Tributes paid to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Tributes have come in from around the world

Author: Chris MaskeryPublished 9th Apr 2021
Last updated 9th Apr 2021

This morning Buckingham Palace confirmed the sad news that Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh had passed away peacefully aged 99.

Since the announcement tributes have been paid from people around the world.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson was among the first to pay tribute to the duke – longest-serving consort in British history.

Speaking from a podium in Downing Street, Mr Johnson said: “He was an environmentalist, and a champion of the natural world long before it was fashionable.

“With his Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme he shaped and inspired the lives of countless young people and at literally tens of thousands of events he fostered their hopes and encouraged their ambitions.

“We remember the duke for all of this and above all for his steadfast support for Her Majesty the Queen.

Politicians from all parties and all nations followed with their tributes, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the UK has “lost an extraordinary public servant in Prince Philip”.

He said: “He will be remembered most of all for his extraordinary commitment and devotion to the Queen.

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon said she was “saddened” by the news and sent her “personal and deepest condolences, and those of the Scottish government and people of Scotland, to Her Majesty the Queen and her family”.

Lots of people were paying tribute at Royal palaces too, with some leaving floral tributes outside the gates of Buckingham Palace today

At the Sandringham estate, people were also leaving flowers in memory of Prince Philip:

Religious leaders also paid tribute including the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby who said Prince Philip was an “outstanding example of Christian service”.

In a statement, he said: “On the occasions when I met him, I was always struck by his obvious joy at life, his enquiring mind and his ability to communicate to people from every background and walk of life.

“He was a master at putting people at their ease and making them feel special.

“The legacy he leaves is enormous.”

The tributes also came in from around the world.

American President Joe Biden said Prince Philip’s legacy will live on:

Former US President posted a picture of him and his wife Michelle alongside The Queen and Prince Philip:

Australian prime minister Scott Morrison said the duke “embodied a generation that we will never see again”.

“Australians send our love and deepest condolences to her Majesty and all the Royal family. The Commonwealth family joins together in sorrow and thanksgiving for the loss and life of Prince Philip. God bless from all here in Australia,” he tweeted.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi tweeted that his thoughts were with the royal family.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen tweeted: “I am saddened to hear of the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip.

Former prime minister Tony Blair said: “He will naturally be most recognised as a remarkable and steadfast support to the Queen over so many years. However, he should also be remembered and celebrated in his own right as a man of foresight, determination and courage.

“He was often way ahead of his time in protection of the environment, in reconciliation between religious faiths and of course in the creation of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which remains one of the most innovative and effective programmes for the betterment of young people anywhere in the world.”

Prince Philip in 2020

Philip – father to the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex – was just two months away from his 100th birthday in June.

He spent much of the Covid-19 crisis staying with the Queen at Windsor in HMS Bubble – the nickname given to the couple’s reduced household of devoted staff during lockdown.

Philip briefly stepped out of retirement in July 2020 when he carried out a rare official public engagement at Windsor.

The duke looked in fine form as he made his way down the steps to the Castle’s quadrangle for a socially distanced ceremony to hand over his Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles role to the Duchess of Cornwall, who was almost 100 miles away at Highgrove.

He showed he had lost none of his mischievous sense of humour when he joked with one of the soldiers about their fitness levels.

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.

Read more:

The legacy of the Duke of Edinburgh Award

Looking back at Prince Philip's charity work

Prince Philip: The longest serving consort

Buckingham Palace announce death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

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