Gun salutes mark death of UK's Prince Philip
Gun salutes across the U.K., in Commonwealth countries and at sea are marking the death of Britain’s Prince Philip as military leaders honor the former naval officer and husband of Queen Elizabeth II
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Gun salutes across the U.K., in Commonwealth countries and at sea are marking the death of Britain’s Prince Philip on Saturday as military leaders honor the former naval officer and husband of Queen Elizabeth II
Batteries of cannons in London Edinburgh Cardiff, Belfast and other cities were set to fire 41 rounds at one-minute intervals starting at midday. The Australian Defense Force offered its salute at 5 p.m. local time outside Parliament House in Canberra, and New Zealand planned to give an artillery tribute celebrate on Sunday.
“His Royal Highness leaves us with a legacy of indomitable spirit, steadfastness and an unshakeable sense of duty,’’ said General Nick Carter chief of the U.K. Defense Staff. “From all of us who serve today and who have served, thank you.”
Also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, Philip served in the Royal Navy during World War II and once had a promising military career. He joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1939 and won mentions during the war for his service aboard the battleship HMS Valiant at Cape Matapan, on Greece’s Peloponnesian peninsula. He rose to the rank of commander before he retired from active duty.
Two years after the war ended, Philip married the future queen at Westminster Abbey when she was 21 and he was 26. His naval career came to an abrupt end when King George VI died in 1952 and Elizabeth became queen.
At the queen’s coronation in 1953, Philip swore to be his wife’s “liege man of life and limb” and settled into a life supporting the monarch. The couple had four children — Charles, the heir to the throne, Anne, Andrew and Edward.
Members of the public left flowers outside Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle on Saturday, ignoring appeals from authorities and the royal family to refrain from gathering because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Oh, I think everyone’s in shock,” Maureen Field, a 67-year-old Staines resident, said. “ I think everyone would like to pay their respects. Because of the virus, a lot of people have to stay away. He didn’t want a big funeral. He wanted a very private time with his family to say their goodbyes. So, we’ve all got to respect that.”
___
Associated Press Writer James Brooks contributed
___
For AP’s full coverage of the death of Prince Philip go to https://apnews.com/hub/prince-philip