- Prince Philip asked son Prince Charles to carry out three requests on his behalf before he died
- The Duke of Edinburgh was visited by Charles in the hospital when he is said to have had an emotional conversation
- In other royal news, Prince Philip made this touching pact with William and Harry at Princess Diana's funeral
Prince Philip asked son Charles to carry out three wishes for him in the weeks leading up to his death, royal sources have revealed.
The Duke of Edinburgh, who spent a month in hospital earlier this year after he felt unwell and went on to have heart surgery, was visited in hospital by his eldest son Charles. And it's understood that during one visit, the Duke asked his son to carry out three of his wishes, should he die.
Philip, who had been married to the Queen for 73 years, died at home in Windsor Castle aged, 99. And it's claimed the Duke had made preparations in the weeks leading up to his death for three things to be carried out.
In an emotional bedside conversation, the Duke advised the Prince of Wales on keeping an eye on the Queen and discussed how the heir should lead the Royal Family through the years ahead. Royal sources disclosed that during one conversation at the King Edward VII’s Hospital at the end of February, the father and son had “full and frank” and "heartfelt" discussion.
It's understood the Duke was acutely aware that he was unlikely to make a full recovery so expressed a final wish to return home on March 16, wanting to die in his own bed, behind the walls of Windsor Castle.
And despite walking to the car aided as he left hospital, he remained gravely ill at home following his successful heart operation.
Prince Charles is said to have been in constant contact with his father both in person and by telephone over the past few weeks and is believed to have seen Philip for the last time on Tuesday.
Following his death, Prince Charles issued an emotional statement to his "dear Papa" from Highgrove House, his 18th Century residence near Tetbury in Gloucestershire.
He said, "I particularly wanted to say that my father, for I suppose the last 70 years, has given the most remarkable, devoted service to The Queen, to my family and to the country, but also to the whole of the Commonwealth.
"As you can imagine, my family and I miss my father enormously. He was a much loved and appreciated figure and apart from anything else, I can imagine, he would be so deeply touched by the number of other people here and elsewhere around the world and the Commonwealth, who also I think, share our loss and our sorrow."
He continued, "My dear Papa was a very special person who I think above all else would have been amazed by the reaction and the touching things that have been said about him and from that point of view we are, my family, deeply grateful for all that. It will sustain us in this particular loss and at this particularly sad time. Thank you."
