The Duke of Edinburgh was ‘one of us’, says Crathie Kirk minister

The minister of the church used by the royal family when at Balmoral Castle has laid claim to the Duke of Edinburgh being "one of us" in the north east of Scotland.

Reverend Kenneth Mackenzie is the minister of the Parish of Braemar and Crathie and domestic chaplain to the Queen, who visits the church for Sunday services with members of her family, including Prince Philip, when staying at the castle.

Ahead of the duke's funeral, Rev Mackenzie paid tribute to him and highlighted just how many communities across the country, and the world, had an affinity with the 99-year-old.

He said: "Over the last few days, many different tribes and nations have, with some justification, laid claim to the duke, and while I seek no argument with those who claim that he was 'thoroughly European', 'arc he typically British ',' adoptedby the commonwealth ',' baptised Orthodox ',' Confirmed Anglican' or whatever - let me try to set the record straight.

"I think HRH The Duke of Edinburgh was one of us.

"I make this claim on behalf of those who live in the north east of Scotland, where early on, the duke famously received a formal education, and where, by his own acknowledgment, he would later learn even more by walking in the footsteps of those who loved and cared for the land and forests of Upper Deeside."

Students at the school the Duke of Edinburgh attended, Gordonstoun in Moray, took part in an early morning run on Friday in tribute to him.

Morning runs were compulsoryat the school until the1990s and more than 100 students and staff, in household groups, ran a 3.5 km route from gordon stoun House to the nearby coast guard watchtower which Philip reopened in 1955.

The watchtower replaced a wooden hut which the duke, a member of the "Watchers" helped build in 1935.