How Prince Philip insisted on looking after himself & refused to wear hearing aid or use wheelchair days before death

PRINCE Philip insisted on looking after himself and refused to wear a hearing aid in the days before his death, royal sources say.

The royal reportedly chastised staff who put a wheelchair in his private rooms and insisted on dressing himself in recent months, before he died age 99 on Friday.

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Despite being in hospital for treatment a matter of weeks ago, sources say the Duke of Edinburgh still wanted to take care of himself when he could.

One aid he insisted on bending to the floor and picking up his dropped reading glasses, saying “I’ll do it” when a footman sprung forward.

And the Queen was said to be overheard saying he wouldn’t use his hearing aid, which “means we have to shout”, she noted.

Prince Philip was still reportedly dressing himself until recently and heading out of his room in a smart shirt and jumper on good days.

He would use a stick to walk around his rooms, and rarely allowed himself to be pushed in a wheelchair.

A royal source revealed when it was first put in his rooms he shouted: “Get that bl***y thing out of my sight”.

It comes as:

• Prince Philip, 99, died at Windsor Castle on Friday morning
• Queen shared a poignant photo of Philip as she spoke of ‘deep sorrow’ over the loss of her husband of 73 years
• Prince Philip funeral arrangements have been revealed
• This Morning was taken off air as Queen announces Philip’s death
• Boris Johnson paid tribute to ‘extraordinary’ Prince Philip
• The Duke of Edinburgh’s early years were remembered after he fled Corfu on a warship

Buckingham Palace confirmed the sad news he died on Friday morning, with aides saying he had still been “on good form” this week.

And in keeping with his character over the last few months, the Duke will get his dying wish of a small “no-fuss” funeral, thanks to ongoing Covid restrictions.

Instead of the pageantry of a State Funeral, he will have just 30 mourners at the Windsor service, which is thought to be next Saturday.

The poignant ceremony will end with his body being taken to lie in the Royal Vault within St George’s chapel, where he will wait to be reunited with his beloved Queen.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be one of just a handful of non-royal mourners.

Even before Covid, humble Prince Philip had turned down the opportunity for a full State Funeral and the chance to lie in state at Westminster Abbey.

The plans for his funeral, code-named Operation Forth Bridge, did however include full military honours which will now have to be dramatically scaled back.

‘DEEP SORROW’

Those details included his coffin being moved from Windsor to St James’s Palace in London, before being carried through the streets on a gun carriage.

There were also instructions for a 26-mile cortege procession back to Windsor on the day, allowing mourners to line the streets and pay their final respects.

Just after midday, the Union Flag was lowered to half-mast outside Buckingham Palace and on public buildings across the UK as the world mourns his death.

The Queen, 94, on Friday shared a poignant photo of Philip in a heartfelt tribute to her “strength and guide”.

The royal passed away two months and one day short of what would have been his 100th birthday.

A statement from Buckingham Palace said: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

“His Royal Highness passed away peacefully on Friday morning at Windsor Castle.

“Further announcements will made in due course. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.”

Devastated mourners gathered at the gates of Buckingham Palace this afternoon – with the Royal Family setting up an online book of condolence.