The Queen dealt double tragedy as friend and adviser Sir Michael Oswald dies at 86 21 Apr, 2021 10:30 PM 2 minutes to read The Queen lost both her husband and her dear friend within the same week. Photo / Getty Images The Queen lost both her husband and her dear friend within the same week. Photo / Getty Images NZ Herald Not only did the Queen lose her husband of 73 years two weeks ago, she also tragically lost a close friend on the day of Philip's funeral. The monarch's trusted friend and racing adviser Sir Michael Oswald passed away after a long illness on April 17 aged 86, reports The Sun.