Prince Philip

 

   As you all may know HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh died last week. I've always had a small interest in him. I had hoped that he would live to be 100. At it stands he missed that milestone by nearly two months. 

  I have always had a bit of an interest in the British monarchy. The idea of a family whose only job is to symbolize the country (because any real power had been gradually stripped away over the years) was intriguing. I think we try to imitate it in the United States using celebrities. (another column for another time.)

   One time I read about Prince Philip and discovered that he was revered as a god by some people living on an island near Australia. They believe that he was the son of a mountain spirit who left the island and married a powerful woman. According to what I have read Prince Philip was aware of this and would sometimes sent portraits to the islanders. 

   I have a lot of respect for him because he was put in a position that very few men are put in even today. His wife was the ruler of the country and from the time she ascended to the throne, he was second to her. While the wife of a king is crowned and considered a queen. Philip was a prince and a duke so that he would not hold higher rank than his wife.

   That must have been a challenge. In 1952 when Elizabeth succeeded her father, men were the heads of their families. In his case, his wife was the head. He didn't have any really defined role except as an advisor and support to his wife. At one point in time someone had remarked that the name of the royal house was now Mountbatten as the married queen would have her husband's name. The Queen Mother and others were horrified by this and pressured Elizabeth to declare that the last name of the royal house would remain Windsor. The prompted Prince Philip to declare that he was, "the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his children." (The last name was later changed to Mountbatten- Windsor.)

  He eventually made his unusual role his own. He managed the royal estates and did charity work. He became involved with The World Wide Fund for Nature. He started the Duke of Edinburgh award, which is a program for young adults and involves meeting goals with an eye toward self improvement. He was an intelligent man, interested in learning about things. He was also a gifted painter.

  He loved horses and playing polo. He passed on this love to his son, Charles and his grandsons. 

   The thing that I like best is that he and the Queen developed a partnership. They loved and cared for  each other, in a marriage that lasted 73 years. After he retired from public life, he moved  out of London. During the Covid crisis, they lived together at Windsor castle to protect themselves from the disease. I'm grateful they had that time to share together.

   Rest in Peace, Sir.