Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh will step down from public duties after an announcement was made from Buckingham Palace yesterday. The Prince’s retirement follows a decision by the Queen last year, to step back from some of her engagements.
The announcement from Buckingham Palace came after royal staff across the country were summoned to London for an “emergency meeting.” News of the meeting swept across the globe, with rumours of the Prince’s death causing social media to go into meltdown. Some tabloids even went so far to announce the Prince’s passing, despite it not being confirmed by the Palace (and it later turning out not to be true).
Earlier this week, the Prince attended an opening at the Lord’s Cricket Ground of the new Warner Stand, where he was invited to cut the ribbon. At the opening, the Prince appeared to be in good spirits, and enjoyed discussions with the ground’s members.
The Prince, who turns 96 in June, has served in his role as the Queen’s consort for over seven decades and is the patron of more than 780 organisations. He is the longest-serving consort of a reigning British monarch and the oldest-ever male member of the British royal family.