‘My strength and stay all these years’

On behalf of English Heritage, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family on the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. As a veteran of the Second World War and the longest-serving consort of a reigning British monarch, he has played an enormous part in the history of this country and of the Royal Family, and I know he will be remembered with great fondness by millions of people around the world.

The Duke was involved with hundreds of charitable organisations throughout his life, and was perhaps best known for his work with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Well over three million awards have been achieved by young people around the world since The Duke founded the scheme in 1956.

The Duke’s outstanding public service was matched by his private devotion to his family and to his wife, Queen Elizabeth II. In 1997, in a speech to mark their Golden Wedding anniversary, the Queen called him ‘my strength and stay all these years,’ noting that ‘I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.’

Kate Mavor
Chief Executive
English Heritage