161-461: The Eccentric Club is the name of several London gentlemen's clubs , the best-known of which existed between 1890 and 1986. For much of its history it was based at 9–11 Ryder Street, St James's . The current Club was founded in 2008. The first Eccentric Club had its roots in the Society of Eccentrics which existed from 1781 to the 1820s. They were an offshoot of The Brilliants and were described as
322-468: A Bronze Age bridge were found on the south River Thames foreshore, upstream from Vauxhall Bridge . Two of the timbers were radiocarbon dated to 1750–1285 BC. In 2010, foundations of a large timber structure, dated to 4800–4500 BC, were found on the Thames' south foreshore downstream from Vauxhall Bridge. Both structures are on the south bank of the Thames, where the now-underground River Effra flows into
483-627: 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
644-562: 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
805-527: A snooker match and cricket match with the Savile Club. The revived club has registered the words "Eccentric Club", "Nil Nisi Bonum" and the old club logo as own trademarks. Its committee claims to be able to prove continuity between the earlier Eccentric Clubs, and thus, claims a foundation date of 1781, although the Committee of the disbanded club and a number of authors claimed a foundation date of 1890. On
966-672: 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
1127-691: A backward-running clock (a replica of the original which was once at the Eccentric Club). This is in keeping with numerous other London clubs of the nineteenth century which have lost their premises, but continue to meet as a society in an existing club; other examples include the Authors' Club and Savage Club now meeting in the National Liberal Club , the Portland Club meeting in the Savile Club , and
1288-577: 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
1449-487: 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
1610-748: A blessing of Lord Montagu, the last President of the old club, in August 2008 founded the Eccentric Club UK . In November 2008, the Club successfully secured the patronage of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , who was a Patron of the Eccentric Club between 1980 and 1986. Prince Philip would dine twice with the club. The refounded club now has regular meetings at the Savile Club and the Oriental Club and has recently resumed its traditional annual activities, including
1771-524: 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
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#17330938673441932-505: 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 ,
2093-561: 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
2254-532: A convivial Club who met at a tavern in Chandos Street, Covent Garden . They were later renamed into The Eccentric Society Club , meeting at Tom Ree's in May's Building, St Martin's Lane , as well as several other addresses around Covent Garden until the club was finally dissolved in 1846. At May's Building they 'flourished at all hours' and among their members were many celebrities of the literary and political world; they were always treated with indulgence by
2415-403: 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
2576-620: 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
2737-458: 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
2898-442: 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
3059-529: A larger area, similar in size to Greater London, although some outer districts are excluded and some just outside included. The Greater London boundary has been aligned to the M25 motorway in places. Further urban expansion is now prevented by the Metropolitan Green Belt , although the built-up area extends beyond the boundary in places, producing a separately defined Greater London Urban Area . Beyond this
3220-557: A major settlement for nearly 2,000 years. Its ancient core and financial centre , the City of London , was founded by the Romans as Londinium and has retained its medieval boundaries. The City of Westminster , to the west of the City of London, has been the centuries-long host of the national government and parliament . London grew rapidly in the 19th century , becoming the world's largest city at
3381-534: 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
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#17330938673443542-538: A novel published in numbers, F. W. N. Bayley sketched with graphic vigour the meetings of 'The Eccentrics' at the old tavern in May's Buildings. A second Eccentric Club, considered to be unrelated, was founded in 1858, and disbanded in 1881. It existed in the Leicester Square area. The third and longest-lived Eccentric Club was established by the theatrical costumier Jack Harrison on 21 November 1890 and disbanded in 1986. Immediately upon its foundation, it occupied
3703-403: A population density of 802 per acre (325 per hectare). In addition to the growing number of stores selling goods, such as Harding, Howell & Co. —one of the first department stores —located on Pall Mall , the streets had scores of street sellers . London's overcrowded conditions led to cholera epidemics, claiming 14,000 lives in 1848, and 6,000 in 1866. Rising traffic congestion led to
3864-549: A population of 7,172,036 in 2001 and a population density of 11,760 inhabitants per square mile (4,542/km ). The extended area known as the London Metropolitan Region or the London Metropolitan Agglomeration, comprises a total area of 3,236 square miles (8,382 km ) has a population of 13,709,000 and a population density of 3,900 inhabitants per square mile (1,510/km ). Modern London stands on
4025-486: 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
4186-523: A strong influence on world art , entertainment, fashion , commerce, finance, education , healthcare , media , science, technology, tourism , transport , and communications. Despite a post- Brexit exodus of stock listings from the London Stock Exchange , London remains a European economic powerhouse, and one of the world's major financial centres . It hosts Europe's largest concentration of higher education institutions , some of which are
4347-494: A temperate oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ). Rainfall records have been kept in the city since at least 1697, when records began at Kew . At Kew, the most rainfall in one month is 7.4 inches (189 mm) in November 1755 and the least is 0 inches (0 mm) in both December 1788 and July 1800. Mile End also had 0 inches (0 mm) in April 1893. The wettest year on record is 1903, with a total fall of 38.1 inches (969 mm) and
4508-470: 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
4669-547: 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
4830-641: Is 1,049.8 millibars (31.00 inHg) on 20 January 2020. Summers are generally warm, sometimes hot. London's average July high is 23.5 °C (74.3 °F). On average each year, London experiences 31 days above 25 °C (77.0 °F) and 4.2 days above 30.0 °C (86.0 °F). During the 2003 European heat wave , prolonged heat led to hundreds of heat-related deaths. A previous spell of 15 consecutive days above 32.2 °C (90.0 °F) in England in 1976 also caused many heat related deaths. A previous temperature of 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) in August 1911 at
4991-508: Is agreed that the name came into these languages from Common Brythonic ; recent work tends to reconstruct the lost Celtic form of the name as * Londonjon or something similar. This was then adapted into Latin as Londinium and borrowed into Old English. Until 1889, the name "London" applied officially only to the City of London , but since then it has also referred to the County of London and to Greater London . In 1993, remains of
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5152-528: Is formed of two tiers: a citywide, strategic tier and a local tier. Citywide administration is coordinated by the Greater London Authority (GLA), while local administration is carried out by 33 smaller authorities. The GLA consists of two elected components: the mayor of London , who has executive powers , and the London Assembly , which scrutinises the mayor's decisions and can accept or reject
5313-738: Is headquartered in Thames House on the north bank of the River Thames and the foreign intelligence service ( MI6 ) is headquartered in the SIS Building on the south bank. Crime rates vary widely across different areas of London. Crime figures are made available nationally at Local Authority and Ward level. In 2015, there were 118 homicides, a 25.5% increase over 2014. Recorded crime has been rising in London, notably violent crime and murder by stabbing and other means have risen. There were 50 murders from
5474-572: Is held by an independent . The ministerial post of minister for London was created in 1994, however as of 2024, the post has been vacant. Policing in Greater London, with the exception of the City of London , is provided by the Metropolitan Police ("The Met"), overseen by the mayor through the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC). The Met is also referred to as Scotland Yard after
5635-496: Is known as London . It is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England by convention rather than statute. The capital of England was moved to London from Winchester as the Palace of Westminster developed in the 12th and 13th centuries to become the permanent location of the royal court , and thus the political capital of the nation. Greater London encompasses a total area of 611 square miles (1,583 km ) an area which had
5796-523: Is the vast London commuter belt . Greater London is split for some purposes into Inner London and Outer London , and by the River Thames into North and South , with an informal central London area. The coordinates of the nominal centre of London, traditionally the original Eleanor Cross at Charing Cross near the junction of Trafalgar Square and Whitehall , are about 51°30′26″N 00°07′39″W / 51.50722°N 0.12750°W / 51.50722; -0.12750 . Within London, both
5957-625: 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
6118-512: The 2012 Summer Olympics . London is an ancient name, attested in the first century AD, usually in the Latinised form Londinium . Modern scientific analyses of the name must account for the origins of the different forms found in early sources: Latin (usually Londinium ), Old English (usually Lunden ), and Welsh (usually Llundein ), with reference to the known developments over time of sounds in those different languages. It
6279-621: 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
6440-529: The Black Death in the mid-14th century, London lost nearly a third of its population. London was the focus of the Peasants' Revolt in 1381. London was a centre of England's Jewish population before their expulsion by Edward I in 1290. Violence against Jews occurred in 1190, when it was rumoured that the new king had ordered their massacre after they had presented themselves at his coronation. In 1264 during
6601-557: 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
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6762-875: 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
6923-531: 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
7084-571: The Canary Wharf development. This was born out of London's increasing role as an international financial centre in the 1980s. Located about 2 miles (3 km) east of central London, the Thames Barrier was completed in the 1980s to protect London against tidal surges from the North Sea . The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986, leaving London with no central administration until 2000 and
7245-844: The Canning Club now meeting in the Naval and Military Club . However, a considerable number of members refused to join the East India Club and instead joined the Royal Automobile Club and the Oxford and Cambridge Club ; almost all members of the Eccentric Golfing Society went to the Ealing Golf Club. The third Eccentric Club's members included A number of members of the old Club and some new enthusiasts from other London clubs, with
7406-714: 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
7567-598: The Corn Laws in 1846 was specifically aimed at weakening Dutch economic power. London then overtook Amsterdam as the leading international financial centre. With the onset of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, an unprecedented growth in urbanisation took place, and the number of High Streets (the primary street for retail in Britain) rapidly grew. London was the world's largest city from about 1831 to 1925 , with
7728-399: 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
7889-405: 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
8050-403: The Georgian era , new districts such as Mayfair were formed in the west; new bridges over the Thames encouraged development in South London . In the east, the Port of London expanded downstream. London's development as an international financial centre matured for much of the 18th century. In 1762, George III acquired Buckingham House , which was enlarged over the next 75 years. During
8211-417: 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
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#17330938673448372-429: The King's Road , Chelsea and Carnaby Street . The role of trendsetter revived in the punk era. In 1965 London's political boundaries were expanded in response to the growth of the urban area and a new Greater London Council was created. During The Troubles in Northern Ireland, London was hit from 1973 by bomb attacks by the Provisional Irish Republican Army . These attacks lasted for two decades, starting with
8533-411: The London Ambulance Service (LAS) NHS Trust , the largest free-at-the-point-of-use emergency ambulance service in the world. The London Air Ambulance charity operates in conjunction with the LAS where required. Her Majesty's Coastguard and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution operate on the River Thames , which is under the jurisdiction of the Port of London Authority from Teddington Lock to
8694-435: The Mediterranean was normally through Antwerp and over the Alps ; any ships passing through the Strait of Gibraltar to or from England were likely to be Italian or Ragusan . The reopening of the Netherlands to English shipping in January 1565 spurred a burst of commercial activity. The Royal Exchange was founded. Mercantilism grew and monopoly traders such as the East India Company were founded as trade expanded to
8855-429: The New Model Army entered London in 1647, and they were levelled by Parliament the same year. London was plagued by disease in the early 17th century, culminating in the Great Plague of 1665–1666, which killed up to 100,000 people, or a fifth of the population. The Great Fire of London broke out in 1666 in Pudding Lane in the city and quickly swept through the wooden buildings. Rebuilding took over ten years and
9016-452: The New World . London became the main North Sea port, with migrants arriving from England and abroad. The population rose from about 50,000 in 1530 to about 225,000 in 1605. In the 16th century, William Shakespeare and his contemporaries lived in London during English Renaissance theatre . Shakespeare's Globe Theatre was constructed in 1599 in Southwark . Stage performances came to a halt in London when Puritan authorities shut down
9177-421: The Old Bailey bombing . Racial inequality was highlighted by the 1981 Brixton riot . Greater London's population declined in the decades after the Second World War, from an estimated peak of 8.6 million in 1939 to around 6.8 million in the 1980s. The principal ports for London moved downstream to Felixstowe and Tilbury , with the London Docklands area becoming a focus for regeneration, including
9338-418: 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
9499-424: The Second Barons' War , Simon de Montfort 's rebels killed 500 Jews while attempting to seize records of debts. During the Tudor period , the Reformation produced a gradual shift to Protestantism . Much of London property passed from church to private ownership, which accelerated trade and business in the city. In 1475, the Hanseatic League set up a main trading base ( kontor ) of England in London, called
9660-412: The Stalhof or Steelyard . It remained until 1853, when the Hanseatic cities of Lübeck , Bremen and Hamburg sold the property to South Eastern Railway . Woollen cloth was shipped undyed and undressed from 14th/15th century London to the nearby shores of the Low Countries . Yet English maritime enterprise hardly reached beyond the seas of north-west Europe . The commercial route to Italy and
9821-495: The Thames , its primary geographical feature, a navigable river which crosses the city from the south-west to the east. The Thames Valley is a flood plain surrounded by gently rolling hills including Parliament Hill , Addington Hills , and Primrose Hill . Historically London grew up at the lowest bridging point on the Thames. The Thames was once a much broader, shallower river with extensive marshlands ; at high tide, its shores reached five times their present width. Since
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#17330938673449982-428: The Tower of London ; the site featuring the Palace of Westminster , Church of St. Margaret , and Westminster Abbey ; and the historic settlement in Greenwich where the Royal Observatory defines the prime meridian (0° longitude ) and Greenwich Mean Time . Other landmarks include Buckingham Palace , the London Eye , Piccadilly Circus , St Paul's Cathedral , Tower Bridge , and Trafalgar Square . The city has
10143-414: The Victorian era the Thames has been extensively embanked , and many of its London tributaries now flow underground . The Thames is a tidal river, and London is vulnerable to flooding. The threat has increased over time because of a slow but continuous rise in high water level caused by climate change and by the slow 'tilting' of the British Isles as a result of post-glacial rebound . London has
10304-449: 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
10465-528: 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
10626-401: The 11th century, London was clearly the largest town in England. Westminster Abbey , rebuilt in Romanesque style by King Edward the Confessor , was one of the grandest churches in Europe. Winchester had been the capital of Anglo-Saxon England , but from this time London became the main forum for foreign traders and the base for defence in time of war. In the view of Frank Stenton : "It had
10787-434: The 18th century, London was said to be dogged by crime, and the Bow Street Runners were established in 1750 as a professional police force. Epidemics during the 1720s and 30s saw most children born in the city die before reaching their fifth birthday. Coffee-houses became a popular place to debate ideas, as growing literacy and development of the printing press made news widely available, with Fleet Street becoming
10948-441: 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
11109-420: The City of London and the City of Westminster have city status . The City of London and the remainder of Greater London are both counties for the purposes of lieutenancies . The area of Greater London includes areas that are part of the historic counties of Middlesex , Kent , Surrey , Essex and Hertfordshire . More recently, Greater London has been defined as a region of England and in this context
11270-442: The Eccentric Club of 1800, which included Sheridan Knowles... Mr Harrison explained that the white owl was the crest of the old club, and had been adopted by the present one". Before the Second World War , a list of most treasured possessions of the Eccentric Club included the Ancient Book of the Eccentric Society presented to the club by S.J.Pallant. Similarly, there are references by Sir Charles Wyndham and other founding members to
11431-407: The Eccentric club for free meals. Like many London clubs, it went through a period of financial hardship in the 1970s. The club closed its doors in 1984, ostensibly for a period of renovation, but was forced into liquidation in 1986. In 1985, many of the club's membership were elected to the East India Club , where some of them continue to meet occasionally to this day in the American Bar which has
11592-460: The Eccentrics numbered upward of some 40,000 members, many of them holding high social position, such as Charles James Fox , Richard Brinsley Sheridan , Lord Melbourne and Lord Brougham . On the same memorable night that Sheridan and Lord Petersham were admitted, Theodore Hook was also enrolled; and through this Club membership, he is believed to have obtained some of his high connections. In
11753-583: The Greenwich station was later disregarded as non-standard. Droughts can also, occasionally, be a problem, especially in summer, most recently in summer 2018, and with much drier than average conditions prevailing from May to December. However, the most consecutive days without rain was 73 days in the spring of 1893. 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),
11914-535: 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
12075-588: The London area. This called for the Corporation of the city to extend its jurisdiction and administration over expanding areas around the city. Fearing an attempt by the Crown to diminish the Liberties of London , coupled with a lack of interest in administering these additional areas or concern by city guilds of having to share power, caused the Corporation's "The Great Refusal", a decision which largely continues to account for
12236-695: 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
12397-456: The Thames. Despite the evidence of scattered Brythonic settlements in the area, the first major settlement was founded by the Romans around 47 AD, about four years after their invasion of 43 AD. This only lasted until about 61 AD, when the Iceni tribe led by Queen Boudica stormed it and burnt it to the ground. The next planned incarnation of Londinium prospered, superseding Colchester as
12558-526: The United Kingdom's population and over 16% of England's population. The Greater London Built-up Area is the fourth-most populous in Europe, with about 9.8 million inhabitants as of 2011. The London metropolitan area is the third-most populous in Europe, with about 14 million inhabitants as of 2016, making London a megacity . Four World Heritage Sites are located in London: Kew Gardens ;
12719-559: 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
12880-602: The Viking incursions formally agreed by the Danish warlord , Guthrum and the West Saxon king Alfred the Great in 886. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that Alfred "refounded" London in 886. Archaeological research shows this involved abandonment of Lundenwic and a revival of life and trade within the old Roman walls . London then grew slowly until a dramatic increase in about 950. By
13041-424: The authorities. An inaugural ceremony was performed upon the making of a member, which terminated with a jubilation from the president. The books of the club, up to the time of its removal from May's Buildings, are stated to have passed into the possession of Robert Lloyd, a hatter of The Strand who was well known in his day as a writer, inventor and keen appreciator of philosophy . From 1781 through to 1846,
13202-494: The centre of the British press. The invasion of Amsterdam by Napoleonic armies led many financiers to relocate to London and the first London international issue was arranged in 1817. Around the same time, the Royal Navy became the world's leading war fleet, acting as a major deterrent to potential economic adversaries. Following a fire in 1838, the Royal Exchange was redesigned by William Tite and rebuilt in 1844. The repeal of
13363-526: The city's metropolis. The City of London at its core once comprised the whole settlement, but as its urban area grew, the Corporation of London resisted attempts to amalgamate the city with its suburbs , causing "London" to be defined several ways. Forty per cent of Greater London is covered by the London post town , in which 'London' forms part of postal addresses. The London telephone area code (020) covers
13524-412: The city, to intimidate the inhabitants. In 1097, William II began building Westminster Hall , near the abbey. It became the basis of a new Palace of Westminster . In the 12th century, the institutions of central government, which had hitherto followed the royal English court around the country, grew in size and sophistication and became increasingly fixed, for most purposes at Westminster , although
13685-588: The combined revenue expenditure by London councils and the GLA amounted to just over £22 billion (£14.7 billion for the boroughs and £7.4 billion for the GLA). The London Fire Brigade is the statutory fire and rescue service for Greater London, run by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority . It is the third largest fire service in the world. National Health Service ambulance services are provided by
13846-657: 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
14007-612: The creation of the Greater London Authority . To mark the 21st century, the Millennium Dome , London Eye and Millennium Bridge were constructed. On 6 July 2005 London was awarded the 2012 Summer Olympics , as the first city to stage the Olympic Games three times. On 7 July 2005, three London Underground trains and a double-decker bus were bombed in a series of terrorist attacks . In 2008, Time named London alongside New York City and Hong Kong as Nylonkong , hailing them as
14168-542: The creation of the London Underground , the world's first urban rail network . The Metropolitan Board of Works oversaw infrastructure expansion in the capital and some surrounding counties; it was abolished in 1889 when the London County Council was created out of county areas surrounding the capital. From the early years of the 20th century onwards, teashops were found on High Streets across London and
14329-403: 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
14490-595: 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
14651-713: The driest is 1921, with a total fall of 12.1 inches (308 mm). The average annual precipitation amounts to about 600mm, which is half the annual rainfall of New York City . Despite relatively low annual precipitation, London receives 109.6 rainy days on the 1.0mm threshold annually. London is vulnerable to climate change , and there is concern among hydrological experts that households may run out of water before 2050. Temperature extremes in London range from 40.2 °C (104.4 °F) at Heathrow on 19 July 2022 down to −17.4 °C (0.7 °F) at Northolt on 13 December 1981. Records for atmospheric pressure have been kept at London since 1692. The highest pressure ever reported
14812-481: The earlier club they were reviving. The Eccentric Club UK, founded in 2008 and claiming to maintain the traditions since 1781, is conducting an in-depth research of the Eccentric Club's history. Its Committee managed to uncover many previously thought lost records and documents related to the 1780s–1860s and the 1890s–1940s. The last President of the old Eccentric Club, disbanded in 1986, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu , has entrusted his personal archive of documents related to
14973-603: The first Muslim mayor of a major Western capital. The mayor's statutory planning strategy is published as the London Plan , which was most recently revised in 2011. The local authorities are the councils of the 32 London boroughs and the City of London Corporation . They are responsible for most local services, such as local planning, schools, libraries, leisure and recreation, social services , local roads and refuse collection. Certain functions, such as waste management , are provided through joint arrangements. In 2009–2010
15134-467: 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
15295-622: 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
15456-518: 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
15617-637: The highest-ranked academic institutions in the world: Imperial College London in natural and applied sciences , the London School of Economics in social sciences , and the comprehensive University College London . It is the most visited city in Europe and has the world's busiest city airport system . The London Underground is the world's oldest rapid transit system. London's diverse cultures encompass over 300 languages. The 2023 population of Greater London of just under 10 million made it Europe's third-most populous city , accounting for 13.4% of
15778-519: 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
15939-661: 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
16100-622: The location of its original headquarters in a road called Great Scotland Yard in Whitehall. The City of London has its own police force – the City of London Police . First worn by Met police officers in 1863, the custodian helmet has been called a "cultural icon" and a "symbol of British law enforcement". Introduced by the Met in 1929, the blue police telephone box (basis for the TARDIS in Doctor Who )
16261-409: The mayor's budget proposals each year. The GLA has responsibility for the majority of London's transport system through its functional arm Transport for London (TfL), it is responsible for overseeing the city's police and fire services, and also for setting a strategic vision for London on a range of issues. The headquarters of the GLA is City Hall , Newham. The mayor since 2016 has been Sadiq Khan ,
16422-570: 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
16583-718: The most museums , art galleries, libraries, and cultural venues in the UK, including the British Museum , National Gallery , Natural History Museum , Tate Modern , British Library , and numerous West End theatres. Important sporting events held in London include the FA Cup Final , the Wimbledon Tennis Championships , and the London Marathon . It became the first city to host three Summer Olympic Games upon hosting
16744-650: The most diverse cities in the world. In 1951, the Festival of Britain was held on the South Bank . The Great Smog of 1952 led to the Clean Air Act 1956 , which ended the " pea soup fogs " for which London had been notorious, and had earned it the nickname the "Big Smoke". Starting mainly in the mid-1960s, London became a centre for worldwide youth culture , exemplified by the Swinging London sub-culture associated with
16905-479: 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
17066-507: 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
17227-467: The old Roman city. By about 680 the city had become a major port again, but there is little evidence of large-scale production. From the 820s repeated Viking assaults brought decline. Three are recorded; those in 851 and 886 succeeded, while the last, in 994, was rebuffed. The Vikings applied Danelaw over much of eastern and northern England, its boundary running roughly from London to Chester as an area of political and geographical control imposed by
17388-593: The old club to the committee. London London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom , with a population of 8,866,180 in 2022. The wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe , with a population of 14.9 million. London stands on the River Thames in southeast England, at the head of a 50-mile (80 km) estuary down to the North Sea , and has been
17549-553: The old premises of the Pelican Club in Denman Street, Soho. In 1893 it moved to 21 Shaftesbury Avenue . In 1914, the club moved to the former Dieudonné's Hotel at 9–11 Ryder Street, where it remained until its closure. The club adopted the night-owl as its symbol. It was noted for the generosity of its members, who raised £25,000 for limbless soldiers during World War I , and every Christmas, Westminster's poor would queue up outside
17710-541: 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
17871-495: The other hand, a number of Victorian and Edwardian books and newspapers discussing the Eccentric Club in 1890 referred to the earlier Eccentric Clubs in London. In the only recorded interview with J.A.Harrison of the time, he also admits that the club is not new, although brought back in a new form and hence – established on 21 November 1890. At the Third Anniversary Dinner in 1893, J.A.Harrison "traced back its origin to
18032-495: 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,
18193-486: The principal city of the Roman province of Britannia in 100. At its height in the 2nd century, Roman London had a population of about 60,000. With the early 5th-century collapse of Roman rule, the walled city of Londinium was effectively abandoned, although Roman civilisation continued around St Martin-in-the-Fields until about 450. From about 500, an Anglo-Saxon settlement known as Lundenwic developed slightly west of
18354-563: 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 ,
18515-572: 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
18676-461: The resources, and it was rapidly developing the dignity and the political self-consciousness appropriate to a national capital ." After winning the Battle of Hastings , William, Duke of Normandy was crowned King of England in newly completed Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066. William built the Tower of London , the first of many such in England rebuilt in stone in the south-eastern corner of
18837-624: The rest of Britain, with Lyons , who opened the first of their chain of teashops in Piccadilly in 1894, leading the way. The tearooms, such as the Criterion in Piccadilly, became a popular meeting place for women from the suffrage movement. The city was the target of many attacks during the suffragette bombing and arson campaign , between 1912 and 1914, which saw historic landmarks such as Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral bombed. London
18998-527: 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
19159-600: 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
19320-401: The royal treasury came to rest in the Tower . While the City of Westminster developed into a true governmental capital, its distinct neighbour, the City of London , remained England's largest city and principal commercial centre and flourished under its own unique administration, the Corporation of London . In 1100, its population was some 18,000; by 1300 it had grown to nearly 100,000. With
19481-542: 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 ,
19642-534: The sea. London is the seat of the Government of the United Kingdom . Many government departments, as well as the prime minister's residence at 10 Downing Street , are based close to the Palace of Westminster , particularly along Whitehall . There are 75 members of Parliament (MPs) from London; As of June 2024 , 59 are from the Labour Party , 9 are Conservatives , 6 are Liberal Democrats and one constituency
19803-424: The start of 2018 to mid April 2018. Funding cuts to police in London are likely to have contributed to this, though other factors are involved. However, homicide figures fell in 2022 with 109 recorded for the year, and the murder rate in London is much lower than other major cities around the world. London, also known as Greater London , is one of nine regions of England and the top subdivision covering most of
19964-414: 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
20125-725: The theatres in the 1640s. The ban on theatre was lifted during the Restoration in 1660, and London's oldest operating theatre, Drury Lane , opened in 1663 in what is now the West End theatre district. By the end of the Tudor period in 1603, London was still compact. There was an assassination attempt on James I in Westminster, in the Gunpowder Plot of 5 November 1605. In 1637, the government of Charles I attempted to reform administration in
20286-428: 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
20447-503: 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 ,
20608-442: The time . Since the 19th century, the name "London" has referred to the metropolis around the City of London, historically split between the counties of Middlesex , Essex , Surrey , Kent , and Hertfordshire , which since 1965 has largely comprised the administrative area of Greater London , governed by 33 local authorities and the Greater London Authority . As one of the world's major global cities , London exerts
20769-468: 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
20930-595: 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
21091-634: 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
21252-691: The unique governmental status of the City . In the English Civil War , the majority of Londoners supported the Parliamentary cause. After an initial advance by the Royalists in 1642, culminating in the battles of Brentford and Turnham Green , London was surrounded by a defensive perimeter wall known as the Lines of Communication . The lines were built by up to 20,000 people, and were completed in under two months. The fortifications failed their only test when
21413-434: 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
21574-624: 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
21735-399: 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
21896-495: 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
22057-417: 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
22218-476: The world's three most influential global cities . In January 2015, Greater London's population was estimated to be 8.63 million, its highest since 1939. During the Brexit referendum in 2016, the UK as a whole decided to leave the European Union , but most London constituencies voted for remaining. However, Britain's exit from the EU in early 2020 only marginally weakened London's position as an international financial centre. The administration of London
22379-465: Was bombed by the Germans in the First World War , and during the Second World War , the Blitz and other bombings by the German Luftwaffe killed over 30,000 Londoners, destroying large tracts of housing and other buildings across the city. The tomb of the Unknown Warrior , an unidentified member of the British armed forces killed during the First World War, was buried in Westminster Abbey on 11 November 1920. The Cenotaph , located in Whitehall ,
22540-441: 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
22701-433: 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
22862-424: 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
23023-512: 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
23184-405: 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
23345-458: 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
23506-401: 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
23667-405: 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
23828-471: 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
23989-466: 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,
24150-407: 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
24311-402: 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
24472-437: Was once a common sight throughout London and regional cities in the UK. The British Transport Police are responsible for police services on National Rail , London Underground , Docklands Light Railway and Tramlink services. The Ministry of Defence Police is a special police force in London, which does not generally become involved with policing the general public. The UK's domestic counter-intelligence service ( MI5 )
24633-419: 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
24794-417: 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,
24955-406: Was supervised by polymath Robert Hooke . In 1710, Christopher Wren 's masterpiece, St Paul's Cathedral , was completed, replacing its medieval predecessor that burned in the Great Fire of 1666. The dome of St Paul's dominated the London skyline for centuries, inspiring the artworks and writing of William Blake , with his 1789 poem " Holy Thursday " referring to 'the high dome of Pauls'. During
25116-483: 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
25277-423: 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
25438-405: 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
25599-467: 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
25760-458: Was unveiled on the same day, and is the focal point for the National Service of Remembrance held annually on Remembrance Sunday , the closest Sunday to 11 November. The 1948 Summer Olympics were held at the original Wembley Stadium , while London was still recovering from the war. From the 1940s, London became home to many immigrants, primarily from Commonwealth countries such as Jamaica, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, making London one of
25921-416: 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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