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British RoyalsPrince Philip

A new royal record for Prince Philip

The Duke of Edinburgh has become a royal record breaker. Again. He is now the longest lived descendant of Queen Victoria.

Prince Philip, born on June 10th 1921 in Corfu, overtook Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone who was one of Queen Victoria’s granddaughters. She lived to the ripe old age of 97 years and 313 days and saw six monarchs, including her granny, on the throne.  As the clock chimed midnight on April 19th 2019, Prince Philip claimed the record, reaching the age of 97 and 314 days.

Royal historian and author, Marlene Koenig, who runs Royal Musings has been instrumental in bringing the anniversary to everyone’s attention. She told Royal Central why it is so special:

‘’This is the 200th anniversary of Victoria’s birth so how appropriate is it that her great, great grandson – the husband of her great, great granddaughter, who is the current Queen – is breaking the record. I think it is a lovely record to break just weeks before the anniversary’’.

Prince Philip is descended from Victoria through her second daughter, Princess Alice. Her daughter, Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine married Prince Louis of Battenberg and their first child, Alice, was Prince Philip’s mother. The Duke of Edinburgh is at Windsor as he takes this royal record, an appropriate location, as Marlene Koenig, who has spent forty years researching Queen Victoria’s life and family, explains:

‘’Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine…was born at Windsor Castle and also baptised there, in the Green Drawing Room. Although born in Greece, Philip has spent most of his life in the UK, even as a child, with his maternal relatives. Among the primary players in Philip’s life was his grandmother, Victoria, who lived at Kensington Palace.’’

It’s not the only royal record Philip can claim. He is already the longest lived consort of any British monarch as well as the longest serving. And his 71 years and counting marriage to the Queen is the longest union of any British ruler and consort in history.

However, his latest claim to royal fame may have passed him by according to Marlene Koenig.

‘’I doubt Philip is aware of the forthcoming record – but he might be chuffed. He is the right person to do it.’’

About author

Lydia Starbuck is Jubilee and Associate Editor at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra. Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024. June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station. June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.