Trending:

All the Royal Family’s tributes to Prince Philip: ‘My strength and stay’, ‘a remarkable man’ and ‘cheeky right til the end’

Country Life

Words of thanks and warm tributes have been paid to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, by his immediate family.

The Queen: ‘My strength and stay’

‘He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.’

Her Majesty The Queen hasn’t yet spoken publicly about Prince Philip’s passing, but the Royal Family’s media channels have used these words from her speech on the occasion of their Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1997.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh pictured in an informal moment in 1972 on the occasion of their silver wedding anniversary

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh pictured in an informal moment in 1972 on the occasion of their silver wedding anniversary. Picture: Country Life, 16 November 1972

The Prince of Wales: ‘My dear Papa was a very special person who I think above all else would have been amazed by the reaction and the touching things that have been said’

‘I particularly wanted to say that my father, for I suppose the last 70 years, has given the most remarkable, devoted service to The Queen, to my family and to the country, but also to the whole of the Commonwealth.

‘As you can imagine, my family and I miss my father enormously. He was a much loved and appreciated figure and apart from anything else, I can imagine, he would be so deeply touched by the number of other people here and elsewhere around the world and the Commonwealth, who also I think, share our loss and our sorrow.

Recommended videos for you

Prince Philip and Prince Charles on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 1953. Credit: ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images

‘My dear Papa was a very special person who I think above all else would have been amazed by the reaction and the touching things that have been said about him. And, from that point of view, we are, my family, deeply grateful for all that — it will sustain us in this particular loss and at this particularly sad time.’

The Duke of Cambridge: ‘My grandfather was an extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary generation’

‘My grandfather’s century of life was defined by service – to his country and Commonwealth, to his wife and Queen, and to our family.

‘I feel lucky to have not just had his example to guide me, but his enduring presence well into my own adult life – both through good times and the hardest days. I will always be grateful that my wife had so many years to get to know my grandfather and for the kindness he showed her.

‘I will never take for granted the special memories my children will always have of their great-grandpa coming to collect them in his carriage and seeing for themselves his infectious sense of adventure as well as his mischievous sense of humour!

‘My grandfather was an extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary generation. Catherine and I will continue to do what he would have wanted and will support The Queen in the years ahead. I will miss my Grandpa, but I know he would want us to get on with the job.’

The Princess Royal: ‘We will miss him but he leaves a legacy which can inspire us all’

You know it’s going to happen but you are never really ready. My father has been my teacher, my supporter and my critic, but mostly it is his example of a life well lived and service freely given that I most wanted to emulate. His ability to treat every person as an individual in their own right with their own skills comes through all the organisations with which he was involved.

I regard it as an honour and a privilege to have been asked to follow in his footsteps and it has been a pleasure to have kept him in touch with their activities. I know how much he meant to them, in the UK, across the Commonwealth and in the wider world.

I would like to emphasise how much the family appreciate the messages and memories of so many people whose lives he also touched.  We will miss him but he leaves a legacy which can inspire us all.

The Duke of Sussex: ‘A man of service honour and great humour… and cheeky right til the end’

‘My grandfather was a man of service, honour and great humour. Authentically himself, with a seriously sharp wit, and could hold the attention of any room due to his charm — and also because you never knew what he might say next.

‘He will be remembered as the longest reigning consort to the monarch, a decorated serviceman, a Prince and a Duke.

‘But to me, like many of you who have lost a loved one or grandparent over the pain of this past year, he was my grandpa: master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right ‘til the end.

Prince Harry and Prince Phillip enjoy the atmosphere during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final match between New Zealand and Australia at Twickenham Stadium. Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images.

‘He has been a rock for Her Majesty The Queen with unparalleled devotion, by her side for 73 years of marriage, and while I could go on, I know that right now he would say to all of us, beer in hand, ‘Oh do get on with it!’

‘So, on that note, Grandpa, thank you for your service, your dedication to Granny, and for always being yourself. You will be sorely missed, but always remembered — by the nation and the world.

‘Meghan, Archie, and I (as well as your future great-granddaughter) will always hold a special place for you in our hearts.

‘Per Mare, Per Terram.’

Prince Andrew and Prince Edward

Prince Philip’s other children, Andrew and Edwards, haven’t to date made written statements but both gave short interviews to ITV’s royal reporter Lizzie Robinson on Sunday:

20 rare and wonderful pictures of The Queen and Prince Philip

With Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh both now having passed away, we take a look back

Prince Philip: A tribute in words and pictures

His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh died on April 9, 2021, at the age of 99. Here, Country Life