LONDON (AP) – Military teams across the UK and on ships at sea fired 41 gun salutes on Saturday to commemorate the death of Prince Philip, honoring the former naval officer and husband of Queen Elizabeth II, who honors them as one of considered their own.
Batteries in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast – the capitals of the four nations that make up the United Kingdom – as well as other cities in the United Kingdom and the Mediterranean outpost of Gibraltar, fired the bursts at one-minute intervals. , which began the afternoon. . Ships including HMS Montrose, a frigate patrolling the Persian Gulf, offered their own salutes.
Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, died in Windsor Castle on Friday, two months before his 100th birthday.
“The Duke of Edinburgh served among us during World War II, and he remained committed to the Royal Navy and the army as a whole,” General Nick Carter, Chief of Defense Staff, said in a statement. A well lived life. His Royal Highness leaves us with a legacy of untamed spirit, steadfastness and an unwavering sense of duty. ‘
Members of the Commonwealth, a group of 54 countries led by the monarch, were also invited to honor Philip. The Australian Army launched its salute at 17:00 local time outside the Parliament House in Canberra, and New Zealand planned to pay their own respects on Sunday.
Philip joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1939 and once had a promising military career. In 1941, he was honored for his service during the Battle of Cape Matapan off the coast of Greece, when his control of searchlights aboard the HMS Valiant allowed the battleship to detect enemy vessels in the dark. Philip rose to the rank of commander before retiring from active duty.
Two years after the war ended, Philip married Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey when she was 21 and he was 26. Philip’s naval career came to an abrupt end when King George VI died in 1952 and his wife became queen. .
At the coronation of the Queen in 1953, Philip swore to be his wife’s liar of life and limb ‘and settled in a life supported by the monarch. The couple had four children – Charles, the heir to the throne, Anne, Andrew and Edward.
Before resigning from official duties in 2017, the prince has done more than 22,000 public service assignments and supported more than 780 organizations, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Youth Award.
Members of the public continued to respect Philip’s service on Saturday, leaving flowers outside Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, despite a call from authorities and the royal family not to collect them due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think everyone wants to pay their respects,” said Maureen Field, 67, outside Windsor Castle. ‘Because of the virus, many people have to stay away. He did not want a big funeral. He wanted to take a very private time with his family to say goodbye. We must therefore all respect it. ”
Mike, 50, traveled from his home in Surrey, south-west London, to Buckingham Palace to honor the prince.
“He is a great loss to the country and to the world, I think, that’s why we wanted to show respect,” Williams said. “I do not know what it achieves, but it just feels like the right thing to do.”
___
Associated Press Writer James Brooks and Tom Rayner contributed.
___
For AP’s full coverage of Prince Philip’s death, go to https://apnews.com/hub/prince-philip