People: Prince Philip Was Being True to Himself to the Very End, Says Former Senior Aide

In the week leading up to Prince Philip's funeral, those closest to the Duke of Edinburgh reflect on the royal's impact on their lives and who he was as a person.

99-year-old Prince Philip never lost his charm, which had the people closest to him in awe of how he maintained his caring and engaging nature even into old age.

Former senior aides and spokespersons are stepping forward to share their stories of Prince Philip and the person he was behind closed palace doors in the days leading up to his funeral.

ALWAYS CHARMING

A former senior aide spoke with People, revealing that Queen Elizabeth's husband always had time to ask the staff questions about their lives. The former staff member shared:

"He would always ask people what they were reading. He never talked about his life. You had to prompt the stories out of him."

Ailsa Anderson, the former palace spokeswoman, shared the same sentiment about the Duke of Edinburgh, saying that he was the same vibrant and engaging individual right up until his last days.

A LOVE STORY

Queen Elizabeth may be the monarch, but she was also drawn to Prince Philip's spark. The two met when the Queen was 13-years-old, and Prince Philip was 18, which kickstarted a love story that lasted more than seven decades.

The feuding brothers are part of the 30 people who will be attending their grandfather's funeral.

The couple tied the knot toward the end of 1947 and never looked back. The Duke of Edinburgh made many sacrifices, including his military career, to be by Queen Elizabeth's side through all of the years.

TOUCHING TRIBUTE

One of 94-year-old Queen Elizabeth's quotes about her husband from 1997 still stands as true today; hence it was used as part of a tribute to Prince Philip posted on the royal family's Instagram account. The quote reads:

"He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years."

Prince Philip's death is a tremendous loss to the monarch who has spent the last 73 years with her husband. The Queen and other royal family members are in the middle of an eight-day mourning period after the royal's death.

KEPT APART

While dealing with the loss of her husband, Queen Elizabeth has also had to deal with family drama. The Queen has had to manage Prince William and Prince Harry as they experience difficulties in their relationship.

To avoid further drama and conflict, the royal brothers will not be walking next to each other as they trail the vehicle that carries Prince Philip's coffin. Their cousin, Peter Philips, will walk in between them.

The feuding brothers are part of the 30 people who will be attending their grandfather's funeral. The service is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 17, at George's Chapel Windsor.

Due to COVID-19 regulations, Queen Elizabeth will be wearing a mask during the service and will sit socially distanced from her family members in the church.