As a service of Thanksgiving for His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, is held at Westminster Abbey today, 29th March 2022, we take a look back at his life and history as the longest-serving royal consort in history.
Early Life
Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark was born on 10 June 1921 in Corfu, Greece. He was the fifth child and only son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg. Philip and his family were banished from his native country when he was eighteen months old as a result of his uncle, King Constantine I, being blamed for the Greco-Turkish war defeat and forced to abdicate, and so Philip grew up in France, Germany and Britain.
In 1939, when he was just 18 years old, Prince Philip joined the Royal Navy. Between then and the end of World War II, he served in combat in the British Mediterranean and Pacific fleets. In July 1939, he began corresponding with Princess Elizabeth, daughter of King George VI, who was just 13 years old. They had first met in 1934.
Marriage
In 1946, the King granted permission for Prince Philip to marry his daughter, Princess Elizabeth. Philip abdicated his Greek and Danish royal titles and styles, and adopted his grandparents’ surname Mountbatten. As he was now a naturalised British subject, their engagement was officially announced in July 1947.
On 20 November 1947, Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth were married at Westminster Abbey. That morning, Philip was made the Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich. Their marriage was the longest of any British monarch, lasing more than 73 years. They have a total of four children together; Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
Consort of the Queen
Philip became the consort of the British monarch when his wife ascended to the throne on 6th February 1952, and remained until his death, making him the longest serving royal consort in history. He attended around 350 official engagements a year on behalf of the royal household. In 1960 his surname was legally combined with the name of the Queen’s family; as Mountbatten-Windsor.
Prince Philip accompanied the Queen in her official duties and appearances such as the State Opening of Parliament in various countries, state dinners, and tours abroad. He also participated in the work of many organisations and was the patron of some 800 organisations and charities. In 1956, he founded The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and also established the Commonwealth Study Conferences in the same year.
Death
In 2017, Prince Philip retired from his royal duties. He had been suffering from declining health even before then, and had spent numerous occasions in hospital for different treatments. In March 2021, Prince Philip was admitted to hospital to continue treatment for an infection. He underwent a successful procedure for his heart condition on 3 March 2021, and returned to Windsor Castle shortly afterwards.
At Windsor Castle on 9 April 2021, Prince Philip sadly passed away at the age of 99, two months before his 100th birthday. The Queen described his death as “having left a huge void in her life”. His funeral took place on 17 April 2021 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle and he was buried in the Royal Vault. The Duke’s body is expected to be moved after the death of the Queen and placed in the King George VI Memorial Chapel.
Released to mark the platinum wedding anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen and Prince Philip, you can purchase this world-first sovereign, a tribute to HRH Prince Philip, HERE.
