The Duke of Edinburgh's death was "so gentle" as if "somebody took him by the hand and off he went," his mourning daughter-in-law has revealed.
Sophie, Countess of Wessex, stopped to speak to a member of the congregation after the royals attended a church service this morning.
She shared touching details of Prince Philip's final moments with a parishioner.
She told the member of the Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge in Windsor today: “It was right for him. It was so gentle.
"It was just like somebody took him by the hand and off he went.
"Very, very peaceful and that’s all you want for somebody isn’t it?
"So, I think it’s so much easier for the person that goes than the people that are left behind.”
Speaking to royal reporters at the service earlier, Sophie 56, paid tribute to the "amazing" Queen, saying she is "thinking of others before herself" in the wake of Prince Philip's death.
Together with her husband Prince Edward, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh's youngest son, they remembered him as a kind and funny man who "always took a personal interest" in everyone he met.
Asked how the Queen was, Sophie replied: "Thinking of others before herself, she's amazing."
Edward, 57, added: "Yes, as always. But bearing up.
"But again, that wave of affection for him and those lovely stories, they just mean so much and the tributes have been so fantastic and that's really really important and we really do appreciate it."
Sophie added: "And I think it's so lovely for so many people to learn about what he did because I think quite a lot of things that have come out will have surprised some people, and how intrinsic he was to every element of society if you look at it and it's just lovely.
"I mean, I have heard things which I didn't even know as well, so for many people they'll have been learning a lot about him, which I think is important.
"And to the wider family and to so many other countries where he is well remembered. That outpouring from all over the world is so appreciated."
The Earl of Wessex, 57, spoke of coming to terms with his father's death, saying: "It's been a bit of a shock, however much one tries to prepare oneself for something like this, it's still a dreadful shock and we are sort of trying to come to terms with that and it's very, very sad.
"But I have to say, that the extraordinary tributes and the memories that everybody has had and been willing to share has been so fantastic and it just goes to show, he might have been our father, grandfather, father in law.
"But he meant so much to so many other people and just being here this morning from Windsor Great Park and he was a ranger here for more years than I think any other ranger and he meant so much to so many other people here.
"And it's the same those who lived and worked at Balmoral, at Sandringham, for all those past and present he means a huge, huge amount to them, very personal, they all had their own personal memories and stories and our hearts go out to all of them as well."
After speaking to local wardens who had shared their memories of the Duke, Sophie said: "He always exchanged words with everybody because it didn't matter what anybody was doing in and around the estate here and everywhere else, they all meant a lot to him and he always took a personal interest in everything that they were doing.
"So they have all got stories to tell and most of them are quite funny as well."
Edward added: "He went carriage riding round here on a regular basis, but he would go to places that are quite all over the place...."
Sophie, interjecting, continued: "And got pulled out of a few ditches round here I seem to remember as well!"
Edward replied: "Oh well in the early days yes he would have a few problems", while Sophie cheekily added: "And more recently too."
Philip will be laid to rest in a private funeral ceremony at Windsor Castle on Saturday, April 17.
His funeral will be limited to 30 guests at St George's Chapel, and the public will not be invited to attend in keeping with the duke's wishes.
