‘It was like somebody took him by the hand and off he went... very, very peaceful’
SOPHIE, COUNTESS OF WESSEX
THE Princess Royal paid a moving tribute to her father yesterday, describing him as “my teacher, my supporter and my critic”.
In a touching message, Anne said it was her father’s example of a “life well lived and service freely given that I most wanted to emulate”.
She chose a photo of herself with the Duke to accompany her words.
They were shown laughing as they sat side by side in the sunshine watching the dressage stage of the eventing competition during the London 2012 Olympics.
Anne, whose daughter Zara Tindall won a silver medal in the team eventing, was wearing sunglasses and a Team GB sun hat and jacket, while Philip was dapper in a straw boater.
The Princess said that although her father’s death was not unexpected, she was not really prepared.
She wrote, in the message on the family’s social media accounts: “You know it’s going to happen but you are never really ready.
“His ability to treat every person as an individual in their own right with their own skills comes through all the organisations with which he was involved. I regard it as an honour and a privilege to have been asked to follow in his footsteps and it has been a pleasure to have kept him in touch with their activities.
“I know how much he meant to them, in the UK, across the Commonwealth and in the wider world.
“I would like to emphasise how much the family appreciate the messages and memories of so many people whose lives he also touched.
“We will miss him but he leaves a legacy which can inspire us all.”
Both he and Anne were known for their “take no prisoners” approach and dedication. Royal author Lady Colin Campbell once wrote: “The key to the Princess is that she is Prince Philip in skirts.”