Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh: A life in pictures
Britain bids farewell to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on Saturday with a funeral at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, in a service commemorating his seven decades of public service as an aide to Queen Elizabeth II. Jowharlooks back at pictures from his life.
The Royal Navy
In this file photo dated 29 August 1945, Prince Philip of Greece, now Duke of Great Britain of Edinburgh, during a naval visit to Melbourne, Australia AP
When he left school in 1939, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, as he was known at the time, continued his education in the Royal Navy on the advice of his uncle, King Constantine II of Greece. He served bravely during World War II, mainly in the Mediterranean Theater, where he was praised for his role along with Greek forces in the Battle of Crete in 1941.
But Philip’s greatest moment of war came during the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943, a year after he became first lieutenant of HMS Wallace. An Luftwaffe bombing campaign ruthlessly attacked the ship, determined to destroy it, until Philip hatched a plan to set off smoke stains – tricking German bombers into believing they had successfully sunk the boat. Without Philipp’s quick thoughts, they would have had “little chance of survival” on board, a veteran said 60 years later.
Wedding anniversary
Members of the royal family pose around as Princess Elizabeth and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in the throne room at Buckingham Palace on their wedding day, November 20, 1947. © AFP – STR
Philip regularly corresponded during the war with the then Princess Elizabeth. They had met in 1939 when he was escorting the future queen and her sister Margaret during their father King George VI’s visit to Britain’s Royal Naval College, where Philip was training. 13-year-old Elizabeth fell in love with Philip, 18, and decided she wanted to marry him.
They married at Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947, months after Philip renounced his Greek and Danish royal titles and became a British subject. On the morning of the wedding, George VI made him Duke of Edinburgh.
With Charles and Anne
In this archive photo from August 1951, the then Princess Elizabeth stands with her husband Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and their children Prince Charles and Princess Anne at Clarence House, at the time the royal couple’s residence in London. AP – Eddie Worth
Princess Elizabeth gave birth to the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, on November 14, 1948. Princess Anne, then titled Princess, was born on August 15, 1950.
The royal couple had two more children: Prince Andrew, born in 1960, and Prince Edward, born in 1964.
At King George VI’s funeral
The four royal dukes – the Duke of Kent, the Duke of Windsor, the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Edinburgh – march behind the royal coffin as King’s George VI funeral procession begins in New Palace Yard outside Westminer Hall in London on 15 February 1952. © AFP
Philip ended his naval career in 1951 to become a full-time consort for the then Princess Elizabeth, as King George VI’s health failed after his six years of leadership during World War II. On February 6, 1952, George VI died and Elizabeth became queen.
Philip in Greece
In this March 25, 1965 file film, King Constantine II of Greece and Prince Philip of Great Britain left a guard of honor for the Greek Royal Evzones Guard when the prince arrives at Athens Airport for a brief visit as the Greek guest of the Royal Family. AP – Aristotle Saris
As with many British kings from the 19th and 20th centuries, Philips’ family origins were largely a continental mix. He was born on the Greek island of Corfu on June 10, 1921 to Andrew, Prince of Greece and Denmark, and Princess Alice of Battenberg, a royalty from the ancient German principality of Hesse and a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Philip first considered himself Danish – but also showed pride in his Greek, German and Russian roots. As a descendant of the Romanov dynasty, Philip gave a DNA sample that identified the bodies of Tsar Nicholas II, his wife and five children in an unmarked Siberian tomb – dispelling the myth that the young Grand Duchess Anastasia had escaped the 1917 Bolshevik firing squad.
Promote the protection of the planet
The photo taken on June 7, 1995 shows Philip attending a press conference for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Ougney-les-Champs, eastern France AFP – DAMIEN MEYER
Philip was known for his commitment to public service, having served as either president or patron of some 780 charities and organizations that promoted causes such as environmental conservation, science and technology, and participation in sports.
He played a key role in founding the World Wildlife Fund in 1961, was the first president of its British branch and then served as president of the global organization from 1981 to 1996 – using the pomp and circumstance of the British Royal Family to make WWF a influential environmental organization worldwide.
Diana’s funeral
In this archive photo on September 6, 1997, from left, Prince Philip, Prince William, Earl Spencer, Prince Harry and Prince Charles walk outside Westminster Abbey during the funeral procession of Diana, Princess of Wales. AP – Jeff J. Mitchell
Well known for his gaffs and blunt humor, Philip famously showed his softer side in the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death in 1997, one of the most difficult weeks of the Queen’s reign. The 15-year-old Prince William, who had grown very close to Philip during the weekends at Windsor Castle, was reluctant to go behind the coffin at the state funeral. But the duke persuaded him cautiously: “If you do not go, I think you will regret it later. If I go, will you go with me? ” he asked.
With the queen
A photograph taken by the royal couple’s daughter-in-law Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and released by Buckingham Palace on 16 April 2021 shows Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Britain’s Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on top of the Coyles of Muick near Ballater in Cairngorms National Park in Scotland 2003. AFP – WESSEX GRAVINN
Six years before this photo was taken on a family holiday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, Queen Philip praised the colossal support he had given her during their long marriage and her long reign: “He is someone who does not take compliments lightly, but he has completely simply been my strength and stayed all these years. ”
Meet Obama
This file on May 24, 2011 shows Her Majesty the Queen, then US President Barack Obama, then First Lady Michelle Obama and Prince Philip before a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, London. AP – Chris Jackson
Philip spent almost 65 years as a consort to the head of the British state and developed reports with giants of global politics over a huge period of time, from Britain’s Winston Churchill to John F. Kennedy to France’s Charles de Gaulle.
After Philips’ death, former US President Barack Obama paid him one of the ugliest of international accolades and praised the late duke’s steadfast leadership and guiding wisdom.
He recalled his nervousness ahead of a visit with then-First Lady Michelle Obama at Buckingham Palace in 2011. “As two Americans unaccustomed to palaces and pomp, we did not know what to expect. We should not worry. The Queen and Prince Philip immediately reassured us with their grace and generosity and made a ceremonial occasion something much more natural, even comfortable. ”
Obama continued: “Through his extraordinary example, he proved that true partnership has room for both ambition and selflessness – all in the service of something greater.”
Retire at 96 years
Britain’s Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in his role as Captain General, Royal Marines, is taking part in a parade to mark the final of the 1664 Global Challenge at Buckingham Palace Forecourt in central London on 2 August 2017. © Yui Mok, pool, AFP ( file)
Philip completed the last of his more than 22,000 public solo engagements on August 2, 2017 and retired from public life at the age of 96. When a public told Philip, “I’m sorry to hear you’re standing down,” he replied, “Well, I can ‘t stand up much longer.”
>> Obituary: Britain’s Prince Philip, the Queen’s “strength and stay” for seven decades
