A princely send-off for Philip

“It’s better to get out before you reach the sell-by date.” — His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, commemorating his 90th birthday nine years ago.

It is the partial end of an era, half of an irreplaceable set of bookends that no longer graces the shelf. After 99 years, the majority of which was given to service, Prince Philip finally succumbed. Having lost a giant of a man, the world is poorer for it.

Just because something is a cliché doesn’t mean it isn’t true. So trite as it may sound, describing the prince in terms of “they don’t make them like that anyone” could not be more accurate.

For those old enough to remember part, or all, of the events that coincided with the Duke’s life, the trip down memory lane is bittersweet.

There are the triumphs — much more prevalent that defeats — of good over evil, such as winning World War II, the Cold War and, to a large extent, the War on Famine.

Europe has been at peace since 1945, and is now so absent from strife that one can travel freely from one end of the continent to the other without even a passport. Yes, that’s the same Europe whose constant wars for over 1,000 years left millions dead. The names of their conflicts say it all: Thirty Years’ War, and, not to be outdone, the Hundred Years’ War.

Just as important is that civility has flourished in that time, though social media has set us back in the manners department. As colonialism ended, it was replaced by the sovereignty of nations and peoples’ right to selfdetermination, leading to freedom for millions worldwide. In lockstep with that progress has been the push for a colorblind society, where humans are judged not on skin color but on content of character.

But when contemplating the timeline of Prince Philip’s life, one cannot help but feel a touch of melancholy. In the Prince’s time, service was paramount — duty but not chore — and an endeavor that upstanding citizens were eager to undertake. The obligation to help others had many facets: service to world, country, community, church, school, neighbors, family and friends. True service was altruistic, and never involved complaining or keeping a “you owe me one” score. Nor was it a one-and-done deal. You assisted your fellow man when he was in need, in perpetuity. And seeking credit and accolades was anathema, as one was content with the knowledge that a good deed was done, with no agenda or ulterior motive.

As we reflect on Prince Philip’s life of service, one can’t help but feel that such a trait — once so common, and that he modeled so well — is increasingly fleeting in the modern world. One only has to look at Prince Harry’s recent behavior to realize that his definition of service is starkly different from his grandfather’s.

In his 73 years by Queen Elizabeth’s side, Prince Philip never wavered.

For more than seven decades, he played loyal second chair to his wife. There were no “ifs, ands, or buts;” that’s simply how it was.

Stop and think about that. In a male-dominated world, and in particular, male-dominated Britain, the prince always had to refer to his wife as “ma’am” during official duties. He always had to defer to her decisions, no matter how much he may have disagreed with them. And he always had to put on a good face and show a unified front in public, even when he was at odds with Elizabeth. One can have all the servants and an unending supply of money, but they don’t make you immune from husband-wife fights. Truth be told, such a relationship likely causes more friction than that of an average couple.

But through it all, Philip persisted, excelling in school and in the Navy during the Second World War. He was drawn to a life of excitement and adventure, but, in what certainly was a painful personal sacrifice, gave up those dreams to serve queen and country.

Who better to sing Prince Philip’s praises than that of his wife, who, during their Golden Wedding anniversary, had this to say lmate:

“He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments, but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.”

Prince Philip — Godspeed, and rest in peace.