Buckingham Palace announced earlier today that Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II has passed away aged 99. The Duke had undergone a heart procedure last month and was recently hospitalized.

The palace statement read: "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 this morning at Windsor Castle."

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The Crown Fans Are Devastated

Fans of Netflix's historical drama The Crown, which documents the life of the Royal Family are heart-broken. A crucial storyline included the relationship of Her Majesty The Queen (portrayed by Claire Foy and later, Olivia Colman) with her husband Prince Philip (portrayed by Matt Smith and later Tobias Menzies).

Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts, and wondered whether the real-life event could potentially be added to the series in the future.

"I'm sad for the Queen. Her & her husband have really been together for ages," wrote @Funkeee_Tee. Prince Philip was married to Queen Elizabeth II for 73 years.

"I'm so sorry. My deepest condolences for Her Majesty and the whole Royal family," shared @asksab2.

The historical drama series gave fans a glimpse into a world that is otherwise foreign to them. It is a human representation of the burdens and sacrifices made by members of the Royal Family, and is ever so compelling because fans find themselves relating to important, historical figures.

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"not the royal family tweeting spoilers for the crown without a spoiler warning," wrote @percysghafa. It is unknown whether the series will feature the Duke's death in the future, since season 6 is expected to step into the early 2000s.

"Only just started season 1 of The Crown. Thanks for the spoiler" said @banditnanna.

Oscar-nominated actor Jonathan Pryce will portray the Duke of Edinburgh in season 5 of The Crown, after Tobias Menzies played the character for two seasons.

The series recasts actors every two seasons, a decision taken by show runner Peter Morgan, so as to maintain the real essence of the characters. Season 5 will see Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth, Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana, Dominic West as Prince Charles and Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret.

It is scheduled to begin filming later this year.

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