Af ter seven decades of unstinting duty, Britain salutes you
IT was with his trademark wit, and in typically blunt terms, that the Duke of Edinburgh yesterday explained his reasons for retiring.
when a guest at st James’s Palace wished him well, he quipped: ‘well I can’t stand up much longer!’
and it is one of the many reasons why he will be so sadly missed. after nearly seven decades of hard work, and selfless devotion to duty, to this country, and above all to the Queen, he will deservedly step back from the front line in the autumn with an extraordinary record of public service behind him.
But what is remarkable, actually, is how long he has continued with such vigour and good humour, despite his advancing years. Every bout of ill health seemed to make the Iron Duke more determined to charge on regardless.
Indeed, it is a testament to his incredible fortitude and work ethic that he ploughed on to an age when his contemporaries are approaching 30 years of retirement. Last year he kept up an official engagements schedule that, at 110 days, put the younger royals to shame.
Only now, a month before his 96th birthday, has he accepted he must slow down, although — as Buckingham Palace made clear — he will still attend events from time to time. His appearances will be all the more cherished for their rarity.
Of course, the news was greeted with great sadness — tinged with a sense of inevitability.
But in all the tributes, one overwhelming sentiment came to the fore: gratitude.
It came from the 785 charities, universities and other organisations who enjoy his patronage to this day, on causes from muscular dystrophy to literacy in africa to the environment.
It came from winners of the Duke of Edinburgh awards, which he founded in 1956 and which spread to 144 nations around the world, giving countless young people the experience of outdoor pursuits.
It is a sentiment the Mail endorses wholeheartedly. This country, the Commonwealth, and millions of people around the world have much to thank him for.
He has been a great ambassador for this nation, tirelessly promoting our industry, interests and values.
During world war II he did sterling service, and was mentioned in despatches while on battleship HMs Valiant in 1941.
Unselfishly, he subsumed personal ambition to royal duty, giving up a glittering career in the Royal Navy that — on merit — could have taken him to the very top.
after the Queen came to the throne, and with no model to follow, he created his own role and pursued it with unstinting dedication. He was, as he pledged to be, her ‘liege man of life and limb’.
He has been a model consort, and it is to him who she turns first when she needs an honest counsellor. she, more than anyone, will miss the reassuring presence that was always one discreet step behind her on countless public engagements over the years.
while she made no public comment yesterday, in her Golden wedding speech, delivered at the Guildhall in 1997, the Queen spoke lovingly about the importance of their enduring partnership and his unstinting devotion.
‘all too often, I fear, Prince Philip has had to listen to me speaking,’ she said.
‘Frequently we have discussed my intended speech beforehand and, as you will imagine, his views have been expressed in a forthright manner.
‘He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.’
Of all his public appearances in recent years, perhaps the most memorable was during the Thames Pageant. Over the Diamond Jubilee weekend, he stood for hour after hour in the pouring rain on the royal barge in his Lord High admiral’s uniform, appearing to enjoy every single minute.
when, the following day, an infection meant the Queen took to the stage without him, the hundreds of thousands of people lining the Mall chanted ‘Philip, Philip’ — proof beyond doubt of the great affection the public hold for him.
Despite his bluntness, the Duke is also a man of considerable sensitivity, as the tender letters he sent to Princess Diana showed. as her marriage to his son was unravelling, he wrote that he would ‘always do my utmost to help you and Charles to the best of my ability’. she clearly felt fondly for him, addressing him ‘Dearest Pa’ and praising his ‘great understanding and tact’.
The Mail trusts he will continue to give advice and support to his eight grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren. This paper also trusts retirement will not stop this man of strong opinions continuing to play an important role by expressing his views behind the scenes. Indeed, other members of The Royal Family could learn from his discretion.
as his role diminishes, and the axis of the Royal Family tilts, it is an opportunity for the younger royals to pull up their socks and take on their share of the work.
They have a lot of catching up to do, and should look to their grandfather — who embodies selfsacrifice, devotion to duty and family values — for an example.
with many passions, from oil painting to carriage driving, it is hard to imagine Prince Philip putting his feet up — but no one has more richly earned the right. The Mail — along with every patriotic Briton — wishes him a long and happy retirement. Truly, a nation salutes you, sir.