More Details Emerge About the Queen & Philip’s Secret ‘Split’ After Claims They Had Quietly ‘Separated’ Before His Death
The interest in the comings and goings of the British royal family never really ends. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip both passed away a few years ago, and yet to this day, there are still headlines about the two, their health in the years before their respective deaths, and even their marriage.
Hugo Vickers’ new biography, Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History, is probably at the root of a lot of the recent conversations about the marriage between Elizabeth and Philip. Philip died in 2021 at age 99. Queen Elizabeth, meanwhile, died in 2022 at age 96.
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In the book, Vickers examines the time after Philip moved to Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate and stepped back from public duties. Queen Elizabeth remained primarily at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Palace during those days, with Vickers claiming that at that point they had basically “separated.”
The book also discusses Philip’s declining health, including a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in 2013 and multiple heart procedures. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip did reunite during the COVID-19 pandemic, isolating together. Of his health, Vickers writes, “He did not want to reach his 100th birthday, particularly disliking the fuss attendant at such events.”
He also described Philip’s final night, writing, “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 following morning, he got up, had a bath, said he did not feel well and quietly slipped away.”
But what does separation mean? A royal source said: “The phrase ‘in a sense, they had separated’ in Hugo’s book captures a reality that had quietly developed over time – their lives had become increasingly independent even while their bond remained intact.”
The source added: “It was not a formal split, but more a reflection of how they chose to live in later life, with Philip retreating to Wood Farm and the Queen continuing her duties elsewhere.”
So a separation, but not an actual breakup. Another insider said: “There has long been an understanding within royal circles that their relationship evolved into something more distant in practical terms, even if emotionally they remained connected.”
In the book, Vickers said: “The Queen let the Duke do exactly as he pleased. He was at his happiest at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate.” He went on to detail Philip’s schedule and how he spent time riding, painting, and carriage driving. His friend Penelope Knatchbull visited often.
He also said: “From time to time, the Queen went up by train to Norfolk to stay the weekend. Once again, she gave him a loose rein. In a sense, they had separated.”
Despite that, Vickers himself describes the reunion during the pandemic,“They entered a strict isolation, jokingly nicknamed HMS Bubble… nobody was allowed to enter the Upper Ward of the castle, and there were no ladies-in-waiting in attendance.”
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were married for 73 years.
