The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip was born in Corfu, Greece, in 1921 to the family of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg. He was the youngest of five children and the only son.
At the age of 10, he set up a workshop at his father’s castle, equipped with lathes, a forge, and a foundry. When he joined the Navy he designed a system of fans, radiators, and thermostats for air-conditioning his quarters. He even fashioned a device, controlled by an alarm clock, for making his early morning tea – 20 years before such a gadget appeared on the market.
Prince Philip met Princess Elizabeth during a royal visit to the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth, in 1939, where he entertained Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. This is where he caught Princess Elizabeth’s eye and she fell in love with the handsome young prince. Several years later, Prince Philip, showed signs of reciprocating her feelings. The romance began in earnest and soon translated into a marriage that lasted 71 years, Until his death on the 9th of April, 2021 at 99 years. The marriage yielded four children: Prince Charles- the Prince of Wales; Princess Ann- Princess Royal; Prince Andrew- Duke of York & Prince Edward- Earl of Essex.
Prince Philip is, so far, the longest-serving consort in British history, who sacrificed a naval career to give steadfast support to his wife.
Story: Ene Ken-Yawe
Pictures: COPYRIGHTPA MEDIA; COPYRIGHTMARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY; COPYRIGHTGETTY IMAGES; Douglas Miller/Keystone/Getty Images
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