On April 9, 2021, His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, died, at age
99. While the death of Queen Elizabeth II's husband is a sad event for those who loved
him around the world, it is obviously more heartbreaking for his family members, like
his wife of 74 years, his children, and of course, his grandchildren.
Of his numerous grandchildren, none might be as affected as the children of Prince Charles
and the late Princess Diana: Prince William and Prince Harry. When Diana died, it was
Philip and Elizabeth who tried to shield the young boys from the paparazzi and allow them
to mourn in peace.
According to Tina Brown, author of The Diana Chronicles, Philip did all he could to distract
his grandsons from dwelling on their mother's death. Brown wrote,
"Prince Philip took them walking, horse riding and fishing every day — anything to take
their minds off the tragedy."
The late prince's protection of the boys was further confirmed by royal expert Kinsey Schofield,
founder of the royals website ToDiForDaily, who spoke to The List. Schofield said,
"You will remember, Prince Philip offered to walk behind Princess Diana's coffin with
Prince William and Prince Harry to offer them strength and comfort."
Service has always been a large part of the royal family's duties, and the Duke of Edinburgh
was no exception. In fact, Prince Philip "played a leading role in many aspects of national
life... [and] was associated with 992 organisations," according to the royal family's official website.
Many of the patronages were divided up among other royal family members when Philip officially
retired in 2017, but he was still actively interested in many parts of British life.
Prince William took on a few of Philip's more well-known charities, like the National Playing
Fields Association and BAFTA upon Philip's retirement, and the Duke of Cambridge's responsibilities
might get ramped up in the future. Kinsey Schofield noted in her interview with The
List,
"Prince William should prepare to take on more responsibility. There will be numerous
reactions when we, God forbid, lose the Queen. Prince Philip's death is making us contemplate
this."
With the queen's death, William's responsibilities will become even more numerous, as he would
then officially become the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cornwall, taking over even
more work from his father. Philip's death most likely has the Duke of Cambridge thinking
about the future and he will undoubtedly work hard to honor his grandfather's contributions
to the United Kingdom throughout his life.
While growing up in the royal family, Prince William carried a lot of admiration for his
grandfather. As a teen boy attending the boarding school Eton College, Prince William regularly
met with his grandparents for lunch, solidifying their bond. Kinsey Schofield told The List,
"Prince Philip would slip out at some point in the afternoon so Queen Elizabeth could
mentor Prince William on the monarchy, but Prince Philip was very much involved in this
process to mold Prince William into the young man he was."
The Duke of Edinburgh especially took Princes William and Harry under his wing after their
mother's death in 1997. In The Diana Chronicles, Tina Brown wrote that Prince Philip's own
mother was admitted to a mental hospital for three years when he was 10, so he understood
some of the loss his grandsons felt. So, Prince Philip helped them with their grief through,
quote, "gruff tenderness and outdoor activities."
As an adult, Prince William praised Prince Philip's military service, philanthropy, and
mentorship in a 2018 speech to the Charity Commission.
"My grandfather Prince Philip has been one of the most tireless public servants of this
country, deeply committed to helping young people fulfill their potential."
Prince Philip's death leaves the royal family's great-grandchildren without their great-grandfather
— including Prince William's children with his wife, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge.
But even though the Duke of Edinburgh is gone, Prince Louis and Prince George both have tributes
in their names to their late great-grandfather.
According to Town & Country, George's middle name Louis and Prince Louis' first name were
given to them in honor of Prince Philip's uncle, the late Lord Louis Mountbatten, a
distinguished British Royal Navy officer who raised Philip.
It seems clear that Prince William and Prince Philip had an unbreakable bond as grandfather
and grandson. The Duke of Edinburgh's legacy will likely be carried on through not only
his grandsons, but his great-grandchildren.
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