Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth and a leading figure in the British royal family for almost seven decades, died aged 99, Buckingham Palace said on Friday. The Duke of Edinburgh, as he was officially known, had been by his wife’s side throughout her 69-year reign, the longest in British history, during which time he earned a reputation for a tough, no-nonsense attitude and a propensity for occasional gaffes. “It is with deep sorrow that her majesty the queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,” the palace said in a statement. “His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. Further announcements will be made in due course. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh. “Prince Philip earned the affection of generations here in the United Kingdom, across the Commonwealth and around the world,” the BBC quoted him as saying. Prime Minister Imran Khan also conveyed his condolences in a tweet, saying “Britain has lost a wise elder who was imbued with a unique spirit of public service.” He said Philip’s role in promoting Pakistan-UK relations will always be remembered. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said “Pakistan mourns the passing of HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. As patron of the Pakistan Society for 68 years, he contributed greatly to Pakistan-UK relations. Rest in Peace.” Philip spent four weeks in hospital earlier this year for treatment for an infection to have a heart procedure, but returned to Windsor in early March. A Greek prince, he married Elizabeth in 1947, playing a key role in modernising the monarchy in the post-World War Two period, and behind the walls of Buckingham Palace being the one key figure the queen could turn to and trust. “He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years,” Elizabeth said in a rare personal tribute to Philip made in a speech marking their 50th wedding anniversary in 1997. His charm and disinclination to tolerate those he regarded as foolish or sycophantic earned him a position of respect among some Britons. But to others, his sometimes brusque demeanor made appear him rude, aloof and a delight to newspaper editors, keen to pick up on any stray remark at official events.