What did Prince Phillip mean to you?

Alegrias1- Great minds...

I don’t believe the Queen’s grief is any less than any widow’s on the basic pension. Yes she’ll definitely be more comfortable but the pain of losing a beloved partner is the same.

BlueSky

I don’t believe the Queen’s grief is any less than any widow’s on the basic pension. Yes she’ll definitely be more comfortable but the pain of losing a beloved partner is the same.

No one is saying it is less but especially as time goes by privilege and wealth cushion the blow and stop it bring worse. Which isn’t the same as making it less.

I think I have told this story before on GN but it is my favourite D of E memory. Probably only older Scottish Grans will 'get it'. here goes.

Mum Dad sister & I had been at the pictures, in Stirling. When we returned to the car (in the station Car Park) we could not get to it as the area was packed with people, police, etc. Dad, as was his wont, adopted his "act daft go half fair" persona and led us through the exit only gate onto the platform. Apparently, The Queen & Prince Philip had been attending an evening function at Stirling Castle and were about to depart on the Royal train.

The couple were standing at an open window on the train, waving to the crowd as the train pulled very slowly away. The Queen, dwarfed by the tall Duke, turned to look up at him over her shoulder, whereupon my Dad shouted "It's Chic Murray and Maisie". The crowd caught on immediately and roared and laughed. The Queen & Duke looking slightly bamboozled, laughed back to the crowd as the train moved slowly away.

Some of the nonsense on here is laughable. “He was a racist and I loathe racists”. What rubbish. He was no racist. Just the usual bile and bitterness from the usual crowd who are ALWAYS on here, especially if there’s any Royalists having a discussion.

It really is funny. It’s almost as if a rallying call goes out whenever there’s any thread involving the RF. Without a doubt, if the pro Royals were putting up threads in praise of Meghan and Harry, they’d be on like a shot to carp and criticise them. It’s just nasty, spiteful, bitter behaviour from certain types who just want to spoil the enjoyment of other posters.

Everything in life is relative,
Some folks given the opportunity to do something beneficial to others will choose to do so , others take the attitude of ‘ I’m alright Jack so F- - - You.
To acknowledge the positivities in others despite their personal circumstances is the surely just the honest thing to do.

ginny

Sad for the family as I would be for any other family.
I didn’t know him personally so he didn’t really have any effect on my life then or in his passing.

Totally in agreement with this.

suziewoozie
“No one is saying it is less but especially as time goes by privilege and wealth cushion the blow and stop it bring worse. Which isn’t the same as making it less.”
Suzie we’ll have to agree to disagree on this.

I have a nice DoE story too Granny23.

DF used to run DoE for a local young people's group. One day he was up a mountain somewhere in the Cairngorms with his binoculars, waiting for a group to come over the ridge after their expedition. Car drew up behind him and somebody said "are you looking for someone?"

It was the DoE in a land rover with the Queen in the passenger seat. DoE and DF had a nice chat about the Awards scheme. Just a nice co-incidence!

the duke of edinburgh awards, we had lots of students apply to our charity shop to do their award , it was great seeing all these youngsters from all walks of life come to learn to be a volunteer and see how a charity shop runs..i liked prince phillip for his sense of humour . he was an old fashioned gentleman .but thats what made him who he was ..

What did he mean to me?

Nothing really. He was just the Queen’s consort and I saw him briefly on TV or as a mention in the papers. I didn’t know the man and wouldn’t presume to be heartbroken, or even upset, at his death. He was 99, and died peacefully.

I know a lot more about him after the last few days, and he certainly had an eventful life. I felt for him when I read how as a 16 year old, already shunted off to boarding school because nobody wanted him, he was told that his sister, brother in law, small nephews and the baby his sister had given birth to in flight had died in a plane crash.

Those who worked with him and for him and those who actually knew him seem to speak very highly of him. On balance he did a lot more good than harm.

There’s been far too much gushing on one side, and blind hate on the other, nearly all from people who didn’t know him. Which was predictable.

I know I’d much rather have my life than his, or his wife’s for that matter.

tickingbird

Some of the nonsense on here is laughable. “He was a racist and I loathe racists”. What rubbish. He was no racist. Just the usual bile and bitterness from the usual crowd who are ALWAYS on here, especially if there’s any Royalists having a discussion.

It really is funny. It’s almost as if a rallying call goes out whenever there’s any thread involving the RF. Without a doubt, if the pro Royals were putting up threads in praise of Meghan and Harry, they’d be on like a shot to carp and criticise them. It’s just nasty, spiteful, bitter behaviour from certain types who just want to spoil the enjoyment of other posters.

I'm not sure the death of anyone is a time for "enjoyment" is it?

Rowantree : your post for Tuesday 9.13

The last line of your post saying "that is if he was the father"
it seems you are insinuating that the Queen had an affair,
as you said he bred a criminal so I suppose you are referring to Prince Andrew.
These threads about Prince Philip are bringing up vile and stupid comments from some posters a bit sad when many are trying to at least be positive, I think I will sign out it is enough to turn my stomach how hateful people can be.

On reading about his life, things I hadn’t heard or even thought about, I think he gave up much more than anyone should be asked or expected to give up when he married the Queen.
He had a very long time to live that life ,whether with regret I shall never know.

Well said, annsixty. I cringe whenever Prince Philip is praised for being the Queen’s consort. It makes him sound like a member of staff.

I don't think it is exactly that having enough money lessens grief, but sometimes there are things that one might like to do for the person one has lost, perhaps a different sort of funeral or memorial, or more hospitality for friends and family to gather and remember and talk about the person, not in the church or the crematorium, but in a more relaxed setting, where people good remember the good times and the funny incidents. Different people will have different ways they would like to sort of honour the person they have lost and not being able to afford to do those things can make one feel as though one has let down the person one has lost.
Maybe I have not explained this very well, but one can feel as if if only I could have done this or that for them would have been some sort of comfort.

Distant man in a distant land and I really never gave him a thought until he died. I think he was ok, spoke his mind, though somewhat blunt. Product of his age and background.

Some of the things he said made me laugh, this one in particular,

If it doesn’t fart and eat hay, she’s not interested.
Said of his daughter, Princess Anne.

I know he said lots of things some people disapprove of, but equally he said a lot of things that made me smile.

Said to the Queen on Coronation Day,
Where did you get that hat?

A 97 year old driving a car and crashes, putting a baby in danger -
He does it and it is ok
A different 97 yo person with no power or connections - what would have happened? It wouldnt have been overlooked like that

Trisher I'm not sure the death of anyone is a time for "enjoyment" is it

I wasn’t referring to the death of Prince Phillip, just the usual bitter, hate filled bunch that descend on the RF threads to spread their vitriol.

Hithere Try reading the papers or watching the news. Elderly drivers often cause dreadful accidents, drive the wrong way down motorways, mount pavements and kill people. Prince Phillip was blinded by the sun and had an accident. It wouldn’t have made the news if it had been any other 97 yr old.

Alegrias1

What Prince Phillip means to me is that he is even now doing a grand job at highlighting a society that allows an accident of birth and marrying into the right family to set you up for life.

I'm appreciate that he had a difficult childhood and a distinguished war record, and that he was a loyal consort to the Queen, in terms of fulfilling the vows he made to her at her coronation. He's had a lot to deal with in his family and the trials and tribulations they've faced in the last few decades. Like many of us.

But he's got a lot back. He's had a life of privilege and luxury, and has never had to worry about where the next meal was coming from, or where to find 50p for the meter. I'm sure he baulked at first at walking two steps behind the queen and all that entailed, but c'est la vie. He knew what was coming when they agreed to marry. He was a Prince, after all.

BTW I don't think he was a racist, I think he said racist things. That's different. I deplore his treatment of animals, particularly that tiger, but that's what the life of the privileged was like 60 years ago. We should be acknowledging his passing as the UK's longest serving Consort, but not deifying the man.

Sorry to repeat a long post, but it seems to me to sum up Prince Philip very well. A good post Alegrias.

How can we achieve equality for all?
2021 the world is as unequal today as it ever was.....
some people who are better off help others, some don’t, ....communism doesn’t work ....
I would be interested to hear if any of you have ideas that would address the balance of ALL inequality.

Bridgeit I don’t believe equality for all is possible but will be
interested to read replies from those who do.

Thanks maddyone.

I'm not sure equality for all is achieveable, but whether it is or not, that shouldn't stop us from trying. A good step would be for society not to be based on deference to one extended family, just because of who their ancestors are. If anyone with the right qualities could aspire to the highest office in the land, nobody need think they are inferior to anyone else just by dint of being born.