Duke of Edinburgh to Retire from Public Engagements in August: May 4, 2017

[Duke of Marmalade]

'Sorry to hear you're standing down, sir.' 'Well I can't stand up much longer!' Prince Philip, 95, seals his retirement in typically humorous style as he prepares to end 70 years of royal duties

Prince Philip seals retirement in typically humorous style | Daily Mail Online

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[MichelleQ2]

Me too!
I thought it would be something big, like an abdication or an engagement or something.

Why didn't the palace simply issue an announcement (which would have surprised nobody) instead of calling a huge meeting and getting everyone all excited over nothing, really?

completely agree. I don't believe the retirement was a surprise, but the timing of the 'emergency' announcement from the 'we plan everything Windsors' most surely was. I can only suppose that something may have happened behind the scenes at his event yesterday which was a trigger. Philip is a very proud man, maybe he couldn't stand for long - or needed more help than he normally does. He does not want to appear infirm in any capacity. The timing was good in that the announcement was immediately followed up by an appearance putting to rest immediate health issues. He gets to retire on his own terms, transition as he likes and will still be around.

 

[Rudolph]

It wasn't an 'emergency meeting', that's just tabloid hype. A meeting of palace staff was called by The Lord Chamberlain to give them a heads up before the press. A lot of staff have been there for years. It was a nice courtesy.

This will have been in the works for weeks if not months. No coincidence The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced last month a full-time move to London with William devoting himself to royal engagements.

 

[Curryong]

I don't think the staff meeting was called specifically to talk about Prince Philip's retirement, though of course it would be announced to staff and discussed. I believe that some of the meeting would have been about the revamp of BP, storage of artefacts while workmen were in the Palace etc.

I think the officials at BP didn't reckon on Twitter etc going into meltdown about Rebecca English in the Daily Fail rattling on in that article about emergency meetings called in the middle of the night and so-called speculation about the Queen and Duke's health.

When social media started running with it it there was talk of abdication and sudden death and serious illnesses, and the whole thing got rapidly out of control. By the time foreign media outlets were sending cameramen etc to wait outside BP the grey men realised they had better release that announcement pronto. The frenzy that we've witnessed in the last several hours is the downside of social media, IMO.

 

[rmay286]

It wasn't an 'emergency meeting', that's just tabloid hype. A meeting of palace staff was called by The Lord Chamberlain to give them a heads up before the press. A lot of staff have been there for years. It was a nice courtesy.

I agree, this was the Daily Mail whipping the world into a frenzy over one story that made it sound like the meeting was called at 3 am. I don't think it was actually called at 3 am, the Daily Mail just probably got a hold of it at 3 am and published it then. It's really alarming, what power the Daily Mail has!

However, even though this news is not exactly surprising, I think it does have implications for the future. The Queen does many of her engagements with Philip (and has, for 70 years!)...is she going to want to do all her engagements alone for the coming years?

And what happens if the Queen herself reaches the age of 96? While she and Philip both seem mentally sharp, it seems to me that the Queen moves more slowly than Philip and in some ways shows her age more.

There's no precedent for a 90-something monarch, and while I know we've always believed the Queen will never abdicate, it's possible that she herself will have to drastically scale back her duties at some point. How would the public react if she were only making a few public appearances a year, but remained Queen?

 

[BMC]

completely agree. I don't believe the retirement was a surprise, but the timing of the 'emergency' announcement from the 'we plan everything Windsors' most surely was. I can only suppose that something may have happened behind the scenes at his event yesterday which was a trigger. Philip is a very proud man, maybe he couldn't stand for long - or needed more help than he normally does. He does not want to appear infirm in any capacity. The timing was good in that the announcement was immediately followed up by an appearance putting to rest immediate health issues. He gets to retire on his own terms, transition as he likes and will still be around.

This may very well have been the case- he may have returned home & just realized he wasn't up to it anymore. Moments of truth can happen at any time. It might also explain the "emergency" meeting- if HRH made his decision right then & there it would have been necessary to get the staff together in a hurry, to let them know what was happening.

I wonder what HM's reaction to his decision was. This will be a big adjustment for her too as he so often accompanied her on trips & engagements.

 

[Duchessmary]

Bravo! Good for him.

 

[BMC]

I agree, this was the Daily Mail whipping the world into a frenzy over one story that made it sound like the meeting was called at 3 am. I don't think it was actually called at 3 am, the Daily Mail just probably got a hold of it at 3 am and published it then. It's really alarming, what power the Daily Mail has!

However, even though this news is not exactly surprising, I think it does have implications for the future. The Queen does many of her engagements with Philip (and has, for 70 years!)...is she going to want to do all her engagements alone for the coming years?

And what happens if the Queen herself reaches the age of 96? While she and Philip both seem mentally sharp, it seems to me that the Queen moves more slowly than Philip and in some ways shows her age more.

There's no precedent for a 90-something monarch, and while I know we've always believed the Queen will never abdicate, it's possible that she herself will have to drastically scale back her duties at some point. How would the public react if she were only making a few public appearances a year, but remained Queen?

I think most people will understand. Many people have or have had elderly parents and know that people simply can't do a full day when they are that old.

 

[Rudolph]

Prince Philip was back on royal duties today. In great form. He will continue on until this fall. It wasn't a last minute decision. The House of Windsor doesn't operate that way. Charles and William at the least will have been given notice.

Like I said, The Cambridges coming back to London full-time with William devoting himself to royal life isn't a coincidence in my opinion.

 

[rmay286]

I think most people will understand. Many people have or have had elderly parents and know that people simply can't do a full day when they are that old.

But will people say, 'she should just abdicate' if the Queen can't appear much in public anymore?

I mean, everyone always says the Queen will never abdicate because of her uncle's abdication, but doing it in old age would be a very different story.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

1. If there are still people who believe that the Queen is going to put the monarchy's existence at stake by abdicating as the Queen of 16 countries and the head of the Commonwealth at the age of 91, then these people don't know what they are talking about.

2. She has knee problems, but she is healthy, she rides her horses and looks amazing.

3. She has already chaled down her duties (especially after 2012): She no longer goes on walkabouts, no longer uses open cars, she does not travel around the UK like she used to, and she no longer travels abroad.

4. The Queen has a completely different role than Philip and as long as she is cleare in her head and is capable of meeting the PM and do some things inside/outside the palace, then there wont be need for a regency. Her mother did engagements at the age of 101.

 

[loonytick]

I suspect the "emergency call to meeting" was something along the lines of an email that was timed to go out in the middle of the night. That can be a good strategy to make sure people see the message first thing when they get into work, but not before -- you know to limit anticipatory "what do you think the meeting is about" talk.

Of course, it's a strategy that breaks down if people are up in the middle of the night checking messages or have an alert set to go off when a note comes in from certain folks and are also of a nature to speculate wildly and assume the worst (and call in to their friend at the DM with a scoop...)

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Read more: Prince Philip isn't really retiring - he's just pacing himself

While I am not too concerned by his announcement, ahead of his 96th birthday next month, the timing has several merits. It comes in a week when there is good TV footage of him around – not least at Lord’s on Tuesday, when he made a jolly joke about being “an experienced plaque-unveiler”.

Nor does the announcement withdraw him from any engagements already planned; it just means he can turn things down from the autumn onwards. It is not in his nature to disappoint people or let them down.

Around the time he turned 90, the Duke let it be known that he wanted to take life easier and enjoy himself. Few have detected any time when he seemed to do less.

I rather suspect that now, with the pressure off, he may make a habit of showing up at events as a surprise.

He will hand-over presidencies, patronages, step down from regiments and so forth, but I cannot see him idle. He is not for the chaise longue. He will not do as Pope Benedict and disappear from public view altogether.

The Duke has long used public engagements as sport, at which he can be more combative than on state occasions. With little time to engage with all those in attendance, he tends to go in with all guns blazing, displaying that good-natured spiritedness that has kept him young.

 

[BMC]

But will people say, 'she should just abdicate' if the Queen can't appear much in public anymore?

I mean, everyone always says the Queen will never abdicate because of her uncle's abdication, but doing it in old age would be a very different story.

They may say that but no way will she do it.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Video from Nicholas Witchell:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j44PoPdtU14

 

[Dman]

Prince Philip was back on royal duties today. In great form. He will continue on until this fall. It wasn't a last minute decision. The House of Windsor doesn't operate that way. Charles and William at the least will have been given notice.

Like I said, The Cambridges coming back to London full-time with William devoting himself to royal life isn't a coincidence in my opinion.

I agree. I've been saying for a long time that the Cambridge's would have to make their transition to only royal duties this year. A lot of things are coming full circle now.

 

[Prisma]

May Prince Philip enjoy his retirement. I appreciate his many years of service.

 

[Pranter]

I'd say the BRF has known at least a year what the plan was.


LaRae

 

[wyevale]

The Duke of Edinburgh may have been the last man still active in public life who fought in the Second World War.
Bravo, and thank you, Sir, for 60 years of exemplary service to your wife, the Monarchy, this country and the Commonwealth..
We owe you a GREAT debt..

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

I'd say the BRF has known at least a year what the plan was.


LaRae

From BBC live: Prince Philip to retire from public engagements - BBC News

Decision 'considered since turn of the year'

The BBC's royal correspondent, Nicholas Witchell, said Prince Philip had been "thinking actively" about the decision since the turn of the year.

Our correspondent said the Prince had wanted to be there publicly for events like the Queen's 90th birthday last year.

He said there were no health considerations involved in the decision, other than the "inevitable health elements" for someone who is 95.

 

[Winnie]

It wasn't an 'emergency meeting', that's just tabloid hype. A meeting of palace staff was called by The Lord Chamberlain to give them a heads up before the press. A lot of staff have been there for years. It was a nice courtesy.

This will have been in the works for weeks if not months. No coincidence The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced last month a full-time move to London with William devoting himself to royal engagements.

I agree. It was a made-up story by the scum media to cause a dramatic headline. They were probably annoyed that it was just a retirement and not something worse, knowing how their minds work. I think is was a lovely polite courtesy for the meeting to be held instead of the loyal staff to read in newspapers or hear on TV/radio. Shows class and respect for employees. Something quite lacking in today's society lately.

But will people say, 'she should just abdicate' if the Queen can't appear much in public anymore?

I mean, everyone always says the Queen will never abdicate because of her uncle's abdication, but doing it in old age would be a very different story.

I don't believe intelligent people will ever say anything if Queen cuts down on her events. She is already the hardest working Queen/King and even when she does cut back a bit, she will still outdo many that sits in other countries. She will never abdicate [like Queen Victoria before her] and what her uncle did really hasn't affected her decision. She is true to herself. JMO

 

[Osipi]

As I figure it, what most likely happened was that Buckingham Palace waited until the last minute possible to alert the media that there would be a meeting and then an announcement forthcoming. That's all they had to say. The media ran with it and figured that as they were given such short notice, something dire was in the air and news was ready to break. That's like a triple shot of adrenaline for reporters and photographers and speculation abounded.

Its not unusual for the press to be alerted at the last minute. If memory serves me right, they were all alerted only hours before William and Kate announced their engagement. The family knew of the engagement long before it was announced but no one told the media until they had to.

 

[principessa]

He did great work for the United Kingdom and he deserves his retirement.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Though it will be strange not to see the Duke attending public events its no real surprise given his age and the Duke well deserves his retirement at 96!

 

[Nico]

Hurray for the the world's most experienced plaque-unveiler !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDTmdrIVrqc

The man is a LEGEND

I wish him all the best and a happy, and well deserved, retirement.

 

[HRHHermione]

A cartoon in honor of Prince Philip shared by The Telegraph

 

[Lady Nimue]

And what happens if the Queen herself reaches the age of 96? While she and Philip both seem mentally sharp, it seems to me that the Queen moves more slowly than Philip and in some ways shows her age more.

I agree. IMO this is about The Queen's health, too. I especially see it in the close up pictures. In my view, this is setting the stage for her pulling back. Not a choice, really, just life. Queen Victoria was lucky in that she could stay cloistered without the glare of the floodlights on her every move. Queen Elizabeth deserves some slack, and I think it's only reasonable to see that happen sooner rather than later.

There's no precedent for a 90-something monarch, and while I know we've always believed the Queen will never abdicate, it's possible that she herself will have to drastically scale back her duties at some point. How would the public react if she were only making a few public appearances a year, but remained Queen?

I think that time is coming, and it will be Charles handling the front-and-center events of the monarchy in the not too distant future. JMO.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Read more: How Prince Philip's unorthodox upbringing and traumatic childhood shaped him

He had the most unorthodox childhood: with his mother in a psychiatric clinic and his exiled father mostly absent, Prince Philip spent his early years being sent from post to pillar. Despite a succession of family tragedies, he emerged capable, charming and uncomplaining.

As the longest-serving royal consort in British history approached his 90th birthday in 2011, the Telegraph published an exclusive extract from Philip Eade’s book, Young Prince Philip: His Turbulent Early Life, which showed how his traumatic childhood shaped him and details the strength of character he showed in the face of such tragedy and turbulence.

More about HM, the Queen's role:
Royal Correspondent Rhiannon Mills said this on Sky News 40 minutes ago: ''Also within that statement that was relised this morning there is that very clear message of reassurance when it comes to the Queen's role going forward. Today I'm being told very clearly that she will carry on with those engagements and that it will be business as usual, she will continue to be busy and she is as dedicated as ewer to her own public life.''

 

[Skippyboo]

There isn't a precedent for a 90 something monarch but there is a precedence for an unwell monarch. It's called a regency. The mechanism of it is already in place. If the Queen can't do the job anymore then Charles will be the regent. It's that simple.

 

[Blog Real]

Will William, Kate, and Harry now have more official duties?