For the people of Britain, who mythologize their role in World War II, the death of Prince Philip on Friday marks more than the loss of a figure who has been at the center of British public life for three-quarters of a century.
It means the change of guard within the monarchy and the nation more broadly from the generation that lived that conflict and whose arc of life included the imperial zenith of the United Kingdom, as well as its loss of empire. and a global role in reduction.
Queen Elizabeth, the prince’s wife, is still on the throne, at the age of 95, and appears to be in good health. But Philip’s death destroys a prominent link with what many Britons consider a heroic past and has provided the monarchy and the country with an opportunity to reflect on the future.
Prince Charles, heir to the throne, is a different character from his direct and forceful father. She is taking over the management of family affairs and, increasingly, moving to roles that until now fell to her mother. The country, just out of the European Union, is where it is adapting to the world stage.
In a way, Prince Philip, who was 99 years old, was a vestige of an earlier era that preceded World War II, when European royal families were married. Born prince of Greece and Denmark, he was, like his wife, a descendant of Queen Victoria.