Prince Philip’s secret health battle before death revealed

Prince Philip passed away in April 2021 at Windsor Castle, with his death certificate stating that he died of old age

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Anew biography following the life of the late Queen Elizabeth II has revealed that her husband, Prince Philip, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer eight years before his death in April 2021.

The prince, who passed away from “old age” as per his death certificate, was first diagnosed with the disease in 2013, and went to stay at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate to convalesce, as per British historian Hugo Vickers’ book Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History. 

“Doctors had detected a shadow on his pancreas, and had cut him right across his stomach,” he wrote in the book. “The verdict was inoperable pancreatic cancer.” He added that while many believed Philip “might not be seen in public again”, he ultimately “outwitted the pessimists” and returned to public duties in August 2013. He officially retired four years later at the age of 96.

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Prince Philip was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer

Philip, who passed away at Windsor Castle just two months before his 100th birthday, reportedly did not want to reach the milestone day as he “disliked the fuss attendant at such events”. Hugo then detailed the prince’s final hours, with his trademark zest for life present until the very end.

“On the last night of his life, he gave his nurses the slip, shuffled along the corridor on his Zimmer frame, helped himself to a beer and drank it in the Oak Room,” the author wrote.

“The following morning, he got up, had a bath, said he did not feel well, and quietly slipped away. By this point, he had lived with pancreatic cancer for nearly eight years – far longer than the usual survival time from diagnosis.”

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He passed away in April 2021 from old age

He added that the Queen was absent for his death, which reportedly made her “absolutely furious that, as so often in life, he left without saying goodbye”.

“There had often been times in earlier days when she had asked the staff to let her know when Philip was leaving, only to be told, ‘His Royal Highness left 20 minutes ago,’” Hugo wrote. Queen Elizabeth passed away just over a year later in September 2022 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

The revelation about Prince Philip’s cancer diagnosis comes months after his son, King Charles, shared the news that his own cancer treatments would be reduced in 2026. The 77-year-old first revealed that he had been diagnosed with the disease in February 2024 and took two months away from public duties to undergo treatment.

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King Charles revealed his cancer diagnosis in February 2024

“Indeed, today I am able to share with you the good news that thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and adherence to ‘doctors’ orders’, my own schedule of cancer treatment can be reduced in the new year,” Charles shared in a December 2025 video for Channel 4’s Stand Up to Cancer night.

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Princess Kate shared that she was in remission in January 2025

“This milestone is both a personal blessing and a testimony to the remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care in recent years; testimony that I hope may give encouragement to the 50 per cent of us who will be diagnosed with the illness at some point in our lives.”

Charles’ daughter-in-law, Princess Kate, also revealed her cancer diagnosis in March 2024. The mother of three announced she was in remission 10 months later, after returning to the hospital where she received treatment to thank the staff for their efforts.