Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth, died at Windsor Castle on April 9th aged 99. The couple had been married 73 years. His funeral will take place at St Georges chapel in Windsor this weekend, with only 30 people invited to attend the ceremony. The small number is partly because of Covid-19.
Prince Philip was 26 years old and Princess Elizabeth was 21 years old when they were married in 1947. The wedding took place in Westminster Abbey, and Prince Philip was given the title of the Duke of Edinburgh on that day.
When King George VI died in 1952, Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II. She has said many times that her husband has been a great support for her in her busy life.
Her husband was an officer in the Royal Navy before he was married. During his long life as husband to the Queen, he has been known for his work for the WorldWde Fund for Nature. WWF is concerned about conservation of wild animals such as elephants and pandas.
Another important interest of his was sport and fitness. He played many sports including polo. He encouraged his daughter Princess Anne when she competed in many horse-riding events including in the 1976 Olympics. Prince Philip was known for the Duke of Edinburgh Awards for young people. This encourages young people from 14 to 24 years of age to challenge themselves on a range of skills, such as physical and leadership skills and includes becoming a volunteer for some worthwhile project.
The Queen and her husband have 4 children, Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward. There are many grandchildren. Charles is heir to the throne which means that after the queen dies, he will be the next king.
Vocabulary
chapel – small church
conservation – looking after the environment, saving native plants and animals
award – a prize like a medal
worthwhile – valuable for the community, not for money
throne – the seat where the Queen sits in Parliament, it also is another way of saying The Queen or King