London – Prince Philip, 95, the husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, has decided not to carry out any more public duties after August, the royal family said on Thursday.
The prince, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, “has the full support of the queen,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May offered “deepest gratitude and good wishes” to Prince Philip, while opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn praised his “clear sense of public duty.”
“From his steadfast support for Her Majesty the Queen to his inspirational Duke of Edinburgh Awards and his patronage of hundreds of charities and good causes, his contribution to our United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the wider world will be of huge benefit to us all for years to come,” May said.
Buckingham Palace…
Corbyn said the Duke of Edinburgh programme, which encourages teenagers to take part in challenging group activities and community service, “has inspired young people for more than 60 years in over 140 nations.”
Prince Philip will attend previously scheduled engagements until August, “both individually and accompanying the queen,” the palace statement said.
“Thereafter, the duke will not be accepting new invitations for visits and engagements, although he may still choose to attend certain public events from time to time,” it said.
He will remain patron of some 780 organizations but he will “no longer play an active role by attending engagements.”
The queen will continue to carry out “a full programme of official engagements” with the support of other members of the royal family, it said.
Before the announcement, the royal household summoned staff to an urgent meeting at the palace, the queen’s residence in central London.
Prince Philip and the queen, 91, are scheduled to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary in November.
They have four children and eight grandchildren. Their eldest son, Prince Charles, is the heir to the throne.
Prince Philip, who turns 96 in June, has carried out official royal duties alone or with the queen since she ascended to the throne following the death of her father, King George VI, in 1952.
