Ahead of her Accession Day on 6 February, The Queen released a statement to mark her Platinum Jubilee in which she highlighted her late husband’s dedication and service.
The statement contains a paragraph dedicated to the late Duke of Edinburgh:
I was blessed that in Prince Philip I had a partner willing to carry out the role of consort and unselfishly make the sacrifices that go with it. It is a role I saw my own mother perform during my father’s reign.
The couple married on 20 November 1947, and reached their 73rd wedding anniversary in November 2020. His death in April 2021 ended the longest royal marriage in British history.
Prince Philip is the longest serving consort in British history; he served as consort for 69 years, 2 months, and 3 days.
Throughout The Queen’s historic reign, Prince Philip was a constant. He went on all of her royal tours without her, as well as completing several tours and visits on his own. The Duke completed over 22,000 individual engagements by himself between The Queen’s ascension and his retirement in 2017.
Although Philip struggled with his role in the beginning of The Queen’s reign, he eventually found his footing. He understood that The Queen needed his passive support as consort, and created a separate role for himself with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, the World Wildlife Fund, and several other causes while still offering continual support to his wife.
This is the first historic occasion in The Queen’s reign that she has faced without her husband by her side. Although her statement touched on several different points, her inclusion of Prince Philip emphasised the importance of the role that he has played in her reign.
As she marks this auspicious day, her late husband is surely on her mind.
