Death of Prince Philip marks ‘end of an era’

THE death of the Duke of Edinburgh dominated the weekend’s opinion pages. Here’s what columnists had to say on his contribution to the nation and the reaction to his death.

Scotland on Sunday

In its leader, Scotland on Sunday paid tribute to Prince Philip’s life of duty.

The newspaper stated: “Clearly, as we all do, he had his flaws.

“He retained some attitudes that were more prevalent in his youth but which modern society has quite rightly left behind. For some, his sense of humour was at times racist, while for others, merely politically incorrect.

“But Prince Philip undoubtedly lived a life of duty and devotion to Queen Elizabeth, helping Britain’s head of state cope with the worst of times and generally acting as a modernising influence on the royal family.

“As people in the public eye usually are, he was more than the caricature of popular imagination and there was much to admire and respect in his life.

“The Scotsman would like to offer its condolences to the royal family.”

Sunday Times

Alex Massie commented on the Scottish Green Party’s response to the death.

He wrote: “Politicians and political parties often have nothing useful to say but this rarely leaves them speechless. On the contrary, the expectation that something must be said typically results in pronouncements so anodyne they are designed to merely nod to meaning rather than reveal it. Some things are chiefly questions of form.

“So I suppose one cheer may be raised in response to the Scottish Green Party’s response to the death of Prince Philip.

“Rather than treat the same lines of courtesy followed by every other organisation of its type, the Greens thought this a moment for a more bracing dose of honesty.

“‘We recognise that the passing of the Duke of Edinburgh will be felt deeply by some across the country,’ the party said, ‘and express our sympathies with his family, who join many others who have lost loved ones in this last year.’

“Well, that’s one way of reading the room, guys.”

Sunday Mail

The Sunday Mail claimed in its leader that the duke’s death marked the end of an era.

The newspaper stated: “The death of Prince Philip is a sad day for the royal family and marks the end of an era.

“The Duke of Edinburgh will travel to his final resting place on Saturday in a customised Land Rover that he designed himself.

“It will be a fitting moment for a man who did things his own way and was never too bothered what anyone else thought.

“Prince Harry is preparing to jet back to the UK to attend the funeral.

“Let’s hope there can be a moment of reconciliation for a family which must now modernise if it is to survive for generations to come.”