Schoolboy Philip 'a natural leader with a short fuse'
At school, Prince Philip showed all the qualities of a natural leader, but even his teachers' reports revealed he had a rather short fuse.
Assessments written in 1938, when he was around 17, called him kind and firm, but suggested he was too irritable when put in charge of games.
In 1933 Philip was sent to Salem School in Baden, Germany, where German progressive educationalist Dr Kurt Hahn had established one of the world's bestknown private schools.
But by the time Philip arrived, Dr Hahn had fallen foul of the Nazis, whose policies he resolutely opposed.
Dr Hahn was imprisoned for "the decadent corruption of German youth" and only the intervention of British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald secured his release.
He fled to Britain and founded a new school, Gordonstoun, near Elgin, Morayshire, in the Scottish Highlands, where 13-year-old Philip became one of a handful of founding pupils.
His school report from 1938 was particularly revealing of his strong character.
Dr Hahn described him as an intelligent and courageous pupil, but revealed that he was clearly one not without his faults.
The headmaster wrote in his report: "Prince Philip has unusual courage and endurance ... and does not know what boredom is when intent on discharging his duties.
"The lure of the moment remains his danger ...
"He has the makings of a first-class organiser; he is both kind and firm. As a leader of games he is at times too irritable."