Gun salutes across the UK, in the Commonwealth and at sea mark the death of Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II and former naval officer, on Saturday.
The batteries of cannons in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast and other cities were started with 41-round afternoons at one-minute intervals. The Australian military presented its salute at 5pm local time outside Parliament House in Canberra, and New Zealand planned on Sunday to celebrate an artillery tribute.
“His Royal Highness leaves us with a legacy of untamed spirit, steadfastness and an unwavering sense of duty,” said General Nick Carter, Chief of the British Defense Forces. “From all who serve today and who have served, thank you.”
Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, served in the Royal Navy during World War II and once had a promising military career. He joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1939 and during the war gained notoriety for his service aboard the battleship HMS Valiant at Cape Matapan, on the Peloponnesian Peninsula in Greece. He rose to the rank of commander before retiring from active duty.
PRINCE PHILIP’S MILITARY BANNES, WORLD WAR II BRAVERY: A LOOK BACK
The Australian Federation Guard fired a saloon of 41 weapons on Saturday, April 10, 2021 to mark the death of Prince Philip in the courtyard of the Parliament Building in Canberra, Australia. Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, who spent more than seven decades. supporting his wife in a role that has mostly defined his life is dead, Buckingham Palace said on Friday. He was 99.
(Lukas Coch / AAP image via AP)
Two years after the war ended, Philip married the future queen at Westminster Abbey when she was 21 and he was 26. His naval career came to an abrupt end when King George VI died in 1952 and Elizabeth became queen.
During 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.
Members of the public left flowers outside Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle on Saturday, ignoring calls from authorities and the royal family not to collect themselves due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Flower tributes and notes left outside the gates of Windsor Castle, one day after the death of British Prince Philip, in Windsor, England.
(AP Photo / Frank Augstein)
“Oh, I think everyone is shocked,” said Maureen Field, a 67-year-old resident of Staines. “I think everyone wants to pay their respects. Because of the virus, a lot of people have to stay away. He did not want a big funeral. He wanted to say goodbye to a very private time with his family. So, we all have to respect. ‘
Philip and the Queen had been married for 73 years. The royal family confirmed his death in a statement on Friday.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II were married for 73 years, until his death. He is the longest reigning king in British history.
(AP Photo / Alastair Grant)
“It is with deep sadness that Her Majesty the Queen announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully at Windsor Castle this morning,” the statement read.
During the exclusion of England’s coronavirus, he stayed at Windsor Castle, west of London, with the 94-year-old reigning king.
On February 16, Philip was admitted to a London hospital after feeling unwell. On March 3, he underwent a procedure for an existing heart condition in the St. Bartholomew’s Hospital before being transferred to King Edward VII Hospital on 5 March and finally released on 16 March.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
He is the longest reigning king in British history. He and the queen have four children, eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.