Prince Philip passed away at age 99 on April 9, 2021 after decades in the public eye dedicated in service to the crown. As the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, he was the longest-serving royal consort in British history, having stood by her side for more than 70 years. In his important role, he carried the title Prince Philip—instead of King Philip—following historical precedent and royal tradition.
Ahead, we take a deeper look at his title and its significance.
Prince Philip was a prince consort.
The spouse of a ruling king or queen is called a consort. In British royalty, the wife of a king is called a queen consort, but the husband of a queen is called a prince consort, not a king consort.
Prince Philip was also given the titles Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich, upon marrying the queen in 1947.
He was not crowned during his wife Queen Elizabeth II's coronation ceremony in 1953. However, in 1957, the queen made him an official Prince of the United Kingdom, which she declared in a new letters patent, according to Town & Country.
He was a prince of Greece.
Prince Philip was born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. He's the son of Prince Andrew, who also held the title Prince of Greece and Denmark, and Princess Alice of Battenberg. His family left their native Greece after political turmoil broke out in the country.
He adopted the family's surname, Mountbatten, when he became a naturalized British subject and renounced his royal titles to marry Princess Elizabeth (now known as Queen Elizabeth II), the official royal website said. (The site is currently down for updates in light of Prince Philip's passing.)
He was the fifth consort to a ruling British queen.
The official royal website said so. Consorts of previous queens were: King Philip II of Spain, husband to Mary I; William III, husband and co-sovereign to Mary II (although she was nearer to the throne as daughter of James II); Prince George of Denmark, husband of Queen Anne (he was not given a title); and Prince Albert, who became prince consort to Queen Victoria in 1857.
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she's listening to Lorde right now.
