LONDON (AP) – Military teams from across the UK and from naval ships dropped 41 weapons on Saturday on the occasion of the death of Prince Philip, in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s former naval officer and husband, who of theirs.
The batteries of London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, the capitals of the four nations that make up the United Kingdom, as well as other cities in the United Kingdom and the Mediterranean vanguard of Gibraltar, fired at minute from noon. Ships including HMS Montrose, a frigate patrolling the Persian Gulf, offered their own greetings.
Philip, who was 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 dedicated to the Royal Navy and the Armed Forces in general,” General Nick Carter, head of the defense cabinet, said in a statement. “A well-lived life. His Royal Highness leaves us a legacy of indomitable spirit, firmness 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 was scheduled to offer its own tribute on Sunday.
Philip enlisted in the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1939 and once had a promising military career. In 1941, he was distinguished for his service during the Battle of Cape Matapan off the coast of Greece, when his control of the spotlights aboard HMS Valiant allowed the battleship to locate enemy ships in the dark. Philip was promoted to the rank of commander before retiring from active duty.
Two years after the end of the war, Philip married Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey when he was 21 and he was 26. Philip’s naval career ended abruptly when King George VI died in 1952 and the his wife became queen.
At the queen’s coronation in 1953, Philip swore to be his wife’s “man of life and limbs” and settled into a life of support for the monarch. The couple had four children: Charles, the heir to the throne, Anne, Andrew and Edward.
Prior to retiring from official duties in 2017, the Prince made more than 22,000 public engagements alone and supported more than 780 organizations, including the Duke of Edinburgh Youth Award.
Members of the public continued to honor Philip’s service life on Saturday, leaving flowers outside Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle despite calls from authorities and the royal family to refrain from reuniting due to the pandemic. COVID-19.
“I think everyone would love to do their respect,” Maureen Field, 67, said outside Windsor Castle. “Because of the virus, many people have to stay away. I didn’t want a big funeral. He wanted to spend some very private time with his family to say goodbye. Therefore, we must all respect it.
Mike Williams, 50, traveled from his home in Surrey, south-west London, to Buckingham Palace to honor the prince.
“I think he has a huge loss for the country and for the world, so we wanted to come and respect him,” Williams said. “I don’t know what he gets, but it seemed right to me.”
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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