Essex reacts to His Royal Highness Prince Philip's death
The Royal Family has announced the Duke of Edinburgh died "peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle"
Last updated 9th Apr 2021
People in Essex are reacting to the news that His Royal Highness The Prince Philip has passed away.
The Royal Family has announced that the Duke of Edinburgh died "peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle".
People across Essex are paying tribute to Prince Philip:
Member of Parliament for Colchester Will Quince has tweeted his condolences, writing: "My thoughts are with HM The Queen and the Royal family at this difficult time."
Meanwhile the Mayor of Colchester, Councillor Robert Davidson, has expressed his deep sadness and that of the people of Colchester.
Flags at the Town Hall, Colchester Castle and the council's offices at Rowan House have been lowered to half-mast.
A Book of Condolence is being opened online for residents across the borough to leave their respects and messages of sympathy.
The Mayor of Colchester, Cllr Robert Davidson, said:
"On behalf of the people of Colchester, I would like to express my deepest sorrow at the passing of the Duke of Edinburgh and to convey our profoundest sympathy and condolences to all members of the Royal Family at this sad time.
"His Royal Highness Prince Philip has been a loyal and dedicated servant to our Queen and this country, and has touched the hearts of millions of people, not just in the United Kingdom but throughout the Commonwealth and across the globe.
"His Royal Highness visited Colchester on many occasions, including in 2004, when we were privileged to host a lunch for him and the Queen in our Town Hall.
"I am sure that the people of Colchester will wish to join me at this sad time in reflecting on His Royal Highness’s full and long life."
The council has said it will be considering how it can mark HRH Prince Philip’s service to the country with a lasting memorial in the borough.
Essex Police has also announced flags on all police stations across the county will fly at half-mast in tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh.
Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington has led tributes on behalf of Essex Police, and said:
"Our deepest condolences are with Her Majesty The Queen and her family at this very difficult time.
"His Royal Highness served our Queen and country loyally and faithfully for many years and today we will lower our flags to both honour and remember him."
The force has said it "joins residents in their grief at this sad time", but is asking people to "remember the current government guidelines in place to keep us all safe".
Priti Patel, Member of Parliament for Witham and Home Secretary, has said she is "remembering a great man":
Meanwhile James Cleverly, MP for Braintree, posted:
"Deeply saddened to hear of the death of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
"A lifetime of service to our country and Commonwealth, and support to Her Majesty."
MP for Chelmsford, Vicky Ford has said his "great sense of humour brought a smile to everyone’s face" when he went to the opening of the new science buildings at the University of Hertfordshire.
Meanwhile Robert Halfon, MP for Harlow, has also thanked Prince Philip for his "duty, devotion and service":
MP for Rochford and Southend East, James Duddridge, has also posted on Twitter:
Kemi Badenoch, MP for Saffron Walden, said she is "very sad" to hear about his death, adding he will be "remembered for his lifetime of public service and his extraordinary devotion and support to Her Majesty The Queen":
Elsewhere Member of Parliament for Thurrock, Jackie Doyle-Price, has posted on Twitter:
"Our nation has benefited hugely from his decades of public service as Royal Consort and Naval officer.
"A truly great man who will be much missed."
The flags at Margaret Thatcher House in Romford are also flying at half mast:
The incredible life of Prince Philip
Prince Philip was born in 1921
Prince Philip of Greece was born 10 June 1921 in Corfu to Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice of Battenberg.
Prince Philip attended school in Scotland
The Prince was one of the first pupils at Gordonstoun boarding school in Moray, Scotland, attending from 1933-1939. He was the first of three generations of royals to attend the school, with Prince Charles boarding in the 1960s, and Princess Anne's children enrolling in the 1990s.
The engagement of Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth
Prince Philip's engagement to Princess Elizabeth was announced on 9 July 1946, after he asked permission from her father, King George VI. In order to marry into the British Royal family, Prince Philip became a British citizen, and renounced his Greek title in favour of Mountbatten, the anglicised version of his mother's name. He also agreed not to invite his sisters to the wedding, as they were all married to Germans and tensions were still high following the war.
The Royal Wedding
Prince Philip married Princess Elizabeth on 20 November 1947 in Westminster Abbey. He received new titles, including the Duke of Edinburgh, for which he is best known, and his Royal Highness. It is estimated around 200 million people tuned into the BBC radio broadcast of the wedding.
First time father
In 1948, Prince Philip became a father for the first time when Princess Elizabeth gave birth to Prince Charles. Princess Anne was born two years later.
Consort to the monarch
King George VI died 6 February 1952, making his oldest daughter Princess Elizabeth, Queen. This made the Duke of Edinburgh consort to Queen Elizabeth II. The coronation took place on 2 June 1953 and was an important feature in making television a mainstream medium, with over 20 million people tuning in to watch.
The Duke of Edinburgh award
In 1956, Prince Philip launched the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, which aims to prepare young people for adult life by developing essential skills, confidence and resilience. Today, hundreds of thousands of young people complete the award every year across 144 nations.
Meeting JFK
In 1961, a banquet was held at Buckingham Palace in honour of American President John F Kennedy. This was the President's last visit to Buckingham Palace before he was assassinated two years later. Prince Philip attended his funeral.
A family of six
In 1960 Prince Andrew was born, followed by Prince Edward in 1964. This completed the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh's immediate family.
Royal Family documentary
In 1969, a television documentary entitled 'Royal Family' aired to an audience of over 30 million in the UK, before being sold worldwide, achieving over 350 million views. However, the Queen had the documentary banned and it has not been shown on TV in the UK since 1977. The documentary offered insight into the lives of the Queen and her family in an attempt to revive public interest in the Royals.
The wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer
Prince Philip's oldest son, Prince Charles, married 19-year-old Lady Diana Spencer on 29 July 1981. Almost 1 billion viewers tuned in across 74 countries to watch the ceremony at St Paul's Cathedral. The wedding was considered hugely important because whoever Prince Charles married would one day become Queen.
Diana, Princess of Wales' funeral
The world was shook when Diana, Princess of Wales died suddenly in a car accident in August 1997. Hundreds of thousands of well wishers lined the streets on the day of her funeral, which saw Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Diana's brother accompany Princes William and Harry in walking behind the funeral car.
Diamond wedding anniversary
In 2007, the Queen and Prince Philip celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary- 60 years of marriage! They have since made it to their platinum anniversary, celebrating in 2017.
A family man
Prince Philip has eight grandchildren, including heir to the throne Prince William. He also has nine great-grandchildren and counting, with two more on the way in 2021.
Tipping his hat to a lifetime of service
At the age of 96, Prince Philip carried out his final solo public engagement in August 2017, before tipping his hat in acknowledgement of a lifetime of service.
Prince Philip dies aged 99
Prince Philip passed away at the age of 99 on the 9th April 2021. The Duke's funeral took place on 17 April 2021 in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.