A new biography by royal biographer Hugo Vickers, Queen Elizabeth II, reveals that Prince Philip had inoperable pancreatic cancer for the final years of his life and died on April 9, 2021. The author claims that the Queen did not see Philip before he died and was upset that her husband "left without saying goodbye" due to his absence from royal duties. Vickers also reveals that multiple heart procedures affected Philip's health throughout his final years, leading to his stepping aside from royal duty in August 2017. The Duke of Edinburgh was diagnosed with pancreatic disease in 2013 and moved to Wood Farm by himself, often joined by his longtime friend and confidante, Penny Mountbatten. As COVID-19 lockdowns began in 2020, the Queen moved Philip from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle and summoned him from Wood Farm. They were moved into a strict isolation, nicknamed HMS Bubble, and no ladies-in-waiting were allowed to enter the Upper Ward of the castle. The couple remained in isolation for Christmas that year, while the Queen remained at Windsor while other members of the royal family celebrated at Sandringham.