A new royal biography has shared details about the final few years of Prince Philip’s life. He’s now thought to have battled cancer in the years leading up to his death, aged 99, in 2021. But all of this was kept secret from the British public, due to a “brutal” royal tradition.
The late Prince Philip is reported to have battled cancer in private
In Hugo Vickers’ Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History, he reports that Prince Philip was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2013. Per the author, the royal quietly lived with the disease until he passed away nearly a decade later.
As for why the then-Duke of Edinburgh’s illness was hidden, an insider told OK! that it’s all to do with royal tradition. “For generations, there’s been a deeply embedded culture within the royal family that prioritizes appearing unwavering and composed,” they said. “No matter the circumstances.”
“That ‘stiff upper lip’ mentality isn’t just encouraged – it’s always been expected,” they added. “Especially of men from Philip’s generation.”
“It can be quite unforgiving,” the source continued of the tradition, going so far as to brand it “brutal.”
As for how the prince’s illness was handled, the insider explained it was “far more serious than it may have appeared from the outside.”
“It really speaks to a deeply rooted way of operating within the monarchy,” they went on. “The priority is always to present a composed, steady front to the world, even if that means keeping the more challenging truths firmly out of sight.”
In contrast, both King Charles and Kate Middleton have been open with the public about their cancer battles in recent years.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK THE ROYAL FAMILY’S STIFF UPPER LIP DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD? AND, WHY DO YOU THINK CHARLES AND KATE WERE OPEN ABOUT THEIR DIAGNOSES?
