`Without him, life will be completely different'

PRINCE PHILIP'S CHILDREN REFLECT ON HIS LEGACY

The Princess Royal has said that “life will be completely different” without her father, as she led grieving members of the Royal Family in paying tribute to his enduring legacy.

Speaking before the Duke of Edinburgh's death at the age of 99, Princess Anne described his immeasurable influence, both on those immediately around him and on Britain at large.

“Without him, life will be completely different,” she told ITV News, adding: “From society's perspective he was able to keep pace with the kind of technological changes that have such an impact ... but above all that, it's not about the technology it's about the people.”

In an interview recorded for broadcast after the Duke of Edinburgh's death, the Princess spoke movingly of what her father's legacy might be, citing his steadfast support of the Queen in her role as monarch as the chief example of his devotion to both his family and the kingdom.

She said of his position as consort: “It must have evolved quite dramatically from the early stages. I don't think the structure in terms of support to the monarchy was designed to deal with a consort.

“Nobody had thought about what he was going to do. And it took a while to find people who understood he had extraordinary experience and skills that they could make use of. But he also found ways he could make an impact.”

The Princess added that her father's decision to give up his career in the Royal Navy in 1951 was a mark of his loyalty to his new bride and her then future role as monarch.

“It shows a real understanding of the pressure the Queen was going through and that the best way he could support her was by giving up on his career,” she said.

The Princess also told ITV that her father's lasting legacy would be embodied in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards he founded in 1956 to give young people a structured outlet.

“He believed there were things outside (of school) which were necessary to help you develop as an individual, which played to your strengths, and if they weren't academic there were other things that would be your strength,” she said.

The Princess described her father's childhood in moving terms, saying: “He had a nomadic lifestyle — which must have been really quite difficult because he was that much younger than his sisters ... The father figure was very intermittent, then went, and his mother struggled at that stage, so he had friends elsewhere who took him in during the holidays.

“He was virtually a refugee at this stage, because he had nowhere else to go, literally. And that probably is why Gordonstoun had such an impact.”

Speaking as part of the same series of interviews, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, described the importance of his father's advice and support to the Queen.

“My parents have been such a fantastic support to each other during all those years and all those events and all those tours and events overseas,” he said. “To have someone that you confide in and smile about things that you perhaps could not in public. To be able to share that is immensely important.”

The Earl also addressed his father's sometimes problematic public image, describing his reputation for being rude as “unfair” and undeserved.

“The public image that certain parts of the media would portray was always an unfair depiction. He used to give them as good as he got and always in a very entertaining way. He was always able to manage interviews and say things that the rest of us always dreamed we could say. He was brilliant. Always absolutely brilliant.”

The Earl added: “He had a wonderful sense of humour but of course you can always misinterpret something or turn it against them, so it sounds like it's not right. But anyone who had the privilege to hear him speak said it was his humour which always came through, and the twinkle in his eye.”

Like his sister, the Earl said he would remember both his father's public work and the steadfast support he gave the Queen.

“For what he has done in his public life, for all the organizations he has supported and influenced and, obviously, as my father and husband to my mother and all the work that he has done there, and as a family, we will remember that more than anything else,” he said.

Members of the public will also be able to express what the Duke of Edinburgh meant to them.

Buckingham Palace said the public were invited to send messages of condolence using an online form. A selection of these messages will be passed on to members of the Royal Family and may be held in the Royal Archives for posterity.

The palace asked people not to gather in crowds to pay tribute, and not to visit royal residences.

In a speech at the Buckingham Palace concert staged in her honour, the Prince of Wales referred to his unwell father, saying: “The only sad thing about this evening is that my father cannot be here with us because unfortunately he's been taken unwell.

“Ladies and gentlemen, if we shout loud enough he might just hear us in hospital.”

In response spectators stamped their feet and chants of “Philip, Philip” broke out.

On the final day of festivities, the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall joined the Queen in a carriage procession back to the palace after the thanksgiving service to ensure she was not riding alone.

In response to the duke's death, members of the Royal Family replaced their usual smiling social media profile photographs to show their official coats of arms as a mark of respect.

The profile image of the Queen and the duke at the Epsom Derby in 2016 gave way to the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge changed a photograph of themselves and their children clapping for carers to their official monogram, while Clarence House replaced an image of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall with the Prince of Wales's feathers.

Lady Pamela Hicks, 91, a first cousin of the Duke of Edinburgh, described him as “a unique man in every way.” She added: “There was nobody quite like him,” her daughter, India Hicks revealed.

A palace source said there would be no comments from senior members of the family.

IT WAS HIS HUMOUR WHICH

ALWAYS CAME THROUGH.