The Duke of Edinburgh: his life, his death, and his controversies
On April 9th, the world was stunned to hear that Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, had passed away, just two months before his 100th birthday, marking the end of a chapter of world history and the passing of a man who had lived a truly remarkable life. But how can one capture the true essence, the true meaning, of an entire life in just a few sentences? In a few paragraphs? Any attempt seems futile when looking at just how eventful the Prince’s life had been: from serving his country to providing support for the reigning monarch, to even starting an initiative that has impacted millions of teenagers worldwide, Prince Philip has truly become a symbol of Britain and of a life well-led. He has had his fair share of controversies and debates along the way, many of which were hidden from the public eye, and so to provide a more colourful perspective to his passing, as opposed to the myriad of articles that have been written and will continue to be published, detailing his incredible achievements, we have chosen to showcase his international significance instead, as well as the more murky sides of his life.
Early life and the numerous roles he took on
Before diving into the true substance of this article, it is quite important to provide a quick overview of his life and how incredibly full it was. He was born in 1921 in Corfu, Greece, to Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg, however, his childhood was not a fairytale come true: his family was banished from the country when he was just one year old, and so they fled to France, soon after which his family started falling apart. He attended a boarding school in Scotland and then attended the Royal Naval College of Dartmouth; in 1940, he began his service for the British Navy in the Indian and Pacific Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea.
After the war, in 1947, he married his third cousin Princess Elizabeth, who then became Queen of England in 1952 when her father King George VI died. This was entirely unexpected and meant an entire 180-degree shift in the royal couple’s lives, especially for Philip; this meant that he had to give up his role in the Navy and many of his personal affairs, in order to become the Queen’s consort and support her unconditionally. However, this was a role that he took up with no complaints, and to this day, he has served over 22,000 royal engagements with his wife in over 143 countries (averaging to approximately 350 a year), rightfully earning him the title of probably the world’s most famous husband.
His controversies
The Prince was rather well known for his quick-witted and unfiltered remarks that lacked any sort of political correctness, and so was understandably involved in quite a few controversies throughout his life. One of the most notable ones occurred in the 1950s, when he wanted Elizabeth to take his surname, Mountbatten. Her mother and grandmother, as well as Prime Minister Churchill, disagreed, and in the end, the Queen ended up keeping her Windsor title. The Prince had already given up his Danish and Greek descent in exchange for British citizenship when they got married, so he had already had to sacrifice a lot for the Royal family; this led to him exclaiming that he is “the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his children”, and that he is “nothing but a bloody amoeba”.
Another incident that led to a fair bit of criticism happened in 1961. The Prince had just become president of the World Wildlife Fund (UK branch), a title which he held for 21 years, and shortly after, he was seen on a tiger shoot in India with his wife, even posing for a picture with a dead tiger at his feet, which was allegedly killed by him.
Yet, the most famous controversies that he was involved in came from his seemingly thoughtless quips and remarks that didn’t go unnoticed by the press and the general public, and that were often borderline or even overtly racist. For instance, in a visit to China, he said that “If it has four legs and is not a chair, has wings and is not an aeroplane, or swims and is not a submarine, the Cantonese will eat it”, following up by telling British students that “If you stay here much longer you’ll all be slitty-eyed”. Many have tried to excuse his offensive jokes as simply being examples of British humour, while others have called him out on his undiplomatic outbursts. There were however some more conventionally humorous interactions, such as when he said “I wish he’d turn the microphone off” at an Elton John concert; all in all though, his rather inconsiderate manner of speaking and joking has become synonymous with his persona and with his reputation.
His legacy and international significance
As previously stated, Prince Philip was president of the World Wildlife Fund in the UK from 1961 to 1982, and then president of the WWF as a whole from 1981 to 1996, time in which he did an incredible amount to help with wildlife conservation. But his most significant influence on the world and on the international scene is by far the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award for Young People, which he founded in 1956. This award targets youth aged 14-24, and encourages a more holistic development and pushes teenagers to become the best versions of themselves. It contains 3 levels, Bronze, Silver, and Gold, each of which contains 4 sections which must be completed: service, physical, skill, and an adventurous journey at the end. These 4 combine to equip the participant with a wide range of skills and a newfound confidence while trying to maneuver the challenges that adult life throws at people. In 2018, over 1.3 million people were actively participating in the award, and the anecdotes from people whose lives were truly changed by their experience are countless.
Personally, as a Bronze Award holder myself, currently working towards my Silver Award, I can safely say that it has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and explore the world around me, and my expedition journeys are some of the best memories that I’ve ever made and that I cherish dearly to this day; the Prince’s initiative has impacted my life and the lives of so many others around the globe in such an incredible way, and it is clear that his legacy and his influence on the young generation will live on for many years to come.
Concluding remarks
Leaders of a multitude of countries have come together and offered their condolences following the passing of the Prince, demonstrating just how big of an effect he has had on the world. Yes, he was quite rude and oftentimes outright offensive, but it cannot be denied that he has lived a remarkable life, and will not be forgotten; he has made a lasting impact, especially on the youth, and his memory will live on, as a symbol of Britain.
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