Duke’s award touched lives of millions

The royal family have had a difficult year, with so much of their private lives hashed out in the press, so I can’t imagine how hard it will be for the Queen to lose Prince Philip – her rock of 73 years. Whether you are a royalist or not, we can all agree the Duke of Edinburgh was certainly dedicated to public service, and I’m sure his memory will live on in the many charities and organisations that bear his name.

I’m proud to be an ambassador for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which he created in 1956 to encourage young people to set goals, take on new challenges and develop leadership skills. To date more than eight million young people from 144 countries have achieved his coveted award, which is an impressive achievement.