Prince Philip Was One of Five Children and the Youngest in His Family

In the wake of Prince Philip's passing at the age of 99, questions regarding details of his personal life are coming more into focus than ever. After decades of service to his nation, many solely knew Philip for the larger-than-life position he held in the royal family.

However, there's a lot more to the late prince than just his service to Great Britain. So, what are some other details of Philip's personal life, who were his siblings, and what kind of relationships did he have with them? Keep reading to find out.

Philip was the son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg. He was born on June 10, 1921 on the Greek island of Corfu, which became an integral part of his identity. The late prince was also the only boy in his family, the youngest of five with four older sisters who came before him.

His sisters, Princess Margarita, Princess Theodora, Princess Cecilie, and Princess Sophie, have all passed away. Up until Philip's death on April 9, 2021, he was the only remaining member of his immediate family.

Philip's oldest sister, Margarita, was born on April 18, 1905, and had six children with her husband, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg of Germany. The princess remained dedicated to her extensive family throughout her life. Margarita passed away on April 24, 1981, at the age of 76.

Theodora, the second child in the family, was born on May 30, 1906. She was best known for marrying her paternal second cousin, Berthold, Margrave of Baden, in 1931, and going on to have three children with him. Tragically, Theodora died just before her mother, Princess Alice, on October 16, 1969, when she was 63 years old. Alice died on December 5, 1969.

Philip's third sister, Cecilie, was born on June 22, 1911. Although she was the third child, Cecilie was actually the first of the couple's children to pass away at only 26 years old. The cause of death? A plane crash on a flight from Darmstadt, Germany to London. It's said that Cecilie was actually in labor while on the plane, and that the pilot's efforts to emergency land despite bad weather led to the fatal crash. 

Last but certainly not least, Sophie was the sibling closest in age to Philip and developed a profound relationship with him over the years. Born on June 26, 1914, Sophie married Prince Christoph of Hesse when she was just 16 years old! 

The couple had five children, but Christoph tragically died in combat on October 7, 1943. Nonetheless, Sophie later became involved with Prince George William of Hanover and had three more children with him.

Sophie passed away at the age of 87 on November 24, 2001.