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Prince Philip to Step Away From Public Duties Prince Philip to Step Away From Public Duties
(about 1 hour later)
LONDON — Prince Philip, the 95-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II, will stop carrying out public engagements this autumn, Buckingham Palace said on Thursday, although the role of the queen will be unchanged. LONDON — Prince Philip, the 95-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II, will step back from his royal duties and stop carrying out public engagements this autumn, Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Thursday, although the role of the queen will be unchanged.
The announcement came after members of the royal staff were summoned to a meeting on Thursday in London, a development that touched off alarms about the health of the queen and her husband and prompted a dozen television news crews to head to Buckingham Palace in the early morning. The announcement came after members of the royal staff were summoned to a meeting on Thursday in London, a development that touched off alarms about the health of the queen and her husband — and prompted a dozen television news crews to head to Buckingham Palace in the early morning.
The health of the queen and of Prince Philip has been a source of increasing concern. The prince was ill during the holiday period, while the queen, who is 91, was not seen in public for nearly a month after missing church services on Christmas and New Year’s Day because of what Buckingham Palace described as a persistent cold. Concern has been increasing about the health of the queen and of Prince Philip, who is also known as the Duke of Edinburgh. The prince was ill during the holiday period, while the queen, who is 91, was not seen in public for nearly a month after missing church services on Christmas and New Year’s Day because of what Buckingham Palace described as a persistent cold.
But both performed duties on Wednesday: The queen met Prime Minister Theresa May, and the prince cut a ribbon to open a new stand of seats at a cricket ground. But both performed royal duties on Wednesday: The queen met Prime Minister Theresa May, and the prince cut a ribbon to open a new stand of seats at a cricket ground.
“His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh has decided that he will no longer carry out public engagements from the autumn of this year,” the palace said in a statement. “In taking this decision, The Duke has the full support of The Queen.” “His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh has decided that he will no longer carry out public engagements from the autumn of this year,” the palace statement said. “In taking this decision, the duke has the full support of the queen.”
Prince Philip will attend previously scheduled engagements until August, the palace said, but he will then retreat from public view, although he may occasionally attend public events. Prince Philip will attend previously scheduled engagements until August, the palace said, but will then retreat from public view, although he may occasionally attend public events. The statement gave no reason for the decision.
“Her Majesty will continue to carry out a full programme of official engagements with the support of members of the Royal Family,” the palace said. “Her Majesty will continue to carry out a full program of official engagements with the support of members of the royal family,” the palace said.
Journalists from around the world began massing outside Buckingham Palace early in the morning watching for any sign that something was amiss. When a group of horses trotted in front of the palace, a scrum of photographers furiously clicked their cameras. It was a false alarm. The prince and the queen have been married for 70 years — the longest royal union in British history.
A former naval officer, he earned a reputation for rude and occasionally out-of-place remarks, but on Thursday he came in for praise. Mrs. May, the head of the Conservative Party, offered Prince Philip “our deepest gratitude and good wishes,” and the leaders of Britain’s other main political parties expressed similar sentiments.
The news about Prince Philip’s decision capped a bizarre morning in which journalists from around the world gathered outside Buckingham Palace early in the morning watching for any sign that something was amiss. When a group of horses trotted in front of the palace, a scrum of photographers furiously clicked their cameras. It was a false alarm.
The speculation was touched off by a report in The Daily Mail, a British tabloid, that all members of the queen’s staff had been ordered to a meeting in London, and that employees from royal residences across the country would be in attendance.The speculation was touched off by a report in The Daily Mail, a British tabloid, that all members of the queen’s staff had been ordered to a meeting in London, and that employees from royal residences across the country would be in attendance.
The Daily Mail described the meeting as “highly unusual,” and Buckingham Palace’s silence on the matter early in the morning allowed speculation to flourish. A palace official, speaking on condition of anonymity in exchange for providing information about the meeting, said such gatherings happen every now and then.The Daily Mail described the meeting as “highly unusual,” and Buckingham Palace’s silence on the matter early in the morning allowed speculation to flourish. A palace official, speaking on condition of anonymity in exchange for providing information about the meeting, said such gatherings happen every now and then.
The Sun, Rupert Murdoch’s British tabloid, erroneously published an unfinished obituary of Prince Philip online on Thursday morning, with a headline that read, “Prince Philip dead at 95, how did the Duke of Edinburgh die, etc etc.”
The piece, which was published because of a production error, was up for less than a minute on the tabloid’s website, but the headline and introduction continued to appear on Google. “We are mortified this happened,” a Sun executive said. The paper declined to comment formally.