Looking back on the life of Prince Philip
Prince Philip — or the Duke of Edinburgh, as he was officially known — retired from his royal duties in August 2017. DW looks back at the prince's life and more than 70 years of marriage to Queen Elizabeth.
Itinerant childhood
Prince Philip's early years were marked by tragedy. When he was still young his mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and placed in an asylum. Philip would rarely see her until adulthood. He was sent to boarding schools in France and Germany, but the rise of the Nazis forced him to continue his education in Scotland. Here, Philip (second from left) is seen at a French school in about 1929.
Prince of Greece and Denmark
Philip held royal titles since his birth on June 10, 1921, in Corfu. As the only son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice of Battenberg, he was born the prince of Greece and Denmark — titles he would relinquish upon marrying Princess Elizabeth in 1947. After fleeing unrest in Greece at just 18 months, Philip went on to become a naturalized British citizen.
Consort to Queen Elizabeth II
As the queen's husband of more than 70 years, Prince Philip was the longest-serving British consort, or companion to the sovereign. The couple married on November 20, 1947, at Westminster Abbey, at which point Philip was given the title of Duke of Edinburgh. Just over four years later, Elizabeth ascended to the throne after the death of her father, King George VI, in February 1952.
Family man
Philip and Elizabeth had two children, Charles and Anne (pictured in 1953 at Clarence House), before Elizabeth became queen. Two more sons followed in 1960 and 1964, Andrew and Edward. As their first-born son, Prince Charles is next in line for the throne.
Grandfather and great-grandfather
Princess Charlotte, pictured here in June 2017 with her mother the Duchess of Cambridge (center), is one of Prince Philip's nine great-grandchildren. He had eight grandchildren, including Charlotte's father, Prince William (right).
Diverse patronages
Upon his retirement in August 2017, Prince Philip had served as patron or president to some 800 organizations. These reflected his interests in conservation, sport, the military and engineering — and the Cartoon Art Trust, seen here in 2002. He also established The Duke of Edinburgh Award in 1956, which aims to instill confidence and new skills in young people.
Royally outspoken
As someone who took part in many official ceremonies and photo ops, Prince Philip developed a reputation for being gaffe-prone at best, and insulting at worst. Upon meeting a group of Australian Aborigines in 2002, the prince asked if they were "still throwing spears at each other?" And in 1997, he called then German Chancellor Helmut Kohl "Reichskanzler" — the title used by Adolf Hitler.
Long-lasting love
Philip's marriage to Queen Elizabeth lasted more than seven decades and despite the inevitable rumors was, to all appearances, remarkably free of scandal. Royal historian Robert Lacey said they were not "a soppy couple," though they shared a passion for horses. Philip, however, was rumored to be less keen on his wife's cherished corgis.