Prince Philip helped modernize the monarchy
Duke was always thoughtful about Crown's role, writes Carolyn Harris.
Queen Elizabeth II'S consort, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, brought an outsider's perspective to the royal family and played a key role in the modernization of the monarchy in the 20th century.
He was born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark on the island of Corfu and fled Greece amid political upheaval with his parents, Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice of Battenburg, and four elder sisters. While the future Queen Elizabeth enjoyed a peaceful childhood and an education at home, Prince Philip first attended elementary school in Paris, then boarding school in England and Scotland. The Gordonstoun school in Scotland emphasized outdoor education and this ethos would inspire much of his later philanthropic work, including the Duke of Edinburgh Award program.
His mother's family, the Mountbattens, took charge of his upbringing after the breakdown of his parents' marriage and he followed his uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten, into the British Royal Navy and served in the Second World War. He came ashore in Halifax, N.S., in 1941 as a midshipman and would express admiration for the Canadian Forces and their contributions to the war effort throughout his life.
Prince Philip was a descendant of Queen Victoria and closely connected to the various royal houses of Europe, but the British aristocracy viewed him as an outsider and would have preferred the future Queen select a British-born consort. After his marriage to the future Queen Elizabeth in 1947, he recognized opportunities for the monarchy to embrace new technologies to better connect with people across the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. He supported televising Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953 and worked with the media to publicize royal engagements and philanthropic initiatives. In the 1969 Royal Family documentary, there were glimpses of royal life behind palace gates, including Prince Philip behind the barbecue at a Balmoral Castle picnic with the Queen and their four children.
While the Queen was expected to remain above politics as a constitutional monarch and choose her words carefully, Prince Philip was able to express himself more freely. While these remarks sometimes took the form of his famous gaffes such as “I declare this thing open, whatever it is,” he also spoke thoughtfully about the role of constitutional monarchy in contemporary times. At a 1969 Ottawa news conference, he said: “I think it's a complete misconception to imagine that the Monarchy exists in the interests of the Monarch — it doesn't. It exists in the interests of the people.” The speech became best known for the supposed gaffe, “We don't come here for our health, so to speak. We can think of other ways of enjoying ourselves,” but Prince Philip was explaining that the future of the modern monarchy was a decision for the Canadian people rather than the monarch.
In 2013, Prince Philip made his last Canadian visit and became a Companion of the Order of Canada. He was a patron, president or member of more than 750 organizations around the world, including 48 based in Canada. His philanthropic initiatives will continue after his passing. His youngest son, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, has visited Canada on numerous occasions in support of the Duke of Edinburgh Award program.
Prince Philip spent his last months at Windsor Castle with the Queen during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic saw the royal family shift from royal walkabouts and tours to virtual public engagements. Although Prince Philip formally retired from public engagements in 2017, he remained engaged with current events until almost the end of his life, praising the efforts of educators and front-line workers during the pandemic.
The modernization of the monarchy continues in the commemorations of Prince Philip's life and legacy. The public is encouraged to sign online condolence books and make donations to charities in honour of his decades of public service in the United Kingdom, Canada and the Commonwealth.