His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh KG KT GCVO GBE sadly passed away on Friday April 9
th, uniting the British Nation in grief. Consort to Her Majesty the Queen for over 69 years he was a quite wonderful man, whom I had the privilege of meeting. He was known for his great sense of humor and sound views about the Chinese. I wrote some time ago that we would miss him when he was gone and I was right. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully at Windsor Castle only a few weeks shy of his 100
th birthday. He will be buried in a quiet ceremony in St George’s Chapel, Windsor. He was the last world leader to have seen combat in World War II, indeed he was present at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.
Gun salutes in tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh are to take place across the UK, in Gibraltar and at sea on Saturday, as the nation mourns his death at the age of 99.
Buckingham Palace said Philip died peacefully in his sleep at Windsor Castle on Friday, two months before his 100th birthday, leaving the Queen and the royal family “mourning his loss”.
The Earl of Wessex, youngest son of the Queen and Philip, was seen arriving at the castle by car with wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, at around 11am on Saturday, while the Prince of Wales was with his mother in Windsor on Friday.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s children have paid tribute to him as the rock in the Queen and their family’s lives.
His youngest son the Earl of Wessex said Philip had a “challenging role”, but carried it out with the most “extraordinary flare” and had never tried to overshadow the Queen.
Speaking on a BBC tribute on Friday evening, all four of the duke’s children paid tribute to him as someone who had encouraged and supported them.
Prince Edward said: “It was always a challenging role to take but he has done it with the most extraordinary flare and an extraordinary tact and diplomacy.
i-Images/ Pool
The Duke of Edinburgh was involved with over 700 organisations throughout his royal life. We’ve searched through the list of patronages and presidencies for reactions to Prince Philip’s passing. Here we present a selection of reactions from all over the world.
Action Medical Research – Patron since 1955
“For over six decades the Duke of Edinburgh was able to observe with interest the many medical research successes made possible with the support of the charity. The Duke of Edinburgh generously hosted a series of receptions in recent years when supporters were delighted to experience his commitment and enthusiasm for the charity.”