Queen Elizabeth went 'weeks' without seeing Prince Philip after he retired in 2017 — but they kept in contact by speaking 'regularly' on the phone, a new book claims

• According to a new book, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip went 'weeks' without seeing each other.
• The Daily Mail published an excerpt from Gyles Brandreth's new book "Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait" Friday.

According to a new royal book, Queen Elizabeth would go 'weeks' without seeing her husband Prince Philip. The book, titled "Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait," was written by royal biographer and a friend of the royal family, Gyles Brandreth.

The Daily Mail released an excerpt of Brandreth's book Friday, detailing the Queen's relationship with her husband prior to his death. According to Brandreth, the royals stopped regularly seeing each other after the Duke of Edinburgh retired in 2017.

However, the Queen and Prince Philip would speak "regularly" on the phone during their time apart, Brandreth details in his book.

Brandreth writes in the book that the Queen understood their relationship seemed odd, but it worked for them. The royal expert noted that the Queen understood Philip did not want "to be fussed over" and wished to "see out his days in his own way."

In 2020, the Queen and Philip spent less time apart, Brandreth writes in his book. When lockdown struck the UK amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the royal couple reportedly found comfort in spending more time together, according to Brandreth.

The two traveled to Scotland, Sandringham, and Windsor, Brandreth claims in his book and they remained close until Philip's death in April 2021.

In "Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait," Brandreth writes that the Queen hardly left Philip's side during the last weeks of his life. Despite her best efforts, however, she wasn't able to properly say goodbye. According to the book, royal staff members were unable to wake her in time to see him before he died.

After Philip's death, Brandreth writes that the Queen had a "renewed determination" to keep up her royal duties because Prince Philip "would not approve" of any form of self-pity. "There is no magic formula that will transform sorrow into happiness, but being busy helps," Brandreth quotes the Queen as saying.

She worked until the later months of her life when her health began deteriorating rapidly. According to Brandreth, Queen Elizabeth was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer before she died.

Representatives for Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

"Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait" will be released on December 8.