LONDON (AP) — There certainly won’t be fuss. Count on that.
When Britain’s Prince Philip reaches the grand age of 99 on Wednesday, he will spend it quietly and in much the same way he’s spent most of his adult life: beside Queen Elizabeth II.
The stalwart consort plans a quiet lunch at Windsor Castle, where the senior royals have been sheltering due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some family members may call but the palace is saying little more than that. Britain is still under coronavirus restrictions that limit the size of gatherings and Philip and the 94-year-old queen are well into the over-65 age group most vulnerable to coronavirus.
The last year hasn’t been an easy one for Philip, who retired from public life in 2017 after 65 years of supporting the queen.
In November, his second son, 60-year-old Prince Andrew, was forced to step away from all royal public duties because of concerns about his links to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted American sex offender who died in a New York prison. Two months later, Prince Harry, Philip’s grandson, and his wife, the former Meghan Markle, caused further controversy when they announced they were stepping away from royal duties so they could seek financial independence in North America.