Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, dies at 99

The Duke’s death comes after a period of ill health. Philip was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London on February 17, where he was treated for an infection. On March 1, he went to the St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, also in London, where doctors are further treating the infection and testing for an existing heart condition. After a heart operation, the duke was discharged in mid-March.

Philip’s funeral is being held in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, “in keeping with custom and according to His Royal Highness’s wishes,” said the College of Arms, which oversees many ceremonial aspects of the royal family’s work. Said in a statement Friday.

“The funeral arrangements have been revised in the light of the prevailing circumstances arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and it is regrettably requested that members of the public do not attempt to attend or participate in any of the events of the funeral. do not take, “the statement added.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid tribute to the duke, saying he “deserved the affection of generations here in the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world”.

Philip, also known under his official title of the Duke of Edinburgh, was the longest-serving British company. He married the then Princess Elizabeth in 1947 after a courtship that enchanted a country that still reigns through the devastation of World War II.

In his seven decades of service, Philip often accompanies the queen on royal engagements and performs thousands of his own solo performances. He once referred to himself as ‘the world’s most experienced plaque revelation’, while the queen praised him as her ‘constant power and guidance’.

The Duke was known for remarks that were often quick, but sometimes missed the point, sometimes spectacularly. Philip held public appearances until his 90s and only retired in August 2017.

He supported a number of philanthropic efforts and was affiliated with about 800 organizations. He founded the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme, a youth development program that operates in more than 130 countries and territories around the world.

After retiring, Philip spent much of his time on the Queen’s rural Sandringham estate. He was sometimes seen years later at private family events such as the weddings of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and of Princess Eugenie at Jack Brooksbank, both at Windsor Castle.

Philip’s advanced age has meant that his health has been very much in the media for the past few years. In December 2019, he was taken to hospital as a ‘precaution’ for what Buckingham Palace described as an ‘existing’ condition. He was earlier admitted to hospital for several reasons, including for a hip replacement and for treatment for bladder infections.

The duke was born in 1921 as Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark on the Greek island of Corfu. He left Greece at the age of 18 months with his family when King Constantine was forced to abdicate after an uprising by the war-torn military forces of Greece. The family first moved to Paris and later, in 1928, to England.

Philip had a traveling childhood, training in the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

He became a decorated naval officer for his service during World War II, and when peace returned, he fostered an earlier friendship with Elizabeth that quickly excelled into a public romance.

To marry, the duke relinquished his Greek title, became a naturalized British subject, and took down that of Mountbatten, derived from his mother’s side of the family. The wedding ceremony was held at Westminster Abbey in 1947. He and Elizabeth had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward.

Tributes to the duke have poured in from all over the world, including the Commonwealth countries in India, Australia and Canada. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he has enjoyed a career in the military and has been at the forefront of numerous community service initiatives. May his soul rest in peace. ‘

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Philip was “a generation we will never see again.” Justin Trudeau of Canada said: “Prince Philip was a man of great purpose and conviction, motivated by a sense of duty to others. He will be fondly remembered as a constant in the life of our Queen . “