Prince Philip, who was Queen Elizabeth's husband for more than seven decades and helped to modernize the British monarchy and steer the royal family through repeated crises, died on Friday. He was 99.

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 that 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.