Prince Philip has died at the age of 99, Buckingham Palace announced Friday.- The duke was due to celebrate his 100th birthday in June.
- He once said he couldn't imagine anything worse than reaching the milestone.
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, died Friday at the age of 99.
"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," Buckingham Palace said in a statement obtained by Insider. "His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle."
In an interview with The Telegraph back in 2000, the duke said he "couldn't imagine anything worse" than turning 100.
When discussing the Queen Mother's 100th birthday, Prince Philip told the publication he had "no desire whatsoever" to reach the same age.
"I can't imagine anything worse," he said. "Bits of me are falling off already."
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At the time, the royal family sent their good wishes to Prince Philip on social media.
"Wishing a very happy 99th Birthday to His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh!" the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wrote on Twitter, alongside photos of Philip with both Prince William and Kate Middleton.
-The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) June 10, 2020
Philip and the Queen marked their 72nd wedding anniversary in November.
They married shortly after World War II, in which he served as a member of the Royal Navy. In addition to a lifetime standing by the Queen's side, he went on to serve as a figurehead for charity organizations like the World Wide Fund for Nature.
The royal lived a relatively quiet life since retiring from royal duties in 2017.
He appeared in public only a handful of times since stepping back. He attended the royal wedding of the Queen's second cousin, Lady Gabriella, in 2019.
He was also the first royal to meet Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new son, Archie, after accidentally "bumping into" the couple at Windsor Castle on the day of the couple's photo call with the press.