Royal Navy hero Prince Philip: a lifetime of service for the Armed Forces The Duke of Edinburgh fought on a warship during World War Two but was remembered for his support of all three armed services Updated The video will auto-play soon8Cancel Play now Tributes have flooded in for The Duke of Edinburgh, marking his lifetime of service and support for the Armed Services. He saw active service from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean, and by 1945 was in Tokyo Bay as the Japanese surrendered. After his active service career ended, Prince Philip was given honorary five-star appointments in all three services in 1953. In 2011, he was made Lord High Admiral, the office of titular head of the Navy, succeeding the Queen in the role.