With Prince Philip a young 97 year old, it is hard to imagine a world without him. Even harder to believe what is what it would be like if his younger wife, Her Majesty The Queen, coming in at 92 years old was to die before him.
However, anything is possible, so what would happen if Prince Philip became the first husband to outlive his Queen.
Both George of Denmark, who became Duke of Cumberland when he married Queen Anne, and Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, both died before their wives. In 1708 and 1861 respectively. It would be a first if Prince Philip survives longer than Queen Elizabeth.
According to Royal Historian and owner of the royal blog, Royal Musings, Marlene Koeing, the Duke of Edinburgh’s rank would not change.
As for his precedence, he currently sits directly before Prince Charles, but as Charles takes the throne, he will have to make a choice if his father will be before Prince William.
“We won’t know this until Charles is king,” says Koeing.
She also added that Prince Philip would not become the King Father, “he would not be titled the King Father as he is not king.”
This is unlike Queen Elizabeth, who became the Queen Mother upon the death of King George VI as she already held the ‘Queen’ title.
As for where the Duke of Edinburgh would live, “I doubt he would be uprooted. He stays at Sandringham, liking Wolferton,” noted Koeing.
She continued to joke, “Don’t think he would be sent to a senior home in Surbiton.”
Prince Philip is currently the fourth longest living member of the British Royal Family. He is only surpassed by Princess Alice of Albany at 97 years and 313 days, The Queen Mother at 101 years and 238 days and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester at 102 years and 309 days.
