His Royal Highness Prince Philip
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during a walkabout on Canada Day in Ottawa, July 1, 2010.
His Royal Highness The late Duke of Edinburgh, also known as Prince Philip, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, was born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark in Corfu, on June 10, 1921. He was the only son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice of Battenberg.
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Early life and education
When the Greek monarchy was abolished in the early 1920s, Prince Philip's family was forced into exile. King George V ordered the evacuation of the family, and so in December 1922, the 18-month-old prince was carried to safety in a cot made from an orange box.
The family settled in Paris, and Prince Philip was educated in France, England and Germany.
Military service
After leaving school, Prince Philip joined the Royal Navy. He graduated in 1939 from the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth as the best cadet in his course.
Prince Philip served on the HMS Valiant during the Second World War and was awarded the Greek War Cross of Valour. In July 1942, he was promoted to lieutenant, and appointed First lieutenant (second-in-command) of the destroyer HMS Wallace, which took part in the Allied landings in Sicily.
In 1952, His Royal Highness was promoted to Commander, but his naval career came to an end upon the death of his father-in-law, King George VI, and The Queen's subsequent accession to the Throne.
Marriage and family
In 1940, at the age of 18, Prince Philip was introduced to royal circles by his uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten. During this time, the young prince met the 13-year-old Princess Elizabeth, his third cousin. Queen Victoria was great-great-grandmother to both of them.
When the Second World War began, Prince Philip departed the U.K. in order to serve in the navy. On his return in 1946, he began courting the young princess. Their engagement was announced 18 months later, and their marriage took place in Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947.
Following a successful naval career during which he saw active service, the late Duke of Edinburgh began to focus on his work in support of The Queen following her Accession in 1952.
In May 2017, the prince decided, with The Queen’s full support, to retire from official public engagements.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip had 4 children:
- Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales, Heir to the Throne
- Princess Anne, The Princess Royal
- Prince Andrew, The Duke of York
- Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh
Military appointments and charitable work
The late Duke of Edinburgh held many Canadian honorary military positions. He was Colonel-in-Chief of the following units in Canada:
- The Royal Canadian Regiment (1953)
Petawawa, Ontario / Oromocto, New Brunswick - The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) (1978)
Hamilton, Ontario - The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (The Duke of Edinburgh’s Own) (1967)
Ottawa, Ontario - The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada (1967)
Winnipeg, Manitoba - The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada (1967)
Vancouver, British Columbia
Other military honorary positions:
- The Royal Canadian Navy (Admiral) (2011)
- The Canadian Army (General) (2011)
- The Royal Canadian Air Force (General) (2011)
- The Royal Canadian Sea Cadets (Admiral) (1953)
Ottawa, Ontario - The Royal Canadian Army Cadets (1953)
Ottawa, Ontario - The Royal Canadian Air Cadets (Air Commodore-in-Chief) (1953)
Ottawa, Ontario
The late Duke of Edinburgh served as patron or president of close to 800 organizations, more than 40 of which were based in Canada. These reflected his interests in science and technology, sports, youth, conservation and the environment.
The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award
The late Duke of Edinburgh presents young Canadians with The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award in Toronto, 2010.
In 1956, His Royal Highness launched the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award in the United Kingdom in order to encourage and support the personal development of young people.
Since then, over 4 million people in more than 60 countries have participated in the award program, making it one of the most successful youth programs in the world.
The program in Canada was officially launched in 1963 for Canadians between the ages of 14 and 25. An estimated 500,000 young Canadians have participated in the program since then, making a difference in their own lives, their communities, and around the world.
Canadian honours
Prince Philip receives the insignia of Companion of the Order of Canada from Governor General David Johnston, 2013. Credit: Cpl Roxanne Shewchuk, Rideau Hall © OSGG-BSGG, 2013.
In 2013, The late Duke of Edinburgh was appointed Companion of the Order of Canada and Commander of the Order of Military Merit in recognition of his keen interest in the personal development of young people, his connection with the Canadian Armed Forces. Through his many visits to Canada, both on his own and with Queen Elizabeth II, he has shown a lasting interest for Canada and all Canadians.
Tours of Canada
Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited Canada for the first time in 1951, as part of a five-week cross-country tour. From that point on, Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness maintained close ties with Canada. They completed 22 royal tours in Canada since The Queen's accession to the Throne.
Over the past 7 decades, Prince Philip also visited Canada many times on his own, participating in activities that highlighted the patronages and military regiments that he supported. His last visit to Canada was in 2013, before he retired from public life in 2017.
In Winnipeg, Prince Philip is introduced to Ovide Mercredi, former Chief of the Misipawistik Cree Nation and former National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, 2010.
The Duke of Edinburgh presents new colours to the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment during his solo visit to Canada, 2013.
Death and commemorative events
His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh passed away at the age of 99 on April 9, 2021. Visit his commemorative page to relive key moments of his visits to Canada and find information on the commemorative events held in his honour.
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