KEY POINTS

  • Prince Philip may not live until the Queen becomes the longest-reigning monarch
  • The Duke of Edinburgh's health and age are causing royal experts and fans to worry
  • Prince Philip will turn 99 this year

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth’s delicate ages have been a cause for concern among royal fans and experts alike. Some of them are worried that the royal couple won’t have very long to live.

On the “Royals” podcast, royal expert Angela Mollard reacted to the Queen being named as the fifth longest-reigning monarch in the world. She said that Her Majesty has already usurped the 19th-century emperor of Austria, Franz Joseph.

“He has the stint for being on the throne for 67 years and 356 days and she has now gone past that but she’s still only number five. She’s got to get to 72 years and 110 days to eclipse Louis XV of France who reigned from 1643 to 1715 which is a jolly long time. She’s got to do another five years,” she said.

The Queen will be turning 94 this year, and in five years’ time, she will already be 99 years old. By then, Prince Philip would already be 103 and it is possible that he will no longer be alive by then.

But Mollard said that she hopes Prince Philip would still get to witness his wife being named as the longest-reigning monarch of all time. And if this milestone is reached, the royal expert hopes that there will be a celebration.

According to Express, there are also some fears that the Duke of Edinburgh won’t be able to attend Princess Beatrice’s wedding on May 29. The retired royal has been staying in Sandringham, and he only reunites with the Queen a few times a month.

But when his grandchildren Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie tied the knot with their respective partners in 2018, Prince Philip made it a point to attend. However, the dad of four’s health has deteriorated recently. Just before the holidays, the Duke of Edinburgh was rushed to the hospital to seek treatment for a pre-existing condition.

Prince Philip
Pictured: Prince Philip leaves St George's Chapel after the wedding of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and The Duchess of Sussex at St Georges Chapel on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. Getty Images/Gareth Fuller-WPA Pool