No, Prince Philip didn’t “prank” the Queen…
A sweet photo of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip went viral following Philip’s death at age 99 on April 9, 2021 — but there’s some misinformation regarding the story behind the snap.
The image showed the Queen giggling next to Philip, dressed in his military uniform, complete with a tall bearskin hat. The photo circulated on social media with a caption that said Philip had “pranked” the Queen by dressing up as a palace guard, causing her to laugh when she noticed it was actually her husband under the hat.
However, that wasn’t the case.
Snopes dug up newspaper articles that gave the real reason for the monarch’s giant grin. The picture was taken by Chris Young of The Associated Press in 2003 at a ceremonial review of the Grenadier Guards at Windsor Castle, and the Queen was laughing not at Philip but at an unexpected swarm of bees interrupting the ceremony.
The Windsor Star reported that a former sergeant major was stung in the forehead, marking the only injury from the commotion. The Edmonton Journal added that a beekeeper was brought in to remove the insects, then the ceremony went on as planned.
Despite the death of her husband of 73 years, the Queen’s former press secretary, Charles Anson, told PEOPLE the monarch had been prepared for the day Philip would die after years of health troubles.
“She would have thought about this moment several times, and her way would be to remain as steady and as calm as possible,” Anson said. “That comes naturally to her through her temperament and her experience.”
He added, “In my years of working for her, she was always calm, no matter what was going on. But for any human being, this is a very cathartic moment.”
“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 palace said in a statement at the time of Philip’s death. “His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.”
They continued, “The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.”
Philip’s funeral was held at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021.
More than a year after her husband’s death, the Queen “died peacefully” at 96 on Sept. 8, 2022, at Balmoral Castle, Buckingham Palace announced, adding, “The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
The Queen — who was the longest-reigning British monarch — was given a state funeral at Westminster Abbey on Sept. 19, 2022, and interred alongside her husband in the King George VI Memorial Chapel the same day.
