The cause of death for the Queen’s late husband, Prince Philip, has been officially recorded.
The 99-year-old died simply of “old age.”
Apparently, the term “old age” is an acceptable cause of death in England if the deceased was over 80 years old and if they were cared for by the same physician for a number of years.
At 99 years old at the time of his death, Prince Philip certainly met the age requirements; and the certificate was signed by Sir Huw Thomas, who is the head of the royal medical household and the physician to the Queen.
Sir Huw Thomas had been caring for the Royal couple since 2014.
The Uk’s Telegraph reported the news after getting their hands on the Duke’s official death certificate.
Prince Philip died just two months shy of his 100th birthday in Windsor Castle on Friday April 9, with the Queen by his beside.
Prince Philip had suffered from a heart condition
The Duke of Edinburgh had recently been plagued with ill health, but after his release from hospital in the middle of March, it was thought that he was in a stable condition.
Unfortunately, his health further deteriorated overnight on Thursday, April 8, and he died on Friday morning. The Queen reportedly refused to allow him to be transported to the hospital as he preferred to die at home.
Prince Philip had been admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital in London on February 16 in what Buckingham Palace described as a “precautionary measure.”
However, he was later transferred to the specialist St. Bartholomews Hospital, also in London, to undergo what was described as a surgical procedure for a pre-existing heart condition. The procedure was deemed a success, and it was thought that he had recovered well from the surgery.
In 2011, the Prince suffered from a blocked artery and had to be airlifted by helicopter from the Sandringham Estate to a hospital where he was fitted with a stent.
Prince Philip’s funeral was affected by COVID-19 pandemic
Prince Philip’s funeral took place on April 17 at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. The ceremony was a quiet affair by British Royal standards for two reasons. COVID-19 restrictions prevented large numbers of people gathering, and the Duke himself had requested a minimal amount of fuss.
The Duke had also requested that his remains travel to St. George’s Chapel on the back of a custom-made hearse, which was a Land Rover, the Prince’s favorite car. The vehicle was adorned with flowers, the Duke’s naval cap, sword, and flags representing his Greek and Danish heritage.