Prince Philip: Royal family pays tribute on anniversary of death

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Today marks the first anniversary of Prince Philip’s death. The Duke of Edinburgh passed away at the age of 99 at his home in Windsor Castle. He was just a few months shy of his 100th birthday in June. 

The Duke leaves behind his wife of 73 years, the Queen, and four children, eight grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren. 

Most of the family joined together to honour Philip’s life and legacy at a service of thanksgiving last week. 

However, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle were not in attendance. 

The couple stepped down from their roles as senior royals and moved stateside two years ago, a move that Philip was said to be “baffled” by. 

Philip was initially fond of the Duchess of Sussex, and the pair have more in common than first meets the eye. 

Both gave up flourishing careers in order to dedicate themselves to their new roles within the Royal Family. 

Philip joined the Royal Navy from the Dartmouth naval college in 1939. 

Philip served with distinction in World War Two, seeing military action for the first time in the Indian Ocean. 

In 1942, at the age of 21, he was one of the Royal Navy’s youngest first lieutenants.

However, when the Queen ascended to the throne in 1952, he was forced to give up his beloved career and dedicate his life to his role as Consort. 

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Express.co.uk last year: “Philip’s role as Consort is far from the role he would ideally have chosen in the Navy. 

“He would probably have risen high had the King’s failing health forced him to terminate a promising career.”

Similarly, when Meghan met Harry, she was leading a successful career in acting. 

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Having struggled in Hollywood for several years, the Duchess landed her big break in the legal drama series, Suits.

Meghan starred in the show for seven seasons, but was written out of it shortly before her marriage to Harry. 

Ahead of the Royal Wedding in 2018, she said: “I just see it as a change. It’s a new chapter, right?

“And also keep in mind I’ve been working on my show for seven years.”

Gesturing at Harry, she added: “I feel really proud of the work I have done there and now it’s time to, as you say ‒ work as a team with ‒ with you.”

Meghan and Philip are also both foreign-born, with the Duchess born and raised in California and Philip from the Greek Island of Corfu.

Philip was born to Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg, and was sixth in line to the Greek throne.  

However, Philip had to give up his Greek nationality and his royal titles and become a naturalised British citizen in order to marry the Queen.

His mother’s maiden name was Battenberg, which he anglicised to Mountbatten, a name taken on by Meghan and Harry’s children Archie and Lilibet.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex now reside in Montecito, California with their children. 

Harry has returned to the UK on two occasions, most recently to unveil the statue of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales in July 2021 and a few months earlier to attend his grandfather’s funeral, which was restricted to 30 guests due to Covid regulations. 

The memorial service last week was a chance for a larger congregation to celebrate the Duke of Edinburgh’s life.

It comes as the prince continues in his legal battle with the Home Office over police protection while he is in the UK.

In January, Harry’s legal spokesperson explained in part that “with the lack of police protection comes too great a personal risk”.

One royal expert believes that Harry may “live to regret” his decision to stay in California. 

Russell Myers, the Daily Mirror’s royal editor, told ITV’s Lorraine last week: “I think he will live to regret that decision because a lot of the family were rallying around the Queen.

“You look at the pictures and images yesterday, she looked absolutely grief-stricken.”

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