An occasion worth celebrating! Prince Philip turned 99 on Wednesday, June 10 — and he began commemorating the occasion with sweet birthday tributes from his family.
Queen Elizabeth II marked the milestone by sharing two Instagram posts in his honor. The 94-year-old monarch posted several photos of the Duke of Edinburgh over the years in one upload, which included a shot of the pair posing with their daughter, Princess Anne, as an infant.
“🎈🎂 Wishing The Duke of Edinburgh a very happy birthday,” the caption read. “His Royal Highness turns 99 today and will spend the day with The Queen at Windsor.”
In a second Instagram post, the queen unveiled a new portrait of herself and Philip. The image was taken last week at Windsor Castle in honor of his big day.
The couple’s son Prince Charles posted three snaps of Philip. The photos included a shot of the 71-year-old Prince of Wales smiling at his father, a throwback of the pair when Charles was a child and Philip’s new official portrait.
Prince William and Duchess Kate also shared photos of themselves with Philip. “Wishing a very happy 99th Birthday to The Duke of Edinburgh,” their Instagram caption read.
Philip’s birthday comes days before the queen will commemorate her official birthday on Saturday, June 13. Us Weekly confirmed that she will celebrate with a smaller version of the annual Trooping the Colour parade at Windsor Castle amid the pandemic. (Her actual birthday is on April 21.)
Philip retired from royal duties in August 2017 after 65 years of service. In December 2019, he was hospitalized for four days as a precautionary measure over a preexisting condition.
The prince’s birthday portrait marks his first sighting since he was seen leaving his Sandringham Estate in January.