Queen Elizabeth Called Late Husband Prince Philip Her ‘Strength and Stay’ on Golden Anniversary

After more than 70 years of marriage, Queen Elizabeth is now mourning the loss of her husband, Prince Philip. The Duke of Edinburgh passed away Friday morning at the age of 99. He and the Queen had the longest royal marriage in history. Speaking on their golden wedding anniversary in 1997, Her Majesty offered a rare glimpse into their relationship with a sweet message.

Typically known for keeping her emotions in check, the Queen, in a rare moment, said Philip “as quite simply been my strength and stay all these years,” according to PEOPLE. In his seven decades of service, Philip often accompanied the Queen on royal engagements, and together, the couple welcomed four children – Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward. Her Majesty added, “I owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim.”

The Queen and Philip first met in 1934 when Philip was 13 years old; the Queen, then known as Princess Elizabeth, was just 8. In later years, they began corresponding regularly, and after her father, King George VI granted Philip permission to marry Princess Elizabeth, the couple married in 1947. Throughout their more than seven decades of marriage, their relationship withstood “war, family upheaval and a lifetime on the world stage.” Along with welcoming four children, they also saw their family expand by eight grandchildren, including Prince Harry and Prince William, and 10 great-grandchildren, including William and Kate Middleton’s children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis and Harry and Meghan Markle’s son, Archie.

The couple’s relationship, as well as the family’s history, has notably played out on the small screen in recent years on Netflix’s The Crown, with the series’ executive producer, Suzanne Mackie, saying it was one of the Queen’s “greatest achievements, being allowed to marry the love of her life.” Lady Pamela Hicks, who served as a bridesmaid in the couple’s wedding, previously told PEOPLE, “I can think of very few couples as united as they are.” According to Sally Bedell Smith, author of Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch, “Someone who works with them has said, ‘She lights up when he walks into the room.’ She becomes softer and lighter and happier.”

On Friday, the Queen “with deep sorrow” announced via a Buckingham Palace statement that “her beloved husband” had passed away. According to the statement, Philip “passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.” He was 99.