ROYAL FAMILY NEWSPrince Philip 'Quietly Slipped Away' on the Day He Died to Down This One Alcoholic Drink, Book Reveals
Prince Philip 'quietly slipped away' on the day he died to drink a beer, a new book reveals.
April 1 2026, Published 5:40 p.m. ET
Prince Philip wanted one last hurrah before he died.
The late Duke of Edinburgh — who passed away on April 9, 2021 — reportedly snuck away from his nurses that morning and went to have one final drink.
Prince Philip Drank a Beer on the Day of His Death
Prince Philip retired from public duties in 2017.
According to Hugo Vickers' new book about Queen Elizabeth, Philip “gave his nurses the slip … helped himself to a beer and drank it in the Oak Room” of Windsor Castle at the time.
The royal, who was 99 when he died, was just three months shy of his milestone 100th birthday.
Prince Philip spent much of his time at Sandringham.
“He got up, had a bath, said he did not feel well and quietly slipped away,” Vickers wrote. “There had often been times in earlier days when the Queen had asked the staff to let her know when Prince Philip was leaving, only to be told ‘His Royal Highness left twenty minutes ago.'”
Following his death, “she took the line that she was ‘absolutely furious that, as so often in life, he left without saying goodbye.'”
Philip retired from public duties in August 2017 after a meeting with the Royal Marines and spent much of his remaining time at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate.
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Queen Elizabeth Often Visited Prince Philip on the Weekends
The Queen let Prince Philip spend his remaining days doing 'exactly as he pleased.'
“After that final engagement, the Queen let [him] do exactly as he pleased,” Vickers added. “He was at his happiest at Wood Farm and he more or less settled there. In the course of the next two and a half years, that was his home. He enjoyed his carriage-driving, read voraciously and painted a little.”
The Queen would also occasionally visit on weekends, and “in a sense they separated.”
“Penny Romsey, the new Countess Mountbatten, often stayed with him there," he penned about Romsey, who was a constant companion to Philip and a close friend of the royal family.
Prince Philip died at the age of 99 in April 2021.
“He did not want to reach his 100th birthday, particularly disliking the fuss attendant at such events,” Vickers also said.
“Due to COVID rules, the number of mourners at Philip’s funeral was restricted to 30," he wrote. "Nothing would have delighted the Duke more than having such a pared-down farewell.”
Philip's funeral took place at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021, and was a slimmed-down service. Only select members pf the firm attended, including the Queen, King Charles, Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince Harry.
