Prince Philip’s life in 50 photos

It was 1981 when the world couldn’t get enough of Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s seemingly fairy-tale wedding at St. Paul’s Cathedral. For the big day, Prince Philip rode to the ceremony alongside Diana’s mother, Mrs Shand Kydd. Though Charles and Diana’s marriage ended in divorce, letters released by The Telegraph between Prince Philip and his former daughter-in-law appear to prove they remained good friends despite no longer being family. In one letter, Philip wrote, “I will always do my utmost to help you and Charles to the best of my ability.”

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As his polo-playing days began to dwindle, Prince Philip wanted to maintain his love of both horses and sport, so he began competing in the Carriage Driving portion of the Windsor Horse Show. Here he is in 1982, taking his newfound hobby very seriously, with a top hat and all. He’s been spotted driving around the grounds of Windsor Castle as recently as 2019, reports the Daily Mail. Clearly the elder royal is trying to remain active and continuing to enjoy some of his favourite pastimes. He’s had much more time on his hands to do so since retiring from public life in 2017.

He may have left the Royal Navy behind him decades earlier, but in 1982 Prince Philip returned to the waterways by participating in the Queen’s Cup at the Cowes Regatta. The royal sailed using his Yeoman classic yacht (as one does). You’d think as the husband of the actual Queen, you’d be a shoo-in to win something called the Queen’s Cup, but we’re assuming Elizabeth isn’t one to play favourites when a competition of sport is involved. Still, it’s not about winning – it’s about having fun, right? Right?

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Each year, the Queen’s birthday is celebrated with a grandiose event called Trooping the Colour. According to the royal family’s official website, it has marked the birthday of the reigning monarch for more than 260 years. It’s also a truly fun opportunity to see the family merrily gathered together on a balcony. In 1982, Princess Diana was very pregnant with her first child (that would be Prince William), hence the maternity dress. According to The Telegraph’s release of their private letters, Diana used to refer to Prince Philip as “Pa.” This particular Trooping the Colour would have marked the Queen’s 56th birthday.

When the future King was born, it was a big deal. After all, as Charles’ firstborn, William will one day take over the throne. The baby boy was christened in August 1982. In this picture, doting grandfather Philip looks on as Princess Diana tries to quiet the crying baby while the family sits for a portrait in the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace. The Palace has 17 staterooms, but the White Drawing Room is considered to be among the most intimate. Even better, it has a hidden door disguised as a mirror.

When you play second fiddle to the Queen, you’re going to have to accept that her birthday is a much bigger deal than your own. This is something Philip seems to have taken in stride. “I think the main lesson we have learnt is that tolerance is the one essential ingredient in any happy marriage,” he said during a toast to his wife on their golden wedding anniversary, per Harper’s Bazaar. “You can take it from me, the Queen has the quality of tolerance in abundance.” Well said, Prince Philip.

When Princess Diana was tragically killed in a car crash involving paparazzi in 1997, the world mourned. Despite the fact that she was no longer a member of the royal family, they wanted to honour her with a funeral fit for a princess. According to The Sun, Prince Philip, while always supposed to attend the ceremony, was not supposed to walk behind her coffin with Prince Harry and Prince William. However, extremely heartbroken, William said he didn’t want to walk. The only thing that would convince him to make the walk behind the coffin was if his grandfather, with whom he is reportedly very close, walked with him. Hence, the appearance of Philip in the procession. Mourners around the world paid tribute to “the People’s Princess,” and this is what Kensington Palace looked like right after Diana’s death.

Prince Philip performed many state visits alongside Queen Elizabeth over the years, like this one to Norway in 2001. Here, they are seen at a Boltelokka School in the capital of Oslo, where children performed songs for the couple. The visits are meant to act as a way to bridge relationships between England and other countries with the sharing of culture and other important information, helping to achieve a better understanding of the similarities and differences between them. In turn, monarchs, presidents, and prime ministers are also invited to visit the Queen in London.

There are so many royal events, it’s hard to keep up. But the Golden Jubilee is celebrated in England to mark the 50th anniversary of the accession of the king – or, in this case, the queen. In laymen’s turns: In 2002, it was the 50th anniversary of when Queen Elizabeth II took over. For the celebration, the Queen and Prince Philip rode in a cavalcade along the mall to wave to revellers sharing in the excitement of this special moment in time. With so many other royal marriages ending in divorce, it’s sweet to see the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh still going strong after all these years.

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When Prince Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles in April 2005, Prince Philip was in attendance. This photo of the updated royal family also included Prince William, Prince Harry, and Queen Elizabeth, as well as Camilla’s children, Laura and Tom Parker-Bowles, and her father, Bruce Shand. It was a happy occasion for the reunited lovebirds, who had previously dated before Charles found himself in a relationship with Princess Diana. In fact, when Prince Charles sought counsel from Philip about marrying Diana because he was not in love with her, the patriarch had some ideas. “My father-in-law said to my husband, ‘If your marriage doesn’t work out, you can always go back to her after five years,’” Princess Diana shared in a private conversation, which was revealed in a documentary that aired 20 years after her death. “Which is exactly – I mean, for real I knew that it had happened after five – I knew something was happening before that, but the fifth year I had confirmation.”

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