118-467: The King George VI Memorial Chapel is part of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in England. The chapel was commissioned by Elizabeth II in 1962 as a burial place for her father, George VI , and was completed in 1969. It contains the final resting places of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother , Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , and the ashes of Princess Margaret . It
236-627: A Greek Army division embroiled in the Greco-Turkish War . Greece suffered significant losses in the war and the Turks made substantial gains. Philip's uncle and high commander of the Greek expeditionary force , King Constantine I , was blamed for the defeat and was forced to abdicate in September 1922. The new military government arrested Andrew, along with others. General Georgios Hatzianestis , who
354-562: A Prince of the United Kingdom by Letters Patent on 22 February 1957; it was gazetted that Philip was to be known as "His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh". Philip was appointed to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada on 14 October 1957, taking his Oath of Allegiance before the Queen in person at her Canadian residence, Rideau Hall . Remarks he made two years later to
472-608: A clerk , verger and other staff. The Society of the Friends of St George's and Descendants of the Knights of the Garter , a registered charity, was established in 1931 to assist the college in maintaining the chapel. In 1348, King Edward III founded two religious colleges: St Stephen's at Westminster and St George's at Windsor. The new college at Windsor was attached to the Chapel of St Edward
590-672: A "precautionary measure". He had not been seen in public since attending Lady Gabriella Windsor 's wedding in May 2019. A photo of the royal couple as they isolated at Windsor Castle during the COVID-19 pandemic was released ahead of his 99th birthday in June 2020. In July 2020, he stepped down as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles , a position he had held since 2007. He was succeeded by his daughter-in-law Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall . In January 2021, Philip and Elizabeth were vaccinated against COVID-19 by
708-577: A bandage on his right hand after a "minor procedure" was performed in Buckingham Palace the preceding day. Tony Abbott 's surprise 2015 decision to make Philip a Knight of the Order of Australia was widely criticised in the country and contributed to Abbott's ouster as Australian prime minister. In June 2017, Philip was taken from Windsor to London and admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital after being diagnosed with an infection. He spent two nights in
826-487: A bill to that effect in 1953. Contrary to rumours over the years, Elizabeth and Philip were said by insiders to have had a strong relationship throughout their marriage, despite the challenges of Elizabeth's reign. Elizabeth referred to Philip in a speech on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee in 2012 as her "constant strength and guide". Philip received a Parliamentary annuity (of £359,000 since 1990 ) to meet official expenses in carrying out public duties. The annuity
944-451: A blessing from the Archbishop of Canterbury following their marriage in 2005. The chapel has been the site of many royal funerals and interments. People interred in the Chapel include: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark , later Philip Mountbatten ; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021),
1062-499: A bronze relief portrait of George VI by Sir William Reid Dick , a replica of the portrait of George which hangs in the church of St Mary Magdalene on the royal estate of Sandringham in Norfolk. The completed chapel was described by Robin Woods as continuing "the perpendicular Gothic designs of the chapel itself, but in a twentieth century idiom". There is an interment chamber directly beneath
1180-524: A certain amount". He stated that he thought of himself as Danish and spoke mostly English, while his family was multilingual. Known for his charm in his youth, Philip was linked to several women, including Osla Benning . After leaving Gordonstoun in early 1939, Philip completed a term as a cadet at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth , then repatriated to Greece, living with his mother in Athens for
1298-505: A change and had it in mind for some time, it occurred only 11 days before the birth of their third child, Prince Andrew , and only after three months of protracted correspondence between English constitutional expert Edward Iwi (who averred that, without such a change, the royal child would be born with "the Badge of Bastardy") and Harold Macmillan , who had attempted to refute Iwi's arguments. Elizabeth and Philip's fourth child, Prince Edward ,
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#17328439310191416-561: A conspiracy . In April 2009, Philip became the longest-serving British royal consort, surpassing Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz , wife of George III . He became the oldest-ever male British royal in February 2013 and the third-longest-lived member of the British royal family (following Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester , and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) in April 2019. Personally, he
1534-403: A decision and did so, proposing to Diana in February. They married five months later. By 1992 the marriage had broken down. Elizabeth and Philip hosted a meeting between Charles and Diana, trying to effect a reconciliation, but without success. Philip wrote to Diana, expressing his disappointment at Charles's and her extra-marital affairs and asking her to examine both his and her behaviour from
1652-470: A design by Paul Paget and John Seely, 2nd Baron Mottistone . The second plan submitted for the design of the chapel was approved. It was proposed by architect George Pace and involved the construction of a chantry chapel between the Rutland Chapel and the north choir of St George's Chapel. Pace's design is 18 feet (5.5 m) in height, 10 feet (3.0 m) in width and 14 feet (4.3 m) in depth. It
1770-620: A house in the Paris suburb of Saint-Cloud lent to them by his wealthy aunt, Princess George of Greece and Denmark . During his time there, Philip was first educated at The Elms, an American school in Paris run by Donald MacJannet, who described Philip as a "know it all smarty person, but always remarkably polite". In 1930 Philip was sent to Britain to live with his maternal grandmother at Kensington Palace and his uncle George Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven , at Lynden Manor in Bray, Berkshire . He
1888-458: A household doctor at Windsor Castle. In February 2021, Philip was admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital as a "precautionary measure" after feeling unwell; he was visited by Prince Charles. Buckingham Palace confirmed that Philip was "responding to treatment" for an infection. In March, Philip was transferred by ambulance to St Bartholomew's Hospital to continue treatment for an infection, and to undergo "testing and observation" relating to
2006-442: A huge void in her life". The palace said Philip died peacefully, which was confirmed by his daughter-in-law Sophie, Countess of Wessex , who told the press it was "so gentle. It was just like somebody took him by the hand and off he went." His death led to the commencement of Operation Forth Bridge , the plan for publicly announcing his death and organising his funeral. The usual public ceremonial could not take place because of
2124-446: A light that I may tread safely into the unknown'," from the 1908 poem " The Gate of the Year " by Minnie Louise Haskins . The words were notably quoted by George VI in his Royal Christmas message of 1939. The ashes of George's younger daughter, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon , were placed in the royal vault of St George's Chapel on 15 February 2002. Margaret was the first member of
2242-403: A member's heraldic banner is hoisted emblazoned with his arms . A Garter stall plate , a small elaborately enamelled plate of brass, is affixed to the back of the stall displaying its member's name and arms with other inscriptions. On a member's death, the sword, helmet, mantling, crest, coronet or crown, and banner are removed. A service marking the death of a late member must be held before
2360-534: A month in mid-1939. At the behest of King George II of Greece , his first cousin, he returned to Britain in September to resume training for the Royal Navy. He graduated from Dartmouth the next year as the best cadet in his course. During the Second World War , he continued to serve in the British forces , while two of his brothers-in-law, Prince Christoph of Hesse and Berthold, Margrave of Baden, fought on
2478-425: A much needed ten-year restoration project began at George's Chapel, overseen by the consulting architect Sir Harold Brakspear . As part of this programme, Mahomet Thomas Phillips – an Anglo-Congolese sculptor – produced a falcon and a unicorn in 1923. The King George VI Memorial Chapel was constructed in 1969 between the Rutland Chapel and the north choir of St George's Chapel to a design by George Pace . On
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#17328439310192596-486: A pre-existing heart condition . He underwent a successful procedure for his heart condition and was transferred back to King Edward VII's Hospital. He was discharged a week later and returned to Windsor Castle. Philip died of " old age " on the morning of 9 April 2021 at Windsor Castle, at the age of 99. He was the longest-serving royal consort in world history. Elizabeth, who was reportedly at her husband's bedside when he died, described his death as "having left
2714-470: A youth awards programme for people aged 14 to 24. Philip is the longest-lived male member of the British royal family . He retired from royal duties in 2017, aged 96, having completed 22,219 solo engagements and 5,493 speeches since 1952, and died at the age of 99 at Windsor Castle . Prince Philip ( Greek : Φίλιππος , romanised : Phílippos ) of Greece and Denmark was born on 10 June 1921 on
2832-547: A youth cricket and disability sports charity, for which he organised fundraising events. Between 1959 and 1965 Philip was the president of BAFTA . He helped found the Australian Conservation Foundation in 1963 and the World Wildlife Fund in 1961 and served as the latter's UK president from 1961 to 1982, international president from 1981, and president emeritus from 1996. He was also president of
2950-506: Is a castle chapel built in the late-medieval Perpendicular Gothic style. It is a Royal Peculiar (a church under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch), and the Chapel of the Order of the Garter . St George's Chapel was founded in the 14th century by King Edward III and extensively enlarged in the late 15th century. It is located in the Lower Ward of the castle. The castle has belonged to
3068-625: The 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne and visited the Antarctic , becoming the first royal to cross the Antarctic Circle . Elizabeth and the children remained in Britain. On the return leg of the journey, Philip's private secretary , Mike Parker , was sued for divorce by his wife. As with Townsend, the press still portrayed divorce as a scandal, and eventually, Parker resigned. He later said that Philip
3186-847: The Annunciation , the Visitation , the Adoration of the Magi , the Temptations of Christ in the wilderness and the Miracle at Cana . They were commissioned from embroiderer Beryl Dean and took five years to complete. Only one panel is normally on display to the public, but the others may be seen on request. The chapel has been the site of many royal weddings, particularly of the children of Queen Victoria . They have included: Charles III , then- Prince of Wales , and Queen Camilla , then- Duchess of Cornwall received
3304-621: The Battle of Cape Matapan , in which he controlled the battleship's searchlights . He was also awarded the Greek War Cross . In June 1942, he was appointed to the destroyer HMS Wallace , which was involved in convoy escort tasks on the east coast of Britain, as well as the Allied invasion of Sicily . Promotion to lieutenant followed on 16 July 1942. In October of the same year, aged 21, Philip became first lieutenant of HMS Wallace . He
3422-557: The British Heart Foundation thanked Philip for being its patron for 55 years, during which time, in addition to organising fundraisers, he "supported the creation of nine BHF-funded centres of excellence". He was an honorary fellow of St Edmund's College, Cambridge . At the beginning of 1981 Philip wrote to his son Charles counselling him to make up his mind to either propose to Lady Diana Spencer or break off their courtship. Charles felt pressured by his father to make
3540-875: The British Pacific Fleet in the 27th Destroyer Flotilla. He was present in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed. Philip returned to the United Kingdom on the Whelp in January 1946 and was posted as an instructor at HMS Royal Arthur , the Petty Officers' School in Corsham , Wiltshire. In 1939 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth toured the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. During
3658-408: The British royal family to be cremated since Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll , in 1939. She was cremated to ensure that her remains could be accommodated in the small interment chamber beneath the chapel. George's widow, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, was interred beneath the chapel on 9 April 2002 following her funeral at Westminster Abbey . Margaret's ashes were placed in her parents' tomb at
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3776-531: The Canadian Medical Association on the subject of youth and sport were taken as a suggestion that Canadian children were out of shape. This was at first considered "tactless", but Philip was later admired for his encouragement of physical fitness . While in Canada in 1969, he spoke about his views on republicanism : It is a complete misconception to imagine that the monarchy exists in the interests of
3894-665: The Church of England , which he did in October 1947. The day before the wedding, the King bestowed the style of Royal Highness on Philip, and, on the morning of the wedding, 20 November 1947, he was made the Duke of Edinburgh , Earl of Merioneth , and Baron Greenwich of Greenwich in the County of London. Consequently, being already a Knight of the Garter , between 19 and 20 November 1947, he bore
4012-517: The Coronation Commission, he was the first member of the royal family to fly in a helicopter , visiting the troops that were to take part in the ceremony. Philip was not himself crowned in the coronation service, but knelt before Elizabeth, with her hands enclosing his, and swore to be her "liege man of life and limb". For six months, spanning 1953 and 1954, they toured the Commonwealth; as
4130-472: The Crown Prosecution Service announced that prosecuting Philip would not be in the public interest . Philip was still allowed to drive around private estates, and was seen behind the wheel in the grounds of Windsor Castle in April 2019. In December 2019, Philip stayed at King Edward VII's Hospital and received treatment for a "pre-existing condition" in a visit described by Buckingham Palace as
4248-520: The House of Glücksburg , Philip was a prince of both Greece and Denmark by virtue of his patrilineal descent from George I of Greece and George's father, Christian IX of Denmark ; he was from birth in the line of succession to both thrones. Philip's four elder sisters were Margarita , Theodora , Cecilie , and Sophie . He was baptised in the Greek Orthodox rite at St. George's Church in
4366-617: The Old Fortress in Corfu . His godparents were his paternal grandmother, Queen Olga of Greece; his cousin George, Crown Prince of Greece ; his uncle Lord Louis Mountbatten ; and the municipality of Corfu, represented by its mayor, Alexandros Kokotos, and by the president of the council, Stylianos Maniarizis. Shortly after Philip's birth, his maternal grandfather died in London. The Marquess of Milford Haven
4484-474: The Order of the Garter between the couples' names was put into the floor of the chapel. The ledger now reads: GEORGE VI 1895–1952 ELIZABETH 1900–2002 [REDACTED] ELIZABETH II 1926–2022 PHILIP 1921–2021 St George%27s Chapel, Windsor Castle St George's Chapel , formally titled The King's Free Chapel of the College of St George, Windsor Castle , at Windsor Castle in England
4602-634: The Zoological Society of London for two decades and was appointed an honorary fellow in 1977. Despite his involvement in initiatives for conserving nature , he was also criticised for practices such as fox hunting and shooting of game birds and the killing of a tiger in India in 1961. He was president of the International Equestrian Federation from 1964 to 1986. In 1980 he became world champion in four-in-hand driving with
4720-629: The "advantage of saving school fees", because it was owned by the family of his brother-in-law Berthold, Margrave of Baden . With the rise of Nazism in Germany, Salem's Jewish founder, Kurt Hahn , fled persecution and founded Gordonstoun School in Scotland, to which Philip moved after two terms at Salem. In 1937, his sister Cecilie; her husband, Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse ; their two sons; and Georg Donatus's mother were killed in an air crash at Ostend ; Philip, then 16 years old, attended
4838-490: The British national team. He served as chancellor of the universities of Cambridge , Edinburgh , Salford , and Wales . In 1965, at the suggestion of Harold Wilson , Philip became chair to a scheme set up for awarding industrial innovations, which later became known as The Queen's Awards for Enterprise . In the same year, Philip became president of the Council of Engineering Institutions and in that capacity he assisted with
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4956-667: The Confessor which had been constructed by Henry III in the early thirteenth century. The chapel was then re-dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary , George the Martyr and Edward the Confessor , but soon became known only by its dedication to St George. Edward III also built the Aerary Porch in 1353–54. The period 1475–1528 saw a radical redevelopment of St George's Chapel set in motion by Edward IV and continued by Henry VII under
5074-535: The Indian Ocean to the battleship HMS Valiant in the Mediterranean Fleet . Philip was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant on 1 February 1941 after a series of courses at Portsmouth , in which he gained the top grade in four out of five sections of the qualifying examination. Among other engagements, he was involved in the Battle of Crete and was mentioned in dispatches for his service during
5192-695: The Mountbatten family home, Broadlands , Philip returned to the navy, at first in a desk job at the Admiralty and later on a staff course at the Naval Staff College, Greenwich . From 1949 he was stationed in Malta (residing at Villa Guardamangia ) after being posted as the first lieutenant of the destroyer HMS Chequers , the lead ship of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean Fleet. He
5310-559: The United Kingdom, he joined the Royal Navy in 1939, when he was 18 years old. In July 1939, Philip began corresponding with the 13-year-old Princess Elizabeth, the elder daughter and heir presumptive of King George VI . During the Second World War , he served with distinction in the British Mediterranean and Pacific fleets. In the summer of 1946, the King granted Philip permission to marry Elizabeth, then aged 20. Before
5428-493: The chapel and treasury on 23 October 1642. Further pillage occurred in 1643 when the fifteenth-century chapter house was destroyed, lead was stripped off the chapel roofs, and elements of Henry VIII's unfinished funeral monument were stolen. Following his execution in 1649, Charles I was buried in a small vault in the centre of the choir at St George's Chapel, which also contained the coffins of Henry VIII and Queen Jane (née Seymour). During his life and reign, King George III
5546-501: The chapel from 1780 to 1790. The reign of Queen Victoria saw further changes made to the structure of the chapel. The east end of the choir was reworked in memory of Prince Albert . The Lady Chapel, which had been abandoned by Henry VII, was completed and renamed the Albert Memorial Chapel. By the early twentieth century, the bowing walls, cracked vaulting, decayed stone and stripped lead required urgent attention. In 1920
5664-569: The chapel in which the remains are placed. George's remains were transferred to the newly constructed memorial chapel, named in his honour, on 24 March 1969. The chapel was built at a cost of £25,000 (equivalent to £519,737 in 2023), entirely funded by Elizabeth II. It was dedicated on 31 March 1969 in a ceremony attended by George's widow, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and their daughter Queen Elizabeth II, with her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , and their eldest children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne . The former king, Edward VIII ,
5782-511: The chapel was restored. The choristers of St George's Chapel are boarders at St George's School, Windsor Castle . Members of the Order of the Garter meet at Windsor Castle every June for the annual Garter Service. After lunch in the State Apartments (Upper Ward of the Castle), they process on foot in their robes and insignia, down to St George's Chapel for the service. The Garter Service
5900-602: The couple set out on a tour of the Commonwealth . They were in Kenya when Elizabeth's father died on 6 February 1952, and she became queen. Philip broke the news to Elizabeth at Sagana Lodge , and the royal party immediately returned to the United Kingdom. In December 1952, Philip was initiated into Freemasonry by the Worshipful Master of Navy Lodge No 2612, honouring a commitment he had made to George VI, who had made it clear that he expected Philip to maintain
6018-403: The day of the funeral, Philip, William, Harry, Charles, and Diana's brother, Earl Spencer , walked through London behind her gun carriage. Over the next few years, Mohamed Al-Fayed , whose son Dodi Fayed was also killed in the crash, claimed that Philip had ordered the death of Diana and that the accident was staged. The inquest into Diana's death concluded in 2008 that there was no evidence of
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#17328439310196136-544: The dining room table in Mon Repos , a villa on the Greek island of Corfu . He was the only son and fifth and final child of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and his wife, Princess Alice of Battenberg . Philip's father was the fourth son of King George I and Queen Olga of Greece , and his mother was the eldest child of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Milford Haven , and Victoria Mountbatten, Marchioness of Milford Haven (formerly Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine). A member of
6254-454: The east wall of the Rutland Chantry, the inscription of which records that the chantry was founded "with two priests singing forevermore": "Wythin thys Chappell lyethe beryed Anne Duchess of Exetur suster unto the noble kyng Edward the forte. And also the body of syr Thomas Sellynger knyght her husband which hathe funde within thys College a Chauntre with too prestys sy’gyng for ev’more. On whose soule god have mercy. The wych Anne duchess dyed in
6372-402: The edges of Margaret's tombstone is an epitaph written by Margaret herself: We thank thee Lord who by thy spirit doth our faith restore When we with worldly things commune & prayerless close our door We lose our precious gift divine to worship and adore Then thou our Saviour, fill our hearts to love thee evermore On 19 September 2022, in a private service attended only by members of
6490-401: The exterior of St George's Chapel. This was the first addition to St George's Chapel since the completion of the chantry on the south side of the chapel for Oliver King , the private secretary to Henry VII in 1504. The initial plan for the new chapel was rejected by the Royal Fine Arts Commission . It involved the construction of a small rectangular chantry into the north wall of the nave to
6608-420: The first British monarch to celebrate a platinum wedding anniversary. In April 2018, Philip was admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital for a planned hip replacement . This came after the Duke missed the annual Maundy and Easter Sunday services. Princess Anne spent about 50 minutes in the hospital and afterwards said her father was "on good form". He was discharged the next day. In May that year, he attended
6726-495: The first member of the royal family to be interviewed on television, after he appeared on Panorama to answer questions by Richard Dimbleby about the Commonwealth Technical Training Week, an initiative of which he was patron . In 1969 he made a similar appearance on Meet the Press during a tour of North America. Philip was patron of some 800 organisations, particularly focused on the environment , industry, sport, and education. His first solo engagement as Duke of Edinburgh
6844-436: The founder. Henry VIII had originally intended another chantry to be set up in the chapel, despite the fact that his ecclesiastical changes led to the Reformation in England and the eventual suppression of chantries. The much-admired iron gates in the sanctuary of the chapel as well as the locks on the doors of the chapel are the work of the medieval Cornish metalsmith John Tresilian . The Rutland Chantry chapel , forming
6962-415: The funeral in Darmstadt . Cecilie and Georg Donatus were members of the Nazi Party . The following year, Philip's uncle and guardian Lord Milford Haven died of bone marrow cancer . Milford Haven's younger brother Lord Louis took parental responsibility for Philip for the remainder of his youth. Philip did not speak Greek because he had left Greece as an infant. In 1992 he said that he "could understand
7080-463: The hospital and was unable to attend the State Opening of Parliament and Royal Ascot . Philip retired from royal duties on 2 August 2017, meeting Royal Marines in his final solo public engagement, aged 96. Since 1952, he had completed 22,219 solo engagements. British prime minister Theresa May thanked him for "a remarkable lifetime of service". On 20 November 2017, he celebrated his 70th wedding anniversary with Elizabeth, which made her
7198-421: The inception of the Fellowship of Engineering (later the Royal Academy of Engineering ), of which he later became the senior fellow. He also commissioned the Prince Philip Designers Prize and the Prince Philip Medal to recognise designers and engineers with exceptional contributions. In 1970 he was involved with the founding of The Maritime Trust for restoring and preserving historic British ships. In 2017
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#17328439310197316-441: The members throughout history. St George's Chapel is among the most important medieval chantry foundations to have survived in England. The college was itself part of a medieval chantry, and there are a number of other chantry elements in the form of altars and small chapels in memory of various English monarchs and of a number of prominent courtiers, deans and canons. Special services and prayers would also be offered in memory of
7434-458: The monarch. It doesn't. It exists in the interests of the people. If at any time any nation decides that the system is unacceptable, then it is up to them to change it. In 1960 Philip attended the National Eisteddfod of Wales wearing a long green robe, where he was initiated as an Honorary Ovate by the Archdruid of Wales Edgar Phillips through his bardic name Philip Meirionnydd , to reflect his title of Earl of Merioneth. In 1961 he became
7552-428: The monarchy for almost 1,000 years. The chapel has been the scene of many royal services, weddings and burials – in the 19th century, St George's Chapel and the nearby Frogmore Gardens superseded Westminster Abbey as the chosen burial place for the British royal family . The running of the chapel is the responsibility of the dean and Canons of Windsor who make up the College of Saint George . They are assisted by
7670-432: The newspaper was granted leave to appeal . In July 2022, the Court of Appeal dismissed the newspaper's arguments, stating that the press could not have been informed of the hearing "without risking the media storm that was feared". The court added that "a perceived lack of transparency might be a matter of legitimate public debate, but the (Non-Contentious Probate Rules) allow wills and their values to be concealed from
7788-431: The northern transept of St George's Chapel, was founded in 1491 in honour of Sir Thomas St Leger ( c. 1440 –1483) and Anne of York (1439–1476). Sir Thomas was Anne's second husband. She was the eldest surviving daughter of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York , and thus elder sister of kings Edward IV (1442–1483) and Richard III (1452–1485). A monumental brass in memory of Anne and Sir Thomas survives on
7906-460: The official announcement of their engagement in July 1947, Philip stopped using his Greek and Danish royal titles and styles , became a naturalised British subject , and adopted his maternal grandparents' surname Mountbatten . In November 1947, he married Elizabeth , was granted the style His Royal Highness and was created Duke of Edinburgh , Earl of Merioneth , and Baron Greenwich . Philip left active military service when Elizabeth ascended
8024-413: The opposing German side. Philip was appointed as a midshipman in January 1940. He spent four months on the battleship HMS Ramillies , protecting convoys of the Australian Expeditionary Force in the Indian Ocean, followed by shorter postings on HMS Kent , on HMS Shropshire , and in British Ceylon . After the invasion of Greece by Italy in October 1940, he was transferred from
8142-495: The other's point of view. She found the letters hard to take but appreciated that he acted with good intent. Charles and Diana separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. A year after the divorce, Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997. At the time, Philip was on holiday at Balmoral with the extended royal family. In their grief, Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry , wanted to attend church, so Elizabeth and Philip took them that morning. For five days,
8260-414: The painful experience of burying her husband for a second time. She also disliked the idea of a marble chest tomb with life-sized effigies that were typically commissioned for the remains of monarchs and preferred simple slabs inlaid into the floor. There was no space for another vault to be constructed in St George's Chapel and so a solution was found with the construction of an additional chantry chapel to
8378-491: The public gaze in some cases". A service of thanksgiving for Philip's life took place at Westminster Abbey on 29 March 2022, with Elizabeth, foreign royalty and politicians in attendance. Elizabeth died on 8 September 2022 and the royal couple's bodies were interred in the King George VI Memorial Chapel at St George's on the evening of 19 September after her state funeral . Philip played polo until 1971 when he started to compete in carriage driving ,
8496-572: The regulations for the COVID-19 pandemic which restricted the number of mourners to thirty; it was later reported in the press that Elizabeth had rejected a government offer to relax the rules. The funeral took place on 17 April 2021 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle , and Philip was temporarily interred alongside 25 other coffins, including that of George III, in the Royal Vault inside St George's. Representatives of countries around
8614-481: The roof of the chapel, standing on the pinnacles, and also on pinnacles at the sides, are seventy-six heraldic statues representing the Royal Beasts . They represent fourteen of the heraldic animals: the lion of England , the red dragon of Wales , the panther of Jane Seymour , the falcon of York , the black bull of Clarence , the yale of Beaufort , the white lion of Mortimer , the greyhound of Richmond ,
8732-527: The royal couple shielded their grandsons from the ensuing press interest by keeping them at Balmoral, where they could grieve in private. The royal family's seclusion caused public dismay, but the public mood changed after a live broadcast made by Elizabeth on 5 September. Uncertain as to whether they should walk behind their mother's coffin during the funeral procession , William and Harry hesitated. Philip told William: "If you don't walk, I think you'll regret it later. If I walk, will you walk with me?" On
8850-530: The royal family, Elizabeth II was interred beneath the memorial chapel following her state funeral at Westminster Abbey earlier that day. Elizabeth's husband, Philip, who died in 2021, had been placed in the royal vault of St George's Chapel following his funeral at the chapel . He was also then interred beneath the King George VI Memorial Chapel along with his wife. After their interments, a replacement ledger stone with an additional metal star of
8968-553: The royal house was to remain known as the House of Windsor . Philip privately complained, "I am nothing but a bloody amoeba. I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children." In February 1960, the Queen issued an Order in Council declaring that Mountbatten-Windsor would be the surname of the couple's male-line descendants who are not styled as Royal Highness or titled as prince or princess. While it seems Elizabeth had "absolutely set her heart" on such
9086-411: The same time. With the royal monogram representing Margaret carved below the inscriptions, Margaret's tombstone is now placed separately in the right-hand corner of the chapel and reads: In thankful remembrance of HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS MARGARET COUNTESS OF SNOWDON BORN 21 AUGUST 1930 DIED 9 FEBRUARY 2002 [REDACTED] Carved on
9204-542: The same year, and after his father-in-law's death, he took over the role of the Ranger of Windsor Great Park , overseeing its protection and maintenance. From 1955 to 1957, Philip was president of The Football Association and also served two terms as president of the Marylebone Cricket Club , with his tenures starting in 1949 and 1974, respectively. In the same decade, he became the first patron of Lord's Taverners ,
9322-461: The second was that a specific resting place be found for her father, King George VI . Following his funeral service at St George's Chapel , George's remains had been transferred to the royal vault beneath the chapel. George's death was unexpected, and no specific resting place had been designated for him. Her request was not acted upon for a further five years, as the Queen wanted her mother, George's widow, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother , to avoid
9440-507: The stall can be assigned to anyone else. The ceremony takes place in the chapel, during which the Military Knights of Windsor carry the banner of the deceased member and offer it to the Dean of Windsor , who places it on the altar. The stall plates, however, are not removed. They remain permanently affixed to the stall, so the stalls of the chapel are emblazoned with a collection of 800 plates of
9558-414: The summer of 1946, Philip asked George VI for his daughter's hand in marriage. The King granted his request, provided that any formal engagement be delayed until Elizabeth's 21st birthday the following April. By March 1947, Philip had adopted the surname Mountbatten from his mother's family and had stopped using his Greek and Danish royal titles upon becoming a naturalised British subject. The engagement
9676-481: The supervision of his most esteemed counsellor, Sir Reginald Bray , and by Henry VIII . The thirteenth-century Chapel of St Edward the Confessor was enlarged into a cathedral-like space under the direction of Richard Beauchamp , Bishop of Salisbury , and the master mason, Henry Janyns. The Chapel suffered a great deal of destruction during the English Civil War . Parliamentary forces broke into and plundered
9794-428: The throne brought up the question of the name of the royal house , as Elizabeth would typically have taken Philip's last name upon marriage. Lord Mountbatten advocated the name House of Mountbatten . Philip suggested House of Edinburgh after his ducal title. When Elizabeth's grandmother Queen Mary heard of this, she informed Winston Churchill , who later advised Elizabeth to issue a royal proclamation declaring that
9912-503: The throne in 1952, having reached the rank of commander . In 1957, he was created a British prince . Philip had four children with Elizabeth: Charles , Anne , Andrew , and Edward . A sports enthusiast, Philip helped develop the equestrian event of carriage driving . He was patron , president, or member of over 780 organisations, including the World Wide Fund for Nature , and served as chairman of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award ,
10030-468: The title Lord High Admiral for his 90th birthday. While staying at Sandringham House in December 2011, Philip suffered chest pains and was taken to the cardio-thoracic unit at Papworth Hospital , Cambridgeshire, where he underwent successful coronary angioplasty and stenting . He was discharged a few days later. In June 2012, during the celebrations in honour of his wife's diamond jubilee , Philip
10148-595: The tradition of royal patronage of Freemasonry. However, according to one journalist writing in 1983, Philip's mother-in-law and his uncle Lord Mountbatten had unfavourable views of Freemasonry; after his initiation, Philip took no further part in the organisation. Although as the consort of the Queen, he might in time have been made Grand Master of British Freemasonry, Elizabeth's cousin Prince Edward, Duke of Kent , assumed that role in 1967. Philip's son Charles apparently never joined Freemasonry. Elizabeth's accession to
10266-634: The union initially and teased Philip as " the Hun ". In later life, however, she told the biographer Tim Heald that Philip was "an English gentleman". Though Philip appeared "always to have regarded himself as an Anglican ", and he had attended Anglican services with his classmates and relations in England and throughout his Royal Navy days, he was baptised in the Greek Orthodox Church . The Archbishop of Canterbury , Geoffrey Fisher , wanted to "regularise" Philip's position by officially receiving him into
10384-434: The unusual style Lieutenant His Royal Highness Sir Philip Mountbatten and is so described in the letters patent of 20 November 1947. Philip and Elizabeth were married in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey , recorded and broadcast by BBC radio to 200 million people around the world. In post-war Britain, it was unacceptable for any of Philip's German relations, including his three surviving sisters, to be invited to
10502-624: The visit, the Queen and Lord Louis Mountbatten asked his nephew Philip to escort the royal couple's daughters, 13-year-old Elizabeth and 9-year-old Margaret , who were Philip's third cousins through Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and second cousins once removed through King Christian IX of Denmark. Philip and Elizabeth had first met as children in 1934 at the wedding of Elizabeth's uncle Prince George, Duke of Kent , to Philip's first cousin, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark . After their 1939 meeting, Elizabeth fell in love with Philip, and they began to exchange letters. Eventually, in
10620-399: The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and was able to walk with Elizabeth unaided. That October, he also accompanied Elizabeth to the wedding of their granddaughter Princess Eugenie of York with Jack Brooksbank , with The Telegraph reporting that Philip works on a "wake up and see how I feel" basis when deciding whether to attend an event or not. In January 2019, Philip
10738-595: The wedding. After their marriage, Philip and Elizabeth took residence at Clarence House . Their first two children were born before Elizabeth's accession in 1952: Prince Charles in November 1948 and Princess Anne in August 1950. The couple's marriage was the longest of any British monarch, lasting over 73 years until Philip died in 2021. Concerned by her father's poor health, Elizabeth insisted that Philip give up smoking , which he did cold turkey on their wedding day. Philip
10856-517: The white hart of Richard II , the collared silver antelope of Bohun , the black dragon of Ulster , the white swan of Hereford , the unicorn of Edward III and the golden hind of Kent . The original beasts dated from the sixteenth century, but were removed in 1682 on the advice of Sir Christopher Wren . Wren had criticised the Reigate Stone , the calcareous sandstone from which they were constructed. The present statues date from 1925 when
10974-417: The world sent condolences to the royal family upon his death. As with other senior members of the royal family, Philip's last will and testament will be sealed for at least 90 years, according to a High Court ruling, which deemed it necessary to protect the Queen's "dignity and standing". This led to speculation that the will might contain material harmful to the reputation of the royal family. The order
11092-558: The yere of oure lorde M Thowsande CCCCl xxv" The chantry received its current name in honour of the Earls of Rutland , descendants of Anne and Sir Thomas: their daughter, also Anne, married George Manners, 11th Baron Ros , and their son was Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland . The tomb of George and Anne Manners is a prominent feature of the chantry. Their effigies are carved in English alabaster. The chantry comprises five panels which represent
11210-534: Was commanding officer of the army, and five senior politicians were arrested, tried, and executed in the Trial of the Six . Andrew's life was also believed to be in danger and Alice was under surveillance. Finally, in December, a revolutionary court banished Andrew from Greece for life. The British naval vessel HMS Calypso evacuated Andrew's family, with Philip carried to safety in a fruit box. Philip's family settled in
11328-481: Was introduced to the House of Lords on 21 July 1948, immediately before his uncle Louis Mountbatten, who had been made Earl Mountbatten of Burma . Philip ostensibly never spoke in the House of Lords . He, his sons and other royals ceased to be members of the House of Lords following the House of Lords Act 1999 , although Philip's former brother-in-law, Lord Snowdon , remained in the House. After his honeymoon at
11446-537: Was a naturalised British subject who, after a career in the Royal Navy , had renounced his German titles and adopted the surname Mountbatten —an Anglicised version of Battenberg —during the First World War , owing to anti-German sentiment in the United Kingdom . After visiting London for his grandfather's memorial service , Philip and his mother returned to Greece, where Prince Andrew had remained to command
11564-512: Was announced to the public on 9 July 1947. The engagement attracted some controversy; Philip had no financial standing, was foreign-born, and had sisters who had married German noblemen with Nazi links. Marion Crawford wrote: "Some of the King's advisors did not think him good enough for her. He was a prince without a home or kingdom. Some of the papers played long and loud tunes on the string of Philip's foreign origin." Later biographies reported that Elizabeth's mother had reservations about
11682-453: Was born in March 1964. Six months after she acceded to the throne, Elizabeth announced that Philip was to have "place, pre-eminence and precedence" next to her "on all occasions and in all meetings, except where otherwise provided by Act of Parliament ". She also intervened to ensure that Philip would serve as regent for their son Charles in the event of her unexpected death. Parliament passed
11800-454: Was completed in 1969. The chapel stands between two of the external buttresses of the north wall of the quire , and it is made from stone from Clipsham in Rutland. The red and blue stained-glass windows of the chapel were designed by John Piper and made by Patrick Reyntiens . The roof of the chapel is painted in black and white and decorated with embedded gold leaf. An altar in the chapel has
11918-530: Was created Earl of Snowdon the following year. They divorced in 1978; Margaret did not remarry. In 1956 Philip and Kurt Hahn founded The Duke of Edinburgh's Award to give young people "a sense of responsibility to themselves and their communities". In the same year, he also established the Commonwealth Study Conferences . From 1956 to 1957, he travelled around the world aboard the newly commissioned HMY Britannia , during which he opened
12036-401: Was customary during previous tours, the children remained in Britain. In the early 1950s, Philip's sister-in-law, Princess Margaret, considered marrying a divorced older man, Peter Townsend . The press accused Philip of being hostile to the match, to which he replied: "I haven't done anything." Eventually, Margaret and Townsend parted. In 1960 Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones , who
12154-420: Was designed by George Pace . The chapel was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II in 1962. The architects of the chapel were commissioned to design it to accommodate the remains of three monarchs and their consorts. Her private secretary wrote to the Dean of Windsor , Robin Woods , in December 1962 with two requests. The first was that the Queen's eldest son, Prince Charles , be prepared for confirmation , and
12272-462: Was discharged three days later. After the Evening Standard reported that Philip had prostate cancer , Buckingham Palace—which usually refuses to comment on health rumours—denied the story and the paper retracted it. In June 2011, in an interview marking his 90th birthday, Philip said that he would now slow down and reduce his duties, stating that he had "done [his] bit". The Queen gave him
12390-770: Was in March 1948, presenting prizes at the boxing finals of the London Federation of Boys' Clubs at the Royal Albert Hall . He was president of the National Playing Fields Association (now known as Fields in Trust ) for 64 years, from 1947 until his grandson Prince William took over the role in 2013. He was appointed a fellow of the Royal Society in 1951 . In 1952, he became patron of The Industrial Society (since renamed The Work Foundation ). In
12508-526: Was involved in a car collision as he drove out onto a main road near the Sandringham Estate . An official statement said he was uninjured. An eyewitness who helped him out of his car said there was "a little bit of blood". The driver and a passenger of the other car were injured and taken to hospital. Philip attended hospital the next morning as a precaution. He apologised, and three weeks later voluntarily surrendered his driving licence . In February,
12626-563: Was made by the President of the Family Division after a private hearing in July 2021, who said that he had neither seen the will nor been informed of any of its contents. In January 2022, The Guardian challenged the judge's decision to exclude the press from that hearing, arguing that the judge had "erred by failing to consider any lesser interference with open justice than a private hearing", and
12744-402: Was not enthused about living an extremely long life, remarking in a 2000 interview (when he was 79) that he could not "imagine anything worse" and had "no desire whatsoever" to become a centenarian , saying "bits of me are falling off already". In 2008 Philip was admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital , London, for a chest infection; he walked into the hospital unaided, recovered quickly, and
12862-507: Was not invited to the ceremony. Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma was absent due to his attendance at the funeral of the former President of the United States , Dwight D. Eisenhower . The ceremony was also attended by the Knights of the Garter . The chapel is marked by gates of wrought iron inscribed with the words "I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: 'Give me
12980-419: Was one of the youngest first lieutenants in the Royal Navy. During the invasion of Sicily, in July 1943, as second-in-command of Wallace , he saved his ship from a night bomber attack. He devised a plan to launch a raft with smoke floats that successfully distracted the bombers, allowing the ship to slip away unnoticed. In 1944, he moved on to the new destroyer, HMS Whelp , where he saw service with
13098-472: Was promoted to lieutenant commander on 16 July 1950 and given command of the frigate HMS Magpie . Philip was promoted to commander on 30 June 1952, though his active naval career had ended in July 1951. With the King in ill health, Elizabeth and Philip were both appointed to the Privy Council on 4 November 1951, after a coast-to-coast tour of Canada. At the end of January 1952,
13216-636: Was responsible for reigniting royal interest in Windsor Castle, which had been much overlooked after the House of Hanover came to the throne of the Great Britain in 1714. On 12 August 1776 the royal family first attended the Sunday morning service at St George's Chapel – which they called "the Cathedral". George III was committed to St George's Chapel; he inspired and in large part funded an extensive restoration of
13334-410: Was revived in 1948 by King George VI for the 600th anniversary of the founding of the Order and has since become an annual event. After their installation, members are each assigned a stall in the chapel choir above which his or her heraldic devices are displayed. A member's sword is placed beneath a helmet which is decorated with a mantling and topped with a crest, coronet or crown. Above this,
13452-539: Was taken from Windsor Castle to King Edward VII's Hospital suffering from a bladder infection . He was subsequently discharged. After a recurrence of infection in August 2012, while staying at Balmoral Castle, he was admitted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for five nights as a precautionary measure. In June 2013, Philip was admitted to the London Clinic for an exploratory operation on his abdomen , spending 11 days in hospital. In May 2014, he appeared in public with
13570-568: Was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II . As such, he was the consort of the British monarch from his wife's accession on 6 February 1952 until his death in 2021, making him the longest-serving royal consort in history. Philip was born in Greece into the Greek and Danish royal families ; his family was exiled from the country when he was eighteen months old. After being educated in France, Germany, and
13688-458: Was then enrolled at Cheam School . Over the next three years, his four sisters married German princes and moved to Germany, his mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and placed in an asylum, and his father took up residence in Monte Carlo . Philip had little contact with his mother for the remainder of his childhood. In 1933 Philip was sent to Schule Schloss Salem in Germany, which had
13806-583: Was unaffected by the reform of royal finances under the Sovereign Grant Act 2011 . Any part of the allowance that was not used to meet official expenditure was liable for tax. In practice, the entire allowance was used to fund his official duties. As consort, Philip supported his wife in her duties as sovereign , accompanying her to ceremonies such as the State Opening of Parliament in various countries, state dinners , and tours abroad. As chairman of
13924-480: Was very supportive and "the Queen was wonderful throughout. She regarded divorce as a sadness, not a hanging offence." In a public show of support, Elizabeth created Parker a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order . Further press reports claimed that the royal couple were drifting apart, which enraged Philip and dismayed Elizabeth, who issued a strongly worded denial. She granted him the style and title of
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