As many will know, His Royal Highness, Prince Philip sadly died last Friday, 9th April. The weekend has seen the nation contemplating his passing, with many radio and television broadcasts being postponed in the wake of this notable moment in history. Whether you are a monarchist or a republican, the death of a member of the royal family is not something that quickly fades from memory.
Of course, it’s easy to pigeonhole the death of a prominent figure as a solely public event, and to dismiss the human element of this story. Simply put, Prince Philip was loved by those close to him and many beyond his personal sphere. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth has stated that his passing has “left a huge void in her life,” and their son Prince Andrew has stated that the family is rallying around her. Sharing in grief and mourning is an important part of coping with the loss of a loved one, and doing so whilst being in the public eye cannot be easy, yet the family continue to give interviews, and make appearances in a show of stoicism.
Whether or not you are a fan of HRH Prince Philip, he has had a great impact on the country and the world. The Royal Family are well known for their charitable activities in recent decades, and Prince Philip was, of course, the founder of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. This prestigious awards programme has been undertaken by more than 3.1 million young people to date. The DoE awards see students and graduates tackling gruelling physical challenges and committing to charitable, voluntary causes in the aims of achieving bronze, silver, and gold awards, depending on difficulty. These physical challenges can range from hikes in the peak district to canoeing in the Canadian wilderness, and the whole process was created as a means of delivering a positive and productive experience to young people entering into adulthood. As demonstrated by this, Prince Philip was a devout advocate of young people and dedicated his time to the betterment of youth. Over the past few days, stories from all over the country have shown the impact these awards have had on the lives of so many children and young adults, from simply boosting confidence to helping some avoid a life of crime and imprisonment.
Alongside this lifelong dedication, His Royal Highness also respected his duties as Prince Consort to the Queen, sacrificing much of his time attending official events and ceremonies regardless of his old age. You will see two clips in the video above in which Prince Philip visited De Montfort University in 2012 with other members of the royal family, and another clip where he and the Queen visited Leicester Cathedral in 2017 for the Royal Maundy Service. We had the privilege of covering both of these events amongst many others.
On behalf of the team at Pukaar, we offer our deepest condolences to His Royal Highness’ family and our respect to the man himself.
The ceremonial royal funeral will be held at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, at 3pm BST on Saturday, 17 April, and will be televised.
By Sam Ellison
