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Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh facts for kids

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Prince Philip
Duke of Edinburgh
Duke of Edinburgh 14 Allan Warren.jpg
Prince Philip in 1992
Consort of the British monarch
Tenure 6 February 1952 – 9 April 2021
Born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark
(1921-06-10)10 June 1921
Mon Repos, Corfu, Greece
Died 9 April 2021(2021-04-09) (aged 99)
Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England
Spouse
(m. 1947)
Issue
House
Father Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark
Mother Princess Alice of Battenberg
Signature Prince Philip's signature
Military career
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  Royal Navy
 British Army
 Royal Air Force
Years of service 1939–1952
(active service)
Rank Admiral of the Fleet
Field Marshal
Marshal of the Royal Air Force
Commander (active service)
Commands held HMS Magpie
Battles/wars Second World War
Awards

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was a very important member of the British Royal Family. He was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. Philip was born in Corfu, Greece, on June 10, 1921. He was originally a royal prince of both Greece and Denmark.

Early Life and Military Service

Prince Philip served actively in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He was on a ship called HMS Whelp in the Pacific at the end of the war. He was even in Tokyo Bay when Japan officially surrendered on September 2, 1945.

After the war, Philip changed his nationality. He became known as Philip Mountbatten. He was also made a Knight of the Garter on November 19, 1947. This gave him the special title of "Royal Highness".

Marriage and Royal Role

Prinses Elisabeth en Philip Mountbatten, Bestanddeelnr 902-2628
Elisabeth and Philip, 1947

On November 20, 1947, Prince Philip married Princess Elizabeth. She was the next in line to become Queen after her father, King George VI. When they married, Philip became the Duke of Edinburgh. In 1957, he was made a Prince of the United Kingdom.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip had four children together. They are Charles, Prince of Wales, Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. The royal couple also had eight grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.

Prince Philip was the first member of the Royal Family to be interviewed on television. This happened in May 1961. He traveled with the Queen on all 251 of her official royal trips around the world.

Later Years and Retirement

Prince Philip decided to retire from his royal duties and visits near the end of 2017. He was a very important figure in the British Royal Family. He was the longest-serving royal consort in the United Kingdom's history. A consort is the husband or wife of a ruling king or queen. He also held the special title of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom.

In February 2021, Philip went to King Edward VII Hospital. This was a careful step after he felt unwell. It was later shared that he had an infection.

Death and Funeral

Buckingham Palace flags at half-mast 9 April 2021
Buckingham Palace on April 9, 2021. The Union Flag is at half-mast as people gather.

Prince Philip passed away peacefully on the morning of April 9, 2021, at Windsor Castle. He was 99 years old, just two months before his 100th birthday. He was the longest-serving royal consort in British history. The Queen shared that his death left a "huge void" in her life.

The exact cause of his death was not shared publicly. However, the palace said he died peacefully. His daughter-in-law, the Countess of Wessex, said his death was "so gentle." She described it as "just like somebody took him by the hand and off he went."

His death started a plan called Operation Forth Bridge. This plan was for telling the public about his death and organizing his funeral. The funeral took place on April 17, 2021, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. He was laid to rest in the Royal Vault there. Many countries around the world sent their deepest sympathies to the Royal Family.

Related Pages

Royal family on the balcony
The British royal family on the balcony at Buckingham Palace

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Felipe de Edimburgo para niños

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