UK’s Prince Philip set to retire from public functions
Prince Philip, the 95-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II, is retiring from public life after 70 years of service, while the queen’s role will be unchanged, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
A short statement issued Thursday morning by Buckingham Palace read, “His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh has decided that he will no longer carry out public engagements from the autumn of this year. In taking this decision, The Duke has the full support of The Queen.”
The announcement came after false reports that Prince Philip had died sent news crews dashing to Buckingham Palace. The media response reflects increasing concern in the U.K. about the health of both the queen and of Prince Philip. The prince was ill over the Christmas holidays, while the queen was not seen in public for nearly a month after missing church services on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day because of what Buckingham Palace described as a persistent cold.
The prince carried out 110 days of engagements in 2016, making him the fifth busiest member of the royal family, the BBC reported. He is patron, president or a member of more than 780 organizations and will continue to be associated with them, Buckingham Palace said.
Both the prince and the queen performed royal duties on Wednesday. The prince opened a new stand at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, while the queen met Prime Minister Theresa May.
The prince will attend previously scheduled engagements until August, the palace said, but will then retreat from public view, although he may attend events from time to time. The statement gave no reason for the decision.
Meanwhile, the queen “will continue to carry out a full program of official engagements,” the palace added.