The century of Philip of Edinburgh
The article by Daniele Meloni
A brief statement from Buckingham Palace and then all the British television stations and online sites – BBC in the first place – listed themselves in mourning: the Prince Consort, Philip of Edinburgh died at the age of 99. Recently, the Duke of Edinburgh had been admitted to King Edward VII hospital for a heart problem and was caught leaving the hospital to return, in complete safety in compliance with anti-Covid regulations, to the royal residence, located along the imposing boulevard of Pall Mall in London.
Touched memories and heartfelt condolences reached the United Kingdom and the Windsor- Mountbatten family from all over the world. In Downing Street Premier Boris Johnson improvised a press conference to express all the sadness of the British people for a servant "of the nation and of the Kingdom who has left us".
It was precisely the service to his homeland and to his wife, Queen Elizabeth II, that marked Philip's life. For 73 years he was the husband of the longest-lived Queen in British history, becoming, in turn, the longest-lived Prince Consort. A role that does not exist constitutionally, but which imposes specific duties in always staying one step behind the sovereign. Out of a spirit of sacrifice towards the United Kingdom and Elizabeth, Philip gave up a career in the Navy and gave his acquired last name, Mountbatten, to his children.
His life was full of daring episodes. There are no typical experiences in its vicissitudes that make a prince's romance journey dream. When the monarchy led by his grandfather in Greece was overthrown, his family found themselves with nothing and had to start almost all over again. The world into which Philip was born was still led by the monarchies, to which he was himself related: his great-aunt Ella was killed by the Bolsheviks along with the Tsar in Ekaterinberg. His mother was a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria. In fact, his parents met in 1901, the day of the Queen's funeral. All 4 of his sisters were married to Germans and supported Nazi Germany while Philip fought it with the Royal Navy. None were invited to his wedding to Elizabeth Windsor.
After studying in the Navy college of Dartmouth, the meeting with Elizabeth took place. When the news of George V's death reached the princely couple traveling to Kenya, Philip understood that his life would change but he never failed to support the monarchy as a pillar of stability – "balance" Johnson said in his speech. today – of the nation. At his wife's coronation ceremony, he was the first to pay her homage. Taking advantage of his experience in Greece, the Prince Consort has always been an advocate of the renewal of the Royal Family, because only by keeping up with the times could the Windsors be able to maintain their position. This explains his affection for his grandchildren and his relationship, always described as stormy, with another innovator of the Royal House, the heir to the throne, his son Charles Prince of Wales.
A lover of sport – cricket, polo and horses in order – and of the beau monde, Filippo has never failed in his role as an example, even when some of his not at all politically correct releases had put him on the index in public opinion. With his Youth Foundation he has given millions of young people the opportunity to develop their talents and have a future. The same one that, with his wife Elizabeth, he gave to the British monarchy and to the whole country.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/mondo/il-secolo-di-filippo-di-edimburgo/ on Fri, 09 Apr 2021 13:43:32 +0000.