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Prince Philip is the third longest-living British royal - but who holds the record? 

The Duke of Edinburgh turns 99 on 10 June

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Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
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The Duke of Edinburgh reaches the milestone age of 99 on 10 June, making him one of the longest-living British royals. But the Queen's husband doesn't hold the record. Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester lived to 102 and holds the record for the oldest British royal ever. She was the wife of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, making her a sister-in-law to Edward VII and George VI (the Queen's father). Princess Alice died in October 2004 at the age of 102 years, 309 days.

READ: Prince Philip's low-key 99th birthday plans at home with the Queen revealed

princess alice gloucester© Photo: Getty Images

Princess Alice holds the record for the longest-living British royal ever

The Queen Mother is the second longest-living British royal, who passed away at the age of 101 years, 238 days. She continued an active public life until a few months before her death in March 2002 – just seven weeks after the passing of her youngest daughter, Princess Margaret.

Prince Philip overtook Princess Alice of Albany as the third longest-living British royal in 2019. Princess Alice, who was the last surviving grandchild of Queen Victoria, died at the age of 97 years, 313 days in January 1981. While Philip doesn't hold the record for the longest-living British royal ever, he is the oldest ever male member and the longest-serving consort of a reigning monarch.

MORE: How Prince Philip became the rock of the royal family and its ultimate poster boy

queen mother 101© Photo: Getty Images

The Queen Mother with the royal family on her 101st birthday in 2001

His wife, the Queen, is the sixth longest-living British royal at the age of 94 years, 48 days, behind Princess Augusta of Cambridge, who died at the age of 94 years, 139 days. The monarch is also the longest-serving female head of state in world history and the longest-reigning current monarch.

Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh are currently residing at Windsor Castle during the coronavirus pandemic, where they are expected to mark Philip's 99th birthday privately. The Duke retired from public duties, aged 96, in August 2017, having completed 22,219 solo engagements since 1952.

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