LONDON (AP) – British military and naval teams launched 41 cannons on Saturday to mark the death of Prince Philip, honoring the former naval officer and husband of Queen Elizabeth II, whom they considered one of them.
Batteries in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast – the capitals of the four nations that make up the United Kingdom – as well as in other cities in the United Kingdom and the Mediterranean outpost of Gibraltar fired at one-minute intervals from noon. The ships, including HMS Montrose, a frigate patrolling the Persian Gulf, offered their own greetings.
Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, died Friday at Windsor Castle, two months before his 100th birthday.
“The Duke of Edinburgh served among us during World War II and remained devoted to the Royal Navy and the Armed Forces as a whole,” General Nick Carter, Chief of the Defense Staff, said in a statement. “A well-lived life. His Royal Highness leaves us a legacy of indomitable spirit, steadfastness and an unshakable sense of duty. ”
Members of the Commonwealth, a group of 54 countries led by the monarch, were also invited to honor Philip. The Australian Defense Force began its salute at 5pm local time in front of Parliament in Canberra, and New Zealand planned to pay its own tribute on Sunday.
Philip joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1939 and once had a promising military career. In 1941, he was honored for his service during the Battle of Cape Matapan off the coast of Greece, when his control of the spotlight aboard HMS Valiant allowed the battleship to identify enemy ships in the dark. Philip reached the rank of commander before retiring from active duty.
Two years after the end of the war, Philip married Elizabeth at Westminster, when she was 21 and 26 years old.
At the Queen’s coronation in 1953, Philip swore to be his wife’s “living man and member” and settled into a life supporting the monarch. The couple had four children – Charles, heir to the throne, Anne, Andrew and Edward.
Prior to retiring from office in 2017, the Prince made more than 22,000 public solo engagements and supported more than 780 organizations, including the Duke of Edinburgh Award for Youth.
Members of the public continued to honor the service of Philip’s life, leaving flowers outside Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, despite calls from authorities and the royal family to refrain from gathering due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think everyone would like to pay tribute,” said Maureen Field, 67, outside Windsor Castle. “Because of the virus, many people have to stay away. He didn’t want a big funeral. He wanted a very private time with his family to say goodbye. So we all have to respect that. “
Mike Williams, 50, traveled from his home in Surrey, southwest London, to Buckingham Palace to honor the prince.
“I think he has a massive loss for the country and the world, so we wanted to come and respect each other,” Williams said. “I don’t know what he’s doing, but I thought I should do it.”
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Associated Press writer James Brooks and Tom Rayner contributed.
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For full AP coverage of Prince Philip’s death, go to https://apnews.com/hub/prince-philip