Queen and Royal Family Mourn Prince Philip As Tributes Pour in - Prince Philip - The Guardian

09/04/2021 Queen and royal family mourn Prince Philip as tributes pour in | Prince Philip | The Guardian
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Prince Philip
Queen and royal family mourn Prince Philip as
tributes pour in
Caroline Davies
Sat 10 Apr 2021 04.12 AEST
The Queen and royal family were in mourning as condolences and tributes flooded
in from across the globe following the announcement of the death of the Duke of
Edinburgh, aged 99.
Flags were lowered to half-mast and the tenor bell at Westminster Abbey tolled 99
times in honour of Prince Philip, the Queen’s “strength and stay” for 73 years, who
died peacefully at Windsor Castle on Friday morning. He was the longest-serving
consort in British history and two months away from his 100th birthday.
As a mark of respect, political parties paused campaigning ahead of May’s elections

and the House of Commons announced it would be recalled one day early on
Monday for formal tributes to be paid. TV channels cancelled scheduled
programming to run tribute coverage as news of his death made headlines
worldwide.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/09/queen-royal-family-mourn-prince-philip-tributes-pour-in 1/6
A statement from Buckingham Palace, issued at midday, said: “It is with deep
sorrow that Her Majesty the Queen announces the death of her beloved husband,
His Royal Highness the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
“His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.
Further announcements will be made in due course. The royal family join with
people around the world in mourning his loss.”
Prince Philip: the life of the Queen's 'strength and stay'
02:58
The life of Prince Philip, the Queen’s ‘strength and stay’ – video obituary
The Prince of Wales visited his mother, the Queen, during Friday afternoon,
travelling from his Gloucestershire home to Windsor Castle, sources have said.
Funeral details are being finalised but the coronavirus pandemic means original
funeral plans – codenamed Forth Bridge – must be hastily adapted. No 10 and
Buckingham Palace are in consultation. Government officials said there would be
eight days of national mourning until the morning of the funeral, making it likely to
fall on Saturday, but later removed the statement.
Organisers are said to be “desperately anxious” not to stage anything that attracts
mass gatherings. Restrictions will mean public elements of the final farewell are not
able to take place in their original form.
Planned processions in London and Windsor, where the funeral service is expected
to take place at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, are unlikely to go ahead.
Government rules state no more than 30 people can attend a funeral. Up to 800
people, including world and Commonwealth leaders, senior politicians and
representatives from the duke’s many patronages, would originally have been
expected to attend.
It is thought the Duke of Sussex, who lives in the US, is likely to be among the small
number of mourners who will be present, though it is not known if Meghan, who is
pregnant, will join him. The couple paid tribute to Philip on their Archewell website
on Friday, which switched to a memorial page. It read simply: “In loving memory of
His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh 1921-2021. Thank you for your service …
You will be greatly missed.”
People walk past a billboard paying tribute to Prince Philip in Glasgow. Photograph: Andy Buchanan/AFP/Getty Images
Covid restrictions also led the government to request people not to gather at royal
residences. The royal family has requested that members of the public, instead of
leaving flowers, consider making a donation to charity. An online book of
condolence has been opened on the royal website.
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “Although this is an extraordinarily difficult

time for many, we are asking the public not to gather at royal residences and
continue to follow public health advice, particularly on avoiding meeting in large
groups and on minimising travel. We are supporting the royal household in asking
that floral tributes should not be laid at royal residences at this time.”
A framed plaque formally announcing the death was fixed to the railings of
Buckingham Palace, but removed after one hour instead of the traditional 24 hours
to avoid attracting crowds.
Gun salutes will mark the duke’s death on Saturday. At Woolwich Barracks, six 13-
pounder first world war field guns, the same as those fired for Philip’s wedding, and
pulled by 36 horses, will fire simultaneously as gun salutes at the Tower of London,
Hillsborough Castle in Belfast, Edinburgh Castle and Cardiff Castle, as well as in
Gibraltar, and from Royal Navy saluting warships. The gun salutes will be fired
inside parade grounds behind closed doors and televised, with the public asked to
watch from home.
The prime minister led tributes to Philip. Speaking at a podium outside No 10, Boris
Johnson praised the duke’s “steadfast support” of the Queen, saying Philip had
“helped steer the royal family and the monarchy so that it remains an institution
indisputably vital to the balance and happiness of our national life”.
The Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, said the UK had “lost an extraordinary public
servant”. The former prime minister Sir John Major said Philip was “for over 70
years, the ballast to our ship of state”.
UK leaders praise Prince Philip's contribution to public life in tributes
03:50
UK leaders praise Prince Philip's contribution to public life in tributes – video
Tributes came from across the world, including European royal families,
Commonwealth leaders and the US Congress. The US president, Joe Biden,
highlighted the duke’s “decades of devoted public service”.
In a pre-recorded interview with the BBC Prince Charles paid tribute to his father,
saying: “I think he’d probably want to be remembered as an individual in his own
right, really.” The archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said he was “an
outstanding example of Christian service” and a powerful advocate for
conservation. Th adventurer Sir David Hempleman-Adams said the Duke of

Edinburgh award scheme Philip founded 65 years ago would be his greatest legacy.
The duke’s health had been slowly deteriorating for some time. He returned to
Windsor Castle on 16 March after a month in hospital for treatment for an infection
and where he underwent heart surgery for a pre-existing condition.
He had retired from public duties in May 2017, joking that he could no longer stand
up. Since then he was rarely seen in public, spending most of his time at the Queen’s
Sandringham estate in Norfolk, though moving to be with her at Windsor Castle
during the Covid lockdown periods.
Despite living quietly out of the public eye, he made headlines when involved in a
car crash in January 2019. Two women needed hospital treatment after he was
apparently dazzled by low sun as he pulled out of a driveway in Sandringham. The
Crown Prosecution Service decided it was not in the public interest to prosecute the
duke after he later voluntarily surrendered his driving licence.
Born on the island of Corfu, Philip, who once described himself as “a discredited
Balkan prince of no particular merit or distinction”, played a key role in the
development of the modern monarchy in Britain. He relinquished his naval career
to immerse himself wholeheartedly in national life, carving out a unique public role.
He was the most energetic member of the royal family with, for many decades, the
busiest engagements diary.
Even when well-advanced in years, he could be seen on walkabouts hoisting small

children over security barriers to enable them to present their posies to his wife.
He could be blunt and outspoken to the point of offensiveness, and was accused of
making racist remarks. He claimed to have coined the word “dontopedalogy”, a
talent for putting one’s foot in one’s mouth. He never suffered fools gladly, but
equally he could be charming, engaging and witty – and displayed such genuine
curiosity on his official visits that his hosts were flattered.
His youngest son, the Earl of Wessex, said the public image of his father portrayed
by certain parts of the media was “always an unfair depiction”, and he always had a
“twinkle in his eye”. Prince Edward told ITV news : “He was brilliant. Always
absolutely brilliant. He had a wonderful sense of humour but of course you can
always misinterpret something or turn it against them, so it sounds like it’s not
right.”
He chaired the Way Ahead Group – made up of leading royal family members and
their advisers – to analyse and avert criticism of the institution.
The Queen, who deferred to him in private, would say “What does Philip think?” on
any major matter concerning the royal household. Big decisions, including her
finally agreeing to pay tax on her private income, the abolition of the royal yacht
Britannia, and her letter to Charles and Diana suggesting an early divorce, were
taken after consultation with the duke, according to insiders.
He had a keen interest in religion and conservation, despite dispatching a 2.5-metre

(8ft) tiger with a single shot on an official visit to India in 1961, the same year he
became president of the World Wildlife Fund UK. Industry, science and nature were
other passions.
The duke had looked gaunt as he was driven away from King Edward VII’s hospital
in central London in March, having been pushed in a wheelchair to the waiting car.
He and the Queen spent more time together this year than they had since his
retirement from public duties in 2017, with the Covid-19 crisis leaving the two of
them at Windsor in HMS Bubble, the nickname given to the couple’s reduced
household of staff during lockdown.

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09/04/2021 Queen and royal family mourn Prince Philip as tributes pour in | Prince Philip | The Guardian

News Opinion Sport Culture Lifestyle

As a mark of respect, political parties paused campaigning ahead of May’s elections

Prince Philip: the life of the Queen's 'strength and stay'

A Cabinet Oﬃce spokesperson said: “Although this is an extraordinarily diﬃcult

UK leaders praise Prince Philip's contribution to public life in tributes

UK leaders praise Prince Philip's contribution to public life in tributes – video

conservation. Th adventurer Sir David Hempleman-Adams said the Duke of

Even when well-advanced in years, he could be seen on walkabouts hoisting small

He had a keen interest in religion and conservation, despite dispatching a 2.5-metre

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