EXCLUSIVE: Queen Elizabeth's 'Secret Divorce' — How Late Monarch 'Had Effectively Separated From Prince Philip' Before His Death
Queen Elizabeth had 'separated' from Prince Philip in the years before his death, according to a new book.
April 10 2026, Published 10:00 a.m. ET
RadarOnline.com can reveal Queen Elizabeth had "separated" from Prince Philip in the years before his death.
That's according to a new biography that sheds light on the couple's private life and living arrangements in their final decade.
Independent Lives and Philip's Sandringham Retreat
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip lived increasingly independent lives
The late monarch, who died aged 96 in 2022, and Prince Philip, who died aged 99 in 2021, are the focus of Queen Elizabeth II, a new biography by royal historian Hugo Vickers.
His book draws on insider accounts to examine the period after Philip stepped back from public duties in August 2017, when he moved to Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk while Queen Elizabeth II remained primarily at Buckingham Palace and later Windsor Castle.
It also details Philip's declining health, including a diagnosis of inoperable pancreatic cancer in 2013 and multiple heart procedures, as well as his and Elizabeth's reunion during the COVID-19 pandemic when they entered strict isolation together at Windsor.
The Reality of a Quiet Separation
Royal historian Hugo Vickers detailed the couple's living arrangements.
A royal source said: "The phrase 'in a sense, they had separated' in Hugo's book captures a reality that had quietly developed over time – their lives had become increasingly independent even while their bond remained intact."
The source added: "It was not a formal split, but more a reflection of how they chose to live in later life, with Philip retreating to Wood Farm and the Queen continuing her duties elsewhere."
Another insider said: "There has long been an understanding within royal circles that their relationship evolved into something more distant in practical terms, even if emotionally they remained connected."
Hugo wrote: "The Queen let the Duke do exactly as he pleased. He was at his happiest at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate."
Philip's Quiet Life at Wood Farm Revealed
The Duke of Edinburgh moved to Wood Farm after his retirement.
He added Philip spent his time reading, painting and carriage driving, often in the company of his friend Penelope Knatchbull.
Hugo added: "He enjoyed his carriage-driving, read voraciously and painted a little."
He also said: "From time to time, the Queen went up by train to Norfolk to stay the weekend. Once again, she gave him a loose rein. In a sense, they had separated."
The book suggests this arrangement reflected both Philip's desire for a quieter life and Elizabeth's ongoing commitment to her constitutional role.
While he lived largely independently, she continued her schedule of state duties, maintaining separate residences for much of the time.
Final Days, Covid Reunion and Queen's Reflections
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The Queen expressed frustration after Philip passed away.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the couple were brought back together under extraordinary circumstances, living at Windsor Castle in what staff referred to as "HMS Bubble."
Hugo wrote: "They entered a strict isolation, jokingly nicknamed HMS Bubble… nobody was allowed to enter the Upper Ward of the castle, and there were no ladies-in-waiting in attendance."
The biography also recounts Philip's final months, including his hospitalisation and declining health.
Hugo wrote: "He did not want to reach his 100th birthday, particularly disliking the fuss attendant at such events."
He described the duke's final night, writing: "He gave his nurses the slip, shuffled along the corridor on his Zimmer frame, helped himself to a beer and drank it in the Oak Room. The following morning, he got up, had a bath, said he did not feel well and quietly slipped away."
Elizabeth's reaction to his death is also detailed. Hugo wrote: "She took the line, I was told, that she was 'absolutely furious that, as so often in life, he left without saying goodbye'."
In later reflections included in the book, Elizabeth spoke candidly about her own mortality in conversations with her friend Prue Penn.
Hugo wrote she said: "I feel as if I'm in the departure lounge."
He added she remarked: "At least you don't have to do it as publicly as me."
