City pays tribute to a remarkable man

His Royal Highness Prince Philip The Duke of Edinburgh was many things to many people, but he was always a friend to Sunderland.

As a loving husband, father and grandfather, our thoughts go immediately to his family at this difficult time. But in public life as a member of the Royal Family, his many visits to our community cemented his place in the hearts of the Sunderland public.

He was a colourful character and his habit of speaking off the cuff while on official engagements throughout the world both infuriated and delighted the public. His visits to Wearside with Her Majesty The Queen, however, were as welcome as they were enjoyable.

As our photographs of his visits to the city clearly show, he was never short of a smile for the gathered public. And just how highly regarded he was in the eyes of our community can be seen by the many heartfelt tributes paid on our social media sites from the moment his death was announced. Young and old have been quick to pay tribute to the man who was always at The Queen’s side, but who also did much in his own name to benefit others.

The most high-profile of these causes is undoubtedly The Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme which, inspired by the Duke’s love of the outdoors, has benefited thousands of young people over the years.

On our pages we tell the remarkable story of this remarkable man who lived a remarkable life and while we’re sure many more anecdotes of his time in our community will surface over the coming days, today our community pays its respects to a friend of Sunderland. Rest in Peace Sir.