THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH The royal patriarch remembered by senior royals in a TV special

THE ROYALS SHARE FOND MEMORIES IN A POIGNANT NEW TV DOCUMENTARY

His unique character, his devotion to the armed forces, his love of family barbecues and his fondness for TV cookery shows – including The Hairy Bikers – are just some of the fond memories of the Duke of Edinburgh shared by more than a dozen members of the royal family in a deeply personal and poignant TV tribute.

Five months after they gathered for his funeral, Prince Philip’s four children and seven adult grandchildren give a fascinating insight into their beloved patriarch – with his love of outdoor cooking being a particularly favourite topic.

“He adored barbecuing and he turned that into an interesting art form,” says the Prince of Wales. “If I ever tried to do it, he – I could never get the fire to light or something ghastly, so [he’d say]: ‘Go away!’”

Speaking before his grandfather’s death aged 99 in April, the Duke of Cambridge adds: “Every barbecue that I’ve ever been on, the Duke of Edinburgh has been there cooking… We go on barbecues and there’s no chef, there’s no one else…

“He’s definitely a dab hand at the barbecue,” he continues, adding: “I can safely say there’s never been a case of food poisoning in the family that’s attributed to the Duke of Edinburgh.”

Philip’s daughter- in- law the Countess of Wessex, also speaking before the Duke’s death, says: “Cooking is something that I love talking to him about.

“And he loves watching cookery programmes. Hairy Bikers, I think, is one of his favourites.”

Prince Charles goes on to describe his father’s dedication to the military, saying: “Obviously, the navy was his main service, but he took an inordinate interest in everything to do with the other two… He read up an awful lot and thought about it and so he certainly put a lot of the generals and others through their paces, if you know what I mean. He’d always thought of a better way of doing it.”

Prince William, meanwhile, talks about the lessons he learnt

‘ Every barbecue I’ve ever been on, he has been there cooking… he’s defifinitely a dab hand’ The Duke of Cambridge

from the Duke: “He’s always set a very good example about how we have to look after the welfare of the military and represent them and be there for them and understand the trials and tribulations that they all go through.”

Recalling conversations with his grandfather before and after his tours of duty, the Duke of Sussex says: “Going off to Afghanistan, he was very matter of fact and just said: ‘Make sure you come back alive.’

“Then, when I came back, there wasn’t a deep level of discussion, more a case of: ‘Well you made it. How was it?’ That’s how he was.

“He was very much a listener; he sort of set the scene for you to be able to share as much as you wanted to share, but he would never probe.”

Initially planned as a tribute to

‘He certainly put a lot of generals and others

through their paces’

The Prince of Wales

be screened when the Duke would have turned 100 in June, Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers now features interviews recorded before and after his death, with loved ones including Peter Phillips, his sister Zara Tindall, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and Lady Louise Windsor speaking fondly of their grandfather.

FAMILY MATTERS

As well as insights from Princes Charles, William and Harry and Sophie, it also contains memories from the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex, along with the Duchess of Cornwall and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

In addition, Prince Philip’s cousin Bernhard, Prince of Baden shares a tribute, as do long-serving members of staff including head coachman Matthew Powers and his archivist Alexandra McCreery.

Viewers are also shown the Duke’s study, private office and library, giving further insight into his extraordinary life at the heart of the royal family.

The programme follows last week’s ruling by Sir Andrew McFarlane, the High Court’s most senior judge in the family division, that the Duke’s will should remain secret for at least 90 years to protect the “dignity and standing” of the Queen.

Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers is on BBC1 on Wednesday at 9pm.

‘Going off to Afghanistan, he just said: “Make sure you come back alive”’ Prince Harry

Prince Philip’s two eldest children the Prince of Wales (below far left) and the Princess Royal (below left) reveal their stories about their father, including his love of barbecuing. “He turned that into an interesting art form,” Charles says of the Duke ( below, taking control of the coals at Balmoral in August 1972 as Anne is relegated to a supporting role)

Lady Louise Windsor joins her parents the Earl and Countess of Wessex to remember Prince Philip. “He loves cookery programmes. Hairy Bikers, I think, is one of his favourites,” Sophie says in the documentary

The Duke shares a moment (above) with Princes William and Harry at Sandhurst in April 2006 – “He’s always set a very good example about how we have to look after the welfare of the military,” William says – and Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall join forces to pay homage (left)

Family portraits decorate Prince Philip’s desk (left), while his skill behind the camera is on show in a copy of his book The Birds of Britannia (above), featuring his own photos

As well as Lady Louise, Philip’s elder grandchildren – the Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex and their cousins Peter Phi l l ips and Zara Tindall (all above as children, in a portrait t a ke n wi t h the Queen and the Duke in 1987) – discuss their memories and recollections of the royal patriarch – as d o Pr i n c e s s e s Beatrice (right) and Eugenie (far right)

Fascinating mementos of Philip’s life are also revealed, including his office (right) and flight logs from his early days as a pilot (below). After taking lessons in 1952, the Duke logged 5,986 flying hours before giving up his licence in 1997