Buckingham Palace denies Prince Philip death rumour ahead of Royal Household meeting

Update: Prince Philip is to retire from royal duties in September, Buckingham Palace has announced.

Original article: A meeting of Royal Household staff called for Thursday morning (4 May) has sparked speculation that 95-year-old Prince Philip has died, but Buckingham Palace has denied the rumours.

"You could safely assume the Queen and Prince Philip are not dead," a press officer was quoted as saying.

The meeting is reportedly set to take place at 10am. IBTimes UK is following the developments live: Royal Household meeting live: Announcement expected as Prince Philip death rumours dismissed

Rumours were exacerbated by the The Sun newspaper which accidentally published an incorrect story stating the royal had died, before changing the headline to: "Who is Prince Philip?"

The BBC's royal correspondent, Peter Hunt, has said the meeting is not about the health of the Queen or Duke of Edinburgh.

Internal Royal Household meetings take place around once a year, according to the BBC.

ITV News royal correspondent Chris Ship posted on Facebook that there is "no imminent announcement of a death" despite rumours.

"There *is* a meeting at Buckingham Palace today. And it's not a routine meeting. It is being taken by the Lord Chamberlain - the Queen's head of household," he wrote.

Staff from royal residences such as Windsor Castle, Sandringham and Balmoral in Scotland, have been called to an emergency meeting at Buckingham Palace in London.

The staff are expected to be addressed by the senior-most officer of the Royal Household, the Lord Chamberlain, and Private Secretary Sir Christopher Geidt.

Both the Queen and Prince Philip were seen in good health on Wednesday, 3 May, at the Lord's cricket ground.