Prince Philip: Crowds gather at Buckingham Palace after death

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The Duke of Edinburgh passed away yesterday morning at Windsor Castle, aged 99. A statement from Buckingham Palace said: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. “His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.”

Married to Queen Elizabeth II for more than 70 years, Philip was the longest-serving consort in British history and a legend in the eyes of Britons and millions across the world.

 At the age of 18, the prince joined the Royal Navy as a cadet and he would go on to see active service during World War 2, in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.

It was during this time that he worked with Lord Louis Mountbatten, a Royal Navy officer and second cousin once removed of the Queen who was also Supreme Allied Commander of the South East Asia C 

After he served, Mountbatten’s primary concern dealt with devising plans on how the Navy would keep shipping lanes open if Britain fell victim to nuclear attack.

As he became more involved in weapons of mass destruction, Mountbatten increasingly became opposed to their use. 

In May 1979, he said: “As a military man who has given half a century of active service, I say in all sincerity that the nuclear arms race has no military purpose.  

“Wars cannot be fought with nuclear weapons. Their existence only adds to our perils.” 

And Philip would go on to support him, stating in a letter to anti-nuclear activist Lord Brockway seen by Express.co.uk: “I agree with everything he said, I agree that the arms race is ridiculous.” 

The Duke added that he was “in favour of multilateral disarmament”.

He stated: “It is possible that there has not been another major war in the last 30 years because world leaders realised what a horror they unleashed on the world.

 “Service people also have a certain idealism. Why else should they be prepared to lose their lives? 

“It is just because they are so much at risk and because they know the risks, that they are interested in keeping the peace.

“Security and peace depend upon being prepared for every eventuality, not in creating conflict where none is needed. 

 Tributes have poured in across the nation and the world in response to yesterday’s tragic news.

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The flag over Number 10 and buildings across Westminster have been lowered to half-mast out of respect to the Duke.

Speaking outside Downing Street the Prime Minister made a heartfelt statement expressing his sorrow at the loss of one of the most senior members of the Royal Family.

He said: “Prince Philip earned the affection of generations here in the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world. 

“He was the longest-serving consort in history and one of the last surviving people in this country to have served in WW2.

“We mourn today with Her Majesty the Queen, we offer our condolences to her and all her family and we give thanks as a nation and a kingdom for the extraordinary work of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. 

“He helped to steer the Royal Family and the monarchy so that it remains an institution indisputably vital to the balance and happiness of our national life.

 “It is with Her Majesty and her family that our nation’s thoughts must turn today.”

Nicholas Soames, a former Conservative MP and the grandson of former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill said: “The death of Prince Philip marks the passing of a truly remarkable man who lived a life of impeccable and dedicated service to his Queen and Country.”

Philip left King Edward VII’s Hospital in Marylebone, central London, in a wheelchair on March 16 following heart surgery.

At the time, Philip, who retired from public life in 2017, was said to be in good spirits as he was discharged, but it was his longest spell in hospital. 

He returned to Windsor Castle, where he and the Queen, 94, spent his last month together.

The Duke of Edinburgh was once described by the Queen as her “strength and stay”.

Putting aside his own career ambitions, he proved his strong sense of duty serving the country through hundreds of engagements every year, refusing to stop working despite his age. 

He became patron or president of 800 organisations, founded the Duke of Edinburgh Awards in 1956 and won a place in the nation’s hearts for his no-nonsense attitude.

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