The Armed Forces will mourn one of their own Prince Philip was a forceful ambassador for Britain’s military and his influence will be missed by all ranks 9 April 2021 • 9:00pm One of the many strengths of Britain’s Armed Forces and a peculiar feature of the unwritten British Constitution is that the allegiance of soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines is sworn not to the State or the Government, but to the Crown itself. Her Majesty the Queen has gone to great lengths to maintain the close links to her Armed Forces through the many appointments that she holds in the Royal Navy, the British Army and the Royal Air Force. It is an example that other senior members of the Royal family, most notably the late Duke of Edinburgh, have gladly and successfully followed.