It was with great sadness that I saw the breaking news of the death of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and beloved husband to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. He was a war hero who was destined for a life of naval service and promotion to the very top before giving up the career he loved for the woman he loved. From that day onwards he was forever at her side, dedicating himself to the service of his Monarch and our country. Year after year, he was by her side, entertaining the crowds on royal tours, amusing us with his wit and his real impatience with photographers and the media.
His war heroics soon came to light. In July 1943 he was first lieutenant, second-in-command, aged 21. During the Allied landings in Sicily, HMS Wallace came under
attack at night, with the ship and crew in real danger of destruction. Philip came up with the idea of a decoy, a raft overboard covered in smoke to make it look like ship debris. The Germans were fooled into attacking that decoy while the ship and crew were able to safely escape from the area. For witness details please follow the link below. I wonder how many lives he saved that night.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/dec/28/monarchy.davidsmith
His love for the environment came before it was fashionable to care for the planet, a love he passed on to Prince Charles. He was the first President of the World Wildlife Fund after it was founded and he was passionate about his charities. He helped to transform the lives of many young people through his Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. I was a great admirer of his work ethic, his enthusiasm and his devotion to duty. I'm very much a Royalist, proud of my country and a supporter of the working royals who represent Britain around the world. I would have loved the chance to meet this inspirational man. We grew up feeling as if we knew the Royals, watching them grow and their lives evolve over the years. I watched all the weddings, funerals and state events, the documentaries and also read a lot of books about their lives. I can't express my sorrow at the news today.
My heart breaks for the Queen. He was her rock, her strength, her support in times of trouble. He was unbending in his loyalty to her and was always there for her. I so loved seeing the photos of them together, where you could see the genuine love, respect and the regard that he held her in. She must be totally devastated by his death and I really fear for her health after such a blow, which comes after a year of real stress in the family. His recent health scare coupled with the troubles unleashed against the family in recent weeks must have been hard for her. To lose him so soon after this must be terrible for her.
My thoughts are with Her Majesty and the rest of the family who will provide her with the love and support that she needs at this moment. Rest in peace Sir. You deserve it after your years of loyal service.
Goodnight Sweet Prince. And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
I heard about his death this morning. So sad! I wonder what Elizabeth is going to do without him.
ReplyDelete73 years married and now without her rock. I worry that she might not go long without him. I was blubbering at some of the tributes on Twitter.
DeleteOh boy. If they were really close she's got about 2 years before she follows him :-(
ReplyDeleteQuite often a long married couple pass on in a short period of time as one can be lost without the other. She'll find it hard without him.
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