Good morning,
Prince Phillip
If you are wondering what it’s like to be in Britain at this time, as the United Kingdom marks the death of Prince Phillip, I can tell you it is remarkable because it shows the deep attachment to the Royal family, and the nations sadness at losing a wise old sage who had a great sense of duty, but also good humour and steadfast loyalty to the Queen. But some of the mourning is mandated which seems odd and dated somehow.
As I am having my morning coffee today, I am watching wall to wall TV coverage of Prince Phillips life on the BBC. It is mandated to ONLY cover his death on TV, and remarkably it is all that the public broadcaster is airing today on the main channel. It seems like some ritual of old in a modern democracy where this shouldn’t matter as much as they pretend it does. Phillip had no constitutional role, but was obviously as the Queens consort, important and respected.
At 99 yrs old, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Title (he received when he married The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth in 1947) will eventually pass to their youngest son, Prince Edward. That will only take place when their eldest son Charles becomes King.
As a father of two teenage boys, both my sons participate in the ‘D of E’s’ which most high schools offer to young people to achieve something outside of school as an extra series of activities to empower young people. It involves things like learning navigation, camping, hiking, and a commitment to months of doing one sport or another, and also charity work. It’s a highlight of schooling in Common Wealth countries and was an important part of Phillips legacy.
The funeral will be fairly low profile, in the sense crowds are discouraged because of the pandemic and risk to health. So many people have left flowers at Windsor Palace and in front of Buckingham Palace out of respect, and today British warships will fire off salutes to mark Phillips death. Prince Phillip was a naval officer, and his attachment to the navy and its attachment to him, prominent in tributes.
But, probably one of his crowning achievements in life was his dedication to the environment, and so there have been a line up of morning TV guests from environment organizations and most notably the WWF. Phillip was a leading champion of The World Wildlife Fund for 50 years, and was said to be a pioneer in speaking out about the loss of world habitat including appearances with Sir David Attenborough.
Was he a green? Prince Phillip joked in an interview no, because there is a difference between being a conservationist and what he called “a bunny hugger”. Noting he was not someone cuddling animals at the zoo, but more widely championing the causes of saving species and the calling out the loss of environments and habitat. Greens probably don’t consider themselves :”bunny huggers” either. But The Duke had a reputation for putting his foot in it on a regular basis;
1970:“If it doesn’t fart or eat hay, she isn’t interested.” — on his daughter, Princess Anne.
1986:“It looks like a tart’s bedroom.” — on Prince Andrew’s house.
1992: “Oh no, I might catch some ghastly disease.” — on a visit to Australia, in which he was asked if he wanted to stroke a koala bear.
1995: “How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to pass the test?” — to a Scottish driving instructor.
2000: “It’s a vast waste of space.” — at a reception for the opening of the new British Embassy in Berlin.
2000: “Get me a beer. I don’t care what kind it is, just get me a beer!” – at a dinner in Rome after being offered wine by then-Italian prime minister.
2001: “I wish he’d turn the microphone off.” – during Elton John’s performance at the Royal Variety Show.
2003: “You look like you’re ready for bed.” — to the president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, wearing traditional robes.
2005: “It doesn’t look like much work goes on at this university.”— at an engineering school which was closed, so he could officially open it.
2011: “Bits are beginning to drop off.” — on approaching his 90th birthday
2013: “There’s one thing about children going to school: They go to school because their parents don’t want them in the house.” — to Malala Yousafzai, who survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban after campaigning for girls’ right to go to school.
2017: “You’re about to see the world’s most experienced plaque-unveiler.”— opening a new stand at Lord’s cricket ground in London.
He was charming but also a bit rough around the edges.
There will be a special session of Parliament on Monday where politicians will pay tribute to the Prince. The funeral will be formally held at Windsor castle on Friday. He has been described “as the rock” in The Queens life who is herself 94 years old.
The rock has been removed. The Queen has lost a husband. The Royal family has lost its patriarch. Despite the lofty praise we are hearing by Royal’s reporters who can put anyone to sleep on British TV, constantly repeating that flags are at half staff, and the flowers being left here and there, Prince Phillip was engaging, he had substance, was a bit rough around the edges and that was his charm.
As he said in 2015 at a Battle of Britain event to a photographer - “Just take the f—ing picture!”
Great perspective Dana - Nice to read about the human side of Prince Phillip.