How ‘legend’ Prince Philip supported Harry and William after Diana’s death and came out of retirement for Royal weddings
PRINCE Philip formed an unbreakable bond with his grandchildren and supported William and Harry after Diana's death.
The "legend" helped the brothers through their grief - and also came out of retirement for several royal weddings.
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The Duke of Edinburgh, who was married to the Queen for 73 years, passed away "peacefully" at Windsor Castle this morning.
The monarch shared a poignant photo of Philip as she talked of her "deep sorrow" in a heartfelt tribute to her "beloved" husband.
The royal died two months and one day short of what would have been his 100th birthday - and throughout those years he was one of the hardest working royals.
Since 1952 he attended 22,219 solo engagements and 637 overseas tours in a career marked by his famous gaffes, wit and wisdom.
But he was also a family man who acted as a mentor for younger members of the royal clan.
One act which strengthened the bond between him and grandsons William and Harry was his involvement in Princess Diana's funeral.
The brothers, then aged 15 and 12, and their father Prince Charles, had been staying with Philip and the Queen at their Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire at the time of the fatal car crash in August 1997.
Philip is said to have offered the boys "gruff tenderness and outdoor activities like stalking and hiking to tire them out".
Author Tina Brown said in her 2011 book The Diana Chronicles that the duke was "brilliantly effective with his grandsons" during the very difficult time.
And Philip also showed his support by walking alongside his family in the cortege at Diana's funeral.
It comes as:
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Royal author Ingrid Seward said William was reluctant to join his dad and uncle Charles Spencer, but Philip reportedly said: "If I walk, will you walk with me?"
She explained: "At first William flatly refused. Charles pleaded with him and said that it would be utterly wrong of him not to accompany them.
"Prince Philip weighed into the argument and eventually William agreed to take part - but only on the condition that his grandfather walked beside him."
Years later, when actor Matt Smith asked William for advice on playing Philip in Netflix's The Crown, the royal replied: "Just one word - legend."
Philip also showed his support to his sixth grandchild Princess Eugenie.
Speaking in the 2016 ITV documentary Our Queen at Ninety, she described the duke as the family's "rock".
"I think Grandpa is incredible. He really is strong and consistent," she said.
"He's been there for all these years, and I think he's the rock, you know, for all of us."
Despite retiring from public life in 2017, Philip made exceptions for Eugenie and sister Princess Beatrice.
He made a point of attending Beatrice's wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi - in the middle of the pandemic.
And Philip also made sure he was at Eugenie's nuptials in 2018 - despite rumours of tension between him and her mother Sarah Ferguson.
Tributes have poured in from around the world for the hardest-working member of the Royal Family after seven decades of Royal service.
Buckingham Palace said it will now "join with people around the world in mourning his loss".
Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid tribute and said "he helped to steer the Royal Family and the monarchy so that it remains an institution indisputably vital to the balance and happiness of our national life".
Speaking from a podium in Downing Street, Mr Johnson said: "He was an environmentalist, and a champion of the natural world long before it was fashionable.
"With his Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme he shaped and inspired the lives of countless young people and at literally tens of thousands of events he fostered their hopes and encouraged their ambitions.
"We remember the duke for all of this and above all for his steadfast support for Her Majesty the Queen.
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"Not just as her consort, by her side every day of her reign, but as her husband, her 'strength and stay', of more than 70 years.
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"And it is to Her Majesty, and her family, that our nation's thoughts must turn today.
"Because they have lost not just a much-loved and highly respected public figure, but a devoted husband and a proud and loving father, grandfather and, in recent years, great-grandfather."
