting new invitations for visits and engagements, although he may still choose to attend certain public events from time to time.
“The Duke of Edinburgh is Patron, President or a member of over 780 organisations, with which he will continue to be associated, although he will no longer play an active role by attending engagements.
“Her Majesty will continue to carry out a full programme of official engagements with the support of members of the Royal Family.”
However, it seems some media outlets (we’re looking at you, The Sun) jumped the gun with their coverage prep, with the notorious British tabloid incorrectly publishing a report of The Duke of Edinburgh’s death.
“Prince Phillip dead at 95, how did the Duke of Edinburgh die, etc etc,” a headline on their website read today.
The accidentally-published article was swiftly changed to “QUEEN’S COMPANION Who is Prince Philip, what was the Duke of Edinburgh’s military rank and when did he marry Queen Elizabeth?”, but the damage had already been screen-grabbed (hello, 2017!) for the world to see.
Luckily, their eager fingers didn’t tempt fate and the royals are all 100% alive and well.
It is thought that going forward Prince Charles and his wife Camilla will step up and take on more royal duties to relieve his father.
And at 95-years-old, we reckon Prince Philip has well and truly earned this overdue retirement.
