The Steadfast Consort

My friend Thomas Moore Sr., also known as The Anglophile, has the full text of a good piece from the Daily Mail about Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the Queen's husband of 63 years. The article precedes the broadcast of an interview, Prince Philip at 90 (which will be shown on ITV1 at 8pm on Tuesday, May 24). Interviewer Alan Titchmarsh, spoke with the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle last week in anticipation of his birthday, June 10.

Reported highlights from the interview include the Duke's admission that it was difficult to leave behind naval career when his wife became Queen but he was determined to be dutiful if his role as consort. It cannot have been easy. 

"Well, I mean, how long is a piece of string? I don’t know how difficult it was, it was naturally disappointing. I had just been promoted to commander and the fact was that the most interesting part of my naval career was just starting. But then equally, if I stopped and thought about it, being married to the Queen, it seemed to me my first duty was to serve her in the best way I could."

And serve Queen and Country he has, despite the ups and downs faced in any life, even the most privileged. The Duke has been criticized extensively in his life and perhaps not all unfairly. During the interview, Alan Titchmarsh asks the Duke whether there is anything in his life that he would have done differently,

"Well yes, I would rather have not made the mistakes I did make, but I'm not telling you what they were."

Instead we will consider the Duke of Edinburgh as we should all like to be considered, for the best of his deeds.