The will of Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, who died in April, will remain secret for 90 years in order to preserve the “dignity” of the Queen, according to a court ruling.

The Duke of Edinburgh passed away on the 9th of April at the age of 99.

In accordance with a tradition dating back more than a hundred years, after the death of a prominent member of the British royal family, a petition is submitted to the Head of Family Affairs at the High Court of Justice in London to keep the will of the deceased preserved with a seal. In a decision issued Thursday, Judge Andrew MacFarlane ordered that it remain Prince Philip has been sealed for 90 years.

Only family members will be able to see them after this deadline. “Given the constitutional position of the Queen, I thought it appropriate to adopt a special practice in relation to royal wills,” the judge wrote, noting that “it is necessary to strengthen the protection of the privacy of this limited group of people in order to preserve the privacy of this limited group of persons.” the dignity of the Queen and her close family.”

“Despite the public’s interest in the private measures a member of the royal family might choose to adopt in his will, there is no real public interest in enabling the public to have access to this highly private information,” he added.

Judge MacFarlane noted, “The media is interested in the matter for financial gain. The publication of this will, which would receive wide media coverage in full, contradicts the goal of preserving the dignity of the queen.” He admitted that he had not seen the content of this will, except for the date of its drafting and the authority that issued it, in order to preserve “the public interest.”

(AFP)