The steadfast prince’s life was well-lived

Prince Philip was many things to many people. First and foremost he was a devoted husband of 73 years, father of four, grandfather and greatgrandfather.

He was also a war hero, mentioned in despatches for his service in the Royal Navy and a dedicated public servant who continued working long past the age of retirement and who founded a charity which helped four million people in 60 countries over more than six decades.

Prince Philip’s was a life of privilege and wealth, of notorious gaffes and of bluntness which, at times, was to the point of ignorance.

But it was also one of substance and service.

By the time he stepped back from public duties in 2017, aged 96, he had carried out more than 22,000 solo public engagements.

That is in addition to the countless occasions on which he accompanied the Queen, a role in which he excelled.

He lent his support to various organisations, including many in this part of the world.

The team at HMS Unicorn in Dundee were quick to express their condolences on the death of their first royal supporter.

Nicola Sturgeon spoke of his close ties to Scotland and the lives changed by his Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, based on principles learned at Gordonstoun.

There is a tendency to canonise the dead. The straight-talking Duke would doubtless have been horrified by that practice and prefer the warts-and-all account of life.

But as consort to the Queen, the world’s longest reigning monarch, he provided the support that allowed her to shine.

Complaining was not a word in the Duke of Edinburgh’s vocabulary, but stoic and steadfast were.

Recent controversies have shone a less than favourable light on the monarchy and the challenges of living in the public eye.

But there was very little that could surprise the Prince and very little that he had not seen before. He used that vast experience in his public life but also to steer the House of Windsor through tumultuous times.

The nation will be poorer and less colourful without his presence.

His legacy is considerable.