As Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, grow older, we are faced with a stark reality. At 91 and 96 respectively, the royal couple can't hold the throne for much longer. After 65 years of service to her country, the Queen is still going strong, but one has to wonder how much longer that can last.
Queen Elizabeth has been in power for so long, it's hard to remember that her coronation was something captured on film. Her Majesty became Queen on February 6th, 1952 following the death of her father, and her official coronation was on June 2, 1953.
While Her Majesty was thrust into power at a young age, her loyal husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was by her side. The couple married in 1947 and has been the picture of true love ever since. The former Navy commander has never once complained, at least publicly, about his duties as husband to the queen, and has given back to his country in countless ways.
"During these years as your Queen, the support of my family has, across the generations, been beyond measure," Queen Elizabeth said during her Diamond Jubilee address in 2012. "Prince Philip is, I believe, well-known for declining compliments of any kind. But throughout he has been a constant strength and guide."
The marriage between Her Majesty and Prince Philip has endured decades of stress, and in 1997, Prince Philip revealed what he believes their secret is.
"I think the main lesson we have learnt is that tolerance is the one essential ingredient in any happy marriage," he said. "You can take it from me, the Queen has the quality of tolerance in abundance."
But as their age begins to increase, it's almost guaranteed that health issues will begin to arise. Just last year, Prince Philip had retired from public life, which meant any public engagements that had not already been planned would not be added to his schedule.
Now, with the most recent news from the palace, is it possible we've seen the last of Prince Philip at public appearances?
This past weekend, Prince Philip was noticeably absent from the Easter services at Windsor Palace, which he usually attends alongside Queen Elizabeth. Days before that, he was also absent from the traditional Maundy service.
People began wondering what could be wrong with the prince, but a new statement cleared everything up.
"His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London this afternoon, for planned surgery on his hip which will take place tomorrow," the statement reads. In addition, it was explained that Prince Philip missed the Maundy service due to "trouble with his hip."
The statement states that the surgery was planned, which is somewhat of a relief. A scheduled surgery is a little less worrisome than something that was required due to emergency. That being said, any time someone of his age goes under the knife, it's cause for concern. There are more risks associated during surgery, and recovery can often take a lot longer, if it ever fully happens.
We are hoping for the best possible outcome for Prince Philip, and we're sure he's going to have a lot of help getting back on his feet. There's a wedding to attend, after all!