His Royal Highness Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, passed away at the age of 99. As the world prepares to mourn the passing of a great man, let us take a look at some lesser-known facts about the prolific Duke.
- Prince Phillip Became a Naturalised British Citizen
What most people don’t know is that Prince Phillip was not a British citizen from the start – he became one after he married the Queen. He was a Prince of Greece and Denmark and the nephew of the Greek King before he became the Duke of Edinburgh. To top it off, he was born on the Greek island of Corfu.
- He Is Related To The Queen
Familial relations are something that can be expected of the royal lines. However, this connection is not that close. They are both great-great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria, which makes them third cousins.
- Royal TV Star
Prince Phillip became the first royal family member to be interviewed on TV when he appeared on a Panorama broadcast on May 29, 1961. He was interviewed by Richard Dimbleby with the Commonwealth Technical Training Week serving as a backdrop.
- An Environmentalist At Heart
His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh was a staunch environmentalist before anyone knew what it really meant. He talked about the over-exploitation of nature and even mentioned the greenhouse effect that was affecting the Earth. He once told the BBC, “If we’ve got this extraordinary diversity on this globe it seems awfully silly for us to destroy it.”
- War Hero
At the onset of World War II, he started the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, and went on to take command of the HMS Magpie, a frigate. When Britain joined the war in 1940, he served as a midshipman on the HMS Ramillies and then the HMS Valiant, where he was mentioned in dispatches for his actions.
- A Modest Royal
Although His Royal Highness could be forthright at times, he was unusually silent when it came to the topic of himself, preferring the shade to the spotlight. His youngest son, Prince Edward, sums it up quite nicely, “One of his best pieces of advice he gives to everybody is talk about everything else, don’t talk about yourself—nobody’s interested in you.”
- Longest-serving British Consort
The Duke finally retired in 2017 at the age of 96 – 30 years later than the retirement age for most people. He undertook 22,191 official solo visits and gave a whopping 5,493 speeches. He jokingly referred to himself as the “world’s most experienced plaque unveiler”.
- Oysters Away!
Prince Phillip never took a liking to what many would consider a delicacy – oysters. The Queen also shares his dislike for the food, preferring to dine on simple food. However, the royal staff have revealed that the Duke is a more “adventurous eater” compared to his wife.
- Flying High
The Duke was an accomplished pilot, earning his RAF wings in 1953. He was also named the Marshal of the Royal Air Force (RAF). He also received his private pilot’s license in 1959 and was the first royal family member to fly out of the Buckingham Palace in a helicopter. His grandsons have inherited his love for flying, with both Princes William and Harry being accomplished helicopter pilots themselves.
- A Love Story Fit For The Silver Screens
The Queen met the gallant Prince when she was just 13 and was smitten by him. As their friendship turned into romance, her father, King George VI, strongly disapproved of the match. The gentle King was taken aback by the boisterous young sea-man who had won his daughter’s heart. Even so, the future Queen’s appeals to her father eventually won him over and they married on November 20, 1947. Love does conquer all things.
A down-to-earth person, His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, will be sorely missed not only by his Queen but also by the world. When asked by the BBC if he thought he has had a successful role, he retorted, “Who cares what I think, I mean it’s ridiculous.” The world has lost a humble man whose shoes will perhaps be a little too big for another to fill.
