Prince Philip, husband of UK’s Queen Elizabeth II, to retire from public life
By James Masters, CNN
Updated
12:14 PM EDT, Thu May 4, 2017
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(CNN) —
Prince Philip, 95-year-old husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, is to step down from public life, Buckingham Palace has announced.
The prince, who has been at the Queen’s side for her 65-year reign, will stop accepting invitations for public engagements from September, the palace said.
The Queen, who is 91 and has gradually scaled back her public appearances in recent years, will continue to carry out her duties supported by other members of the royal family.
“His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh has decided that he will no longer carry out public engagements from the autumn of this year. In taking this decision, The Duke has the full support of The Queen,” the Buckingham Palace statement said, referring to the prince by one of this other titles.
“Prince Philip will attend previously scheduled engagements between now and August, both individually and accompanying The Queen,” the statement added. “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.”
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Britain's Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, poses in his military dress uniform circa 1990.
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Terry O'Neill/Iconic Images/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip was born into the royal families of Greece and Denmark. His family left Greece in 1922 and settled in Paris after his uncle, King Constantine I, was overthrown.
Prince Philip is dressed for a production of "Macbeth" while attending school in Scotland in July 1935.
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Fox Photos/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip is the youngest of five children and the only son. After his parents' separation in 1930, he was sent to England and raised there by his maternal grandmother and uncle.
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Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip sits with his fiancee, Princess Elizabeth, in July 1947. He had become a naturalized British citizen and a commoner, using the surname Mountbatten, an English translation of his mother's maiden name. He was also an officer of the British Royal Navy and fought in World War II.
Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth were on a tour of the commonwealth when her father, King George VI, died on February 6, 1952. She was next in line for the throne.
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Fox Photos/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip waves from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after his wife's coronation in June 1953.
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Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip sails during the Cowes Regatta in August 1962.
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George Silk/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip laughs as the Beatles fight over the Carl Alan Award he presented to the band in March 1964.
The Queen and Prince Philip leave Westminster Abbey in April 1966.
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Central Press/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip competes in a bicycle polo match in August 1967.
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George Freston/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip paints during the filming of the documentary "Royal Family" in 1969.
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Rolls Press/Popperfoto/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip and his daughter, Princess Anne, prepare a barbecue on the Balmoral Castle estate in August 1972.
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Lichfield/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
The Queen and Prince Philip attend the Royal Windsor Horse Show in April 1976.
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Tim Graham/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip takes part in the World Carriage Driving Championships in 1980.
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Tim Graham/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Phillip fishes in a Scottish loch in 1993.
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Julian Parker/UK Press/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Phillip hunts at the Sandringham estate in 1994.
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Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Phillip tours the London Stock Exchange in 1998.
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Tim Graham/Pool/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Former South African President Nelson Mandela chats with Prince Philip in November 2000.
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Anna Zieminski/AFP/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip rides a mini motorbike at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May 2005.
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Julian Finney/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, attends a Commonwealth Day observance in London in 2011.
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Allpix/Splash News/Newscom
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
The Queen and Prince Philip attend the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony in June 2011.
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Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip visits Sherborne Abbey during his wife's Diamond Jubilee tour in May 2012.
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Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
The Queen presents Prince Philip with New Zealand's highest honor, the Order of New Zealand, at Buckingham Palace in June 2013.
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Anthony Devlin/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip visits the 1st Battalion of the Grenadier Guards in February 2014.
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Paul Grover/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
The royal couple arrives at the Royal Ascot horse races in June 2014.
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Steve Bardens/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip signs the guest book at Hillsborough Castle in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in June 2014.
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Harrison Photography/Getty Image
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip smiles as he visits an Auxiliary Air Force squadron in Edinburgh, Scotland, in July 2015.
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Danny Lawson/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Phillip and his grandson Prince Harry attend the Rugby World Cup final in October 2015.
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Phil Walter/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
The Queen and Prince Philip wave to guests in June 2016, during celebrations for her 90th birthday.
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Arthur Edwards/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip feeds a banana to an elephant in Dunstable, England, in April 2017.
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Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip talks to schoolchildren in May 2017 during a visit to Lord's cricket ground in London. He opened the venue's new Warner Stand.
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Victoria Jones/PA Images/AP
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip makes his final public appearance before his retirement in August 2017, attending a parade of the Royal Marines at Buckingham Palace. The event also marked an end to Philip's 64 years as captain general, the ceremonial leader of the Royal Marines.
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Hannah McKay/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
This portrait, painted by Ralph Heimans, shows Prince Philip in the Grand Corridor of Windsor Castle. It was unveiled in December 2017.
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Ralph Heimans/Buckingham Palace Handout/PA Wire via Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip attends the wedding of his grandson Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018.
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Owen Humphreys/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip poses with the wedding party after Harry and Meghan's wedding in May 2018.
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Kensington Palace/Twitter
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip attend a polo match in Egham, England, in June 2018.
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Antony Jones/Getty Images Europe
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip is seen at the wedding of his granddaughter Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in October 2018.
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Alastair Grant/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip speaks with Sir David Attenborough ahead of an Order of Merit luncheon in May 2019.
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Jonathan Brady/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
Prince Philip leaves a London hospital in December 2019, after being admitted for observation and treatment in relation to a pre-existing condition.
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Philip Toscano/PA Images via Getty Images
Photos: Prince Philip: Decades in public life
The Queen and Prince Philip pose for a photo in June 2020, ahead of Philip's 99th birthday.
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Steve Parsons/PA Wire/Pool
Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II
The Queen and Prince Philip look at a homemade anniversary card that was given to them by their great-grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in November 2020.
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Chris Jackson/Pool/AP
The Queen, who is the world’s longest-serving living monarch, will “continue to carry out a full programme of official engagements,” supported by other members of the royal family.
In a statement, British Prime Minister Theresa May paid tribute to the prince, offering him the country’s “deepest gratitude and good wishes” following the announcement.
“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,” the statement said.
The Queen and Prince Philip are due to celebrate 70 years of marriage in November. Prince Philip is 96 next month.
Royal staff summoned
Senior royal staff members were called to London by the Lord Chamberlain, the most senior member of Queen Elizabeth II’s household staff, to be told of the announcement before the public statement. News of the meeting leaked out, causing a flurry of speculation over the nature of the announcement.
The two senior royals have carried out a number of engagements in recent days. The Queen met the Prime Minister at the palace Wednesday as a formality to mark the dissolution of parliament, ahead of a general election in June.
Also on Wednesday, Prince Philip was photographed during an event at Lord’s cricket ground in London.
Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, opens the new Warner Stand at Lord's cricket ground.
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ARTHUR EDWARDS/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
It is over five years since Buckingham Palace announced that Philip would gradually “wind down” his workload, though he remained keen to perform many of his duties.
In 2016, he attended 200 events as he continued to represent the royal family with his own distinctive style.
In an interview with the BBC to mark of his 90th birthday in 2011, Philip said it was time to take a step back from his responsibilities.
“I reckon I’ve done my bit, I want to enjoy myself now … have less responsibility, less frantic rushing about, less preparation, less trying to think of something to say,” he said.
Prince Philip speaks to school children while opening the new stand at Lord's cricket ground.
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Jeff Spicer/Getty Images
Longest-serving consort
Royal commentator Kate Williams described Philip’s decision to step away from public life as “very sad.”
“He’s the longest-serving royal consort in our history,” she told CNN from outside Buckingham Palace.
“It is very sad to see Prince Philip stepping down from royal engagements but I think we can all agree he deserves a rest.
“He has been an incredible consort to Her Majesty — a man of great achievement and great intelligence. To him, his great role, his great job in life was to support the Queen, to support the monarchy.”
The royal family says Philip will continue to be associated with more than 780 organizations.
Next generation
In recent years, the burden of public engagements has increasingly fallen to younger members of the British royal family.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry during "The Patron's Lunch" celebrations for The Queen's 90th birthday.
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Jeff Spicer/Getty Images
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are due to move back to London from Norfolk in eastern England later this year to carry out more duties. They will take up residence in Kensington Palace, the former home of Princess Diana.
The Duke, Prince William, recently announced that he would leave up his job as a helicopter pilot with the East Anglia Air Ambulance service.
