Prince Philip: Attenborough on Duke's time in the Navy

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Prince Philip passed away on Friday, aged 99, and a former White House butler has spoken of his fondest memory with the Duke. The butler to many US presidents spoke to NPR news about a time in 1979 when Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited the White House. He described how after dinner, Prince Philip went into the White House’s Red Room, next to the state dining room where Mr Westray was sitting with a friend.

Mr Westray told a story of the evening in the White House when he saw Prince Philip tidying away a tray and glasses after all the rest of the guests had departed.

He said: “The prince was in there by himself, which was odd because everybody else had gone down to the other end of the building.

“I said, ‘your Majesty, would you care for a cordial?

“His Majesty said, ‘I’ll take one if you let me serve it’.

“What do you do?

“I didn’t do all that because I had the stuff in my hand.

“And he said, ‘if you let me pour it, I’ll have one with you’.

“So he poured it, the one he wanted, and I took the same thing that he had.

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“And we had our drink there together and had a little talk while we were there.

“He told us if we were ever over there in London to stop at Buckingham Palace and see him.

“Can you imagine the prince serving you?

“I enjoyed it.

“You know, we’re not supposed to drink and carry on at that time.

“We’re not guests.

“It was just the three of us in the room, so nobody knew what happened.

“And I drank my little cordial, we all drank, and had a little conversation.

“But that was one thing I’ll never forget, having been served by royalty.”

White House butler Mr Westray served eight presidents, starting with John F. Kennedy, before leaving the White House in 1994.

When speaking to NPR news of his time in the White House he said: “Each administration is different.

“I’ve seen everybody who was anybody from all circumstances.

“Russians, the Chinese, everybody who’s coming in there, you saw them.”

“John F. Kennedy, two days before he was assassinated, had his last party and I served it.

“I’ll never forget that because it was the last time I saw him.

“Those are the things you keep in mind.”

The Duke of Edinburgh died on Friday morning April 9.

A statement released by the Royal Family said: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

“His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.

“Further announcements will made in due course.

“The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.”

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