PRINCE Philip told Charles how he should “lead the Royal family” and “look after the Queen” during his hospital visit.
Weeks before the Duke of Edinburgh died, he was in hospital fighting an infection when the heir to the throne visited him and had a heart-to-heart chat.
Read our live blog for the very latest news on Prince Philip’s death…
The Duke of Edinburgh, who was at King Edward VII Hospital in London, had just three important things to say to his eldest son when he visited.
In an emotional bedside conversation, the Duke advised Prince Charles on caring for the Queen when he was gone.
He also spoke about how Charles should lead the Royal Family through the years ahead, according to expert Robert Jobson.
And he also expressed his wish to go home, as he wanted to die in his own bed behind the walls of Windsor Castle, a Palace source revealed.
At the time, Prince Charles appeared to be showing the strain of a tough week for the royals when he visited his ill father in hospital.
The Prince of Wales looked very sombre and teary-eyed as he left the hospital.
Prince Charles travelled to London from his Highgrove residence in Gloucestershire and entered through the rear entrance of the hospital where he was met by security staff.
But since being in hospital in February, the Duke of Edinburgh sadly died on Friday, April 9, at the age of 99.
He was in the comfort of his own home, surrounded by his family.
And now heir to the throne Charles has inherited his father’s title of Duke of Edinburgh as the nation mourned the loss of the hardest-working member of the Royal Family after seven decades of service.
The Queen has expressed her “deep sorrow” after her “beloved” husband the Duke of Edinburgh passed away “peacefully” at Windsor Castle.
Prince Philip was granted the title of Duke of Edinburgh on the day of his wedding to Queen Elizabeth on November 20 1947.
In keeping with royal tradition, the title of the Duke of Edinburgh has immediately been passed to his eldest son Prince Charles.
But the title will in fact be inherited by Philip’s youngest son Prince Edward on Charles’ eventual accession to the throne.
In 1999, Buckingham Palace announced that Edward would succeed his father in the Dukedom with the blessing of the Queen and Prince Philip.
Tonight, Charles paid tribute to his “dear papa” as the country mourns the loss of the Duke of Edinburgh.
In an emotional statement tonight, Charles said he misses his father “enormously” and the Duke would be “so deeply touched” by the outpouring of grief.
“I particularly wanted to say that my father, for I suppose the last 70 years, has given the most remarkable, devoted service to The Queen, to my family and to the country, but also to the whole of the Commonwealth.
“As you can imagine, my family and I miss my father enormously.
“He was a much loved and appreciated figure and apart from anything else, I can imagine, he would be so deeply touched by the number of other people here and elsewhere around the world and the Commonwealth, who also I think, share our loss and our sorrow.
“My dear Papa was a very special person who I think above all else would have been amazed by the reaction and the touching things that have been said about him and from that point of view we are, my family, deeply grateful for all that.
“It will sustain us in this particular loss and at this particularly sad time. Thank you.”
It comes after Prince Charles praised his father’s “astonishing achievements” and Princess Anne said “life without him will be completely different”.
They joined senior members of the Firm, who spoke fondly of the beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather in broadcasts on Friday night.
Prince Philip’s first born son, Charles, told the BBC his father “didn’t suffer fools gladly” as he marvelled at what he accomplished by the Queen’s side for seven decades.
He said: “His energy was astonishing in supporting my mama, and doing it in such a long time.
“What he’s done, amounts to an astonishing achievement, I think.”
