Queen will complete her reign in the same sad way as great-great grandmother Queen Victoria

The Queen will face the final years of her reign in the same way Queen Victoria did, now that Prince Philip has died.

• The Queen finish the rest of her reign in the same way her great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria, did - as a widow.
• Her Majesty has become the first widowed monarch since Queen Victoria now that Prince Philip has died (opens in new tab).
• Devastated Queen Victoria withdrew from public life following Prince Albert's death, but Queen Elizabeth II is expected to continue with her royal duties without Prince Philip by her side.

Prince Philip has died aged 99, it was confirmed by Buckingham Palace today.

“It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh," the statement shared on behalf of Her Majesty read.

“His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss."

Philip won the Queen's heart (opens in new tab) in many ways over their 73 years of marriage (opens in new tab) and while his death will not impact the royal line of succession (opens in new tab), the loss of the Duke of Edinburgh, her "strength and stay" will change the Queen's life and reign as she knows it.

After Prince Philip's funeral (opens in new tab), the Queen will face the final years of her reign as monarch in the same way as her great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria - as a widow.

Will the Queen abdicate now Prince Philip has died?

There is very little indication that the Queen will abdicate following Prince Philip's death.

While she will have to face life as the monarch without him supporting her, royal experts insist she will not step down from the throne.

"I can assure you the queen will not abdicate," royal historian Hugo Vickers told The Economic Times.

"There is every indication the queen is in extremely good health and with luck she will continue to be our queen for as long as possible."

Her Majesty has become the first reigning widow since Queen Victoria, who spent her final years as queen without her beloved consort, Prince Albert.

Albert died when he was just 42 after falling ill with Typhoid. Victoria was bereft by his death, writing to her daughter in a letter, 'How I, who leant on him for all and everything—without whom I did nothing, moved not a finger, arranged not a print or photograph, didn't put on a gown or bonnet if he didn't approve it shall go on, to live, to move, to help myself in difficult moments?'

Following Prince Albert's death, a heartbroken Queen Victoria withdrew from public life almost completely for the 40 years after and dressed in black to mourn the loss of her husband.

However, it's not expected that our Queen Elizabeth II will take the same approach and it is believed that she will continue with her royal work as sovereign without Prince Philip by her side, attending engagements in person when the world begins to open up again.

Her Majesty went mask-free as she attended her first public engagement (opens in new tab) since 2020 earlier this month, having had both of her Covid vaccines (opens in new tab).

The Queen is now set to enter eight days of official mourning ahead of his burial, which will be at Frogmore Gardens at Windsor Castle.

She will not carry out any public or private duties and no laws will be approved by her during this time.

Following the coming eight days, there will be an official period Royal Mourning which is expected to last for 30 days.

The mourning period will see flags lowered to half-mast, with the exception of the Royal Standard above Buckingham Palace.