Prince Philip disappeared on the eve of his death and was later
found to have made his way to an ancient room in Windsor Castle for
a final beer.
The prince, 99, snuck off as the light faded on April 8 2021 and
headed for the Oak Room in the castle where he
settled down for a drink.
The revelation comes from well connected author, Hugo Vickers,
who writes of the incident in his new book ‘Queen Elizabeth
II’.
He writes that on what would prove to be the last night of his
life, Prince Philip gave his nurses the slip and walked to the Oak
Room where he settled down for a beer.
It was a poignant choice as the room was a favourite spot of
Queen
Elizabeth II.
The two had been photographed there as they celebrated their
73rd wedding anniversary just a few months earlier with Prince
Philip enjoying a card that had been sent to them by their great
grandchildren. Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis
had made the card for the couple – there were no family visits in
November 2020 when the anniversary fell because of the ongoing
Covid pandemic.
But Queen Elizabeth II’s fondness for the room stretched much
further back than that. It had been the scene of several of her
birthday celebrations including a party for her in 1934 when she
turned 8 and which was reported by the Sunday Mirror which revealed
the young princess had a two tier cake decorated with pink roses.
In 1938, the Daily Mirror reported that the 12th birthday party of
the then Princess Elizabeth was held in the room.
It was also a favourite spot for giving out Christmas presents
when the family celebrated there and it was also the setting for
Christmas speeches including that given in 1984.
When Prince Philip settled into it for a beer, in his final
illness, it was filled with family mementoes. An image of the room,
shared the following year when Queen Elizabeth II held an audience
there, showed several photos of the couple with the grandchildren
and great grandchildren on the tables and sideboards.
Hugo Vickers also writes about Prince Philip’s death which, he
says, came eight years after he was diagnosed with inoperable
pancreatic cancer. In the book, Queen Elizabeth II, he says that
Prince Philip got up on the morning of April 9 2021 and had a bath
before saying he didn’t feel well. He then slipped away peacefully
and before his wife of 73 years could reach his side. The book says
Queen Elizabeth II was upset that ”as usual” he had left without
saying goodbye.
The book is one of the first major biographies of Queen
Elizabeth II to be published since her death on September 8
2022.
