Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Ten key dates in the life of Prince Philip

Ten key dates in the life of Prince Philip

HERE are 10 key dates in the life of Britain's Prince Philip, who died Friday (9) at age 99:

Birth


June 10, 1921: Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark is born on a kitchen table in Corfu. Aged 18 months, he was spirited out of Greece in an orange box when his uncle king Constantine I was forced to abdicate.

School

May 1939: In the run-up to World War II, Philip finishes his schooling at Gordonstoun in Scotland and joins the British navy.

War

September 2, 1945: Philip is present in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrender. He was mentioned in dispatches for his service during the war and took part in the battles of Crete and Cape Matapan and the allied invasion of Sicily.

Marriage

November 20, 1947: Philip marries princess Elizabeth, lifting some of the post-war gloom. Distant cousins, they met in 1939 and stayed in touch during the war. Having renounced his Greek and Danish titles, he is created the Duke of Edinburgh shortly before his wedding.

Accession

February 6, 1952: King George VI dies and Princess Elizabeth becomes Queen Elizabeth II while in Kenya on a Commonwealth tour. Philip is forced to abandon his naval career.

Charity

1956: He launches the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, designed to teach youngsters self-reliance and public service. Millions of young people have since taken part.

Anniversary

November 20, 1997: Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. In a rare public tribute, she said: "He is someone who doesn't take easily to compliments. But he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years."

Consort

April 18, 2009: He becomes the longest serving royal consort in British history, overtaking queen Charlotte, the wife of king George III.

Honour

June 10, 2011: The queen makes her husband the Lord High Admiral, the titular head of the British navy, to celebrate his 90th birthday.

Retirement

May 4, 2017: Buckingham Palace announces that Prince Philip will step down from public duties later in the year.

More For You

Exclusive: 'Starmer must fill NHS staffing defecit'
Dr Chaand Nagpaul

Exclusive: 'Starmer must fill NHS staffing defecit'

LABOUR's latest announcement to cut NHS waiting lists, while welcome, does not go far enough, the former leader of the doctors’ union, Chaand Nagpaul has told Eastern Eye.

Prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, unveiled his plans on Monday (6). He pledged Labour would set up more NHS hubs in community locations in England, and the service would make greater use of the private sector to help meet the challenge.

Keep ReadingShow less
Exclusive: 'Stop spreading racial hatred'
Nazir Afzal

Exclusive: 'Stop spreading racial hatred'

POLITICIANS must dial down “dangerous and inflammatory” rhetoric and recognise the contributions of all communities in Britain, prominent south Asians have told Eastern Eye.

They are concerned that recent social media attacks on asylum seekers, immigrants, especially British Pakistanis, as well as ministers will lead to unnecessary deaths.

Keep ReadingShow less
Lisa-Nandy-Getty

The culture secretary retains powers to refer the case to the Competition and Markets Authority, which could trigger an investigation into press freedom concerns linked to Abu Dhabi’s involvement. (Photo: Getty Images)

Calls grow for Lisa Nandy to end Telegraph ownership stalemate

THE SALE of The Telegraph newspaper has drawn widespread political calls for culture secretary Lisa Nandy to intervene and end the prolonged uncertainty surrounding its ownership.

The newspaper has been in limbo for 20 months after an auction process initiated by RedBird IMI, an Abu Dhabi-backed investment fund, failed to secure a suitable buyer.

Keep ReadingShow less
illegal-migrants-getty

According to government data, over 36,800 people crossed the Channel in 2024. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Labour government reports highest illegal migrant removals since 2018

THE LABOUR government announced on Thursday that it had removed 16,400 illegal migrants since taking office in July, the fastest rate of removals since 2018.

On taking office, prime minister Keir Starmer scrapped the previous Conservative government's scheme to send migrants who arrive illegally to Rwanda, instead setting up a Border Security Command to crack down on illegal migration – a huge political issue in Britain.

Keep ReadingShow less
Two men jailed for trying to smuggle migrants into UK

Shafaz Khan (L), Choudhry Rashied (Photo: Home Office)

Two men jailed for trying to smuggle migrants into UK

TWO London-based men have been sentenced to over 10 years behind bars after being convicted of breaching UK immigration law by trying to smuggle four Indian migrants in a hidden van compartment disguised by a stack of dirty tyres.

According to the UK Home Office, British nationals Shafaz Khan and Choudhry Rashied, who operated under the alias ‘Manzar Mian Attique’, hid the group of migrants behind the tyres in a “purpose built” hidden space in the vehicle.

Keep ReadingShow less