LONDON (CU)_The British Royal Family recently paid tribute to the Commonwealth by highlighting the commitment the late- Duke of Edinburgh had towards the group of nations. The official Instagram account of the Royal Family shared several images, including one of the Queen and Prince Philip during an official visit, along with others of the Duke greeting crowds, speaking to cadets and accepting a flag from children in New Zealand.
The caption of the post read: “The Duke of Edinburgh was committed to the Commonwealth, meeting and connecting with people from every walk of life.” It highlighted the fact that His Royal Highness had visited 50 Commonwealth countries during his lifetime, including 229 solo visits, some made to the most remote parts of the world.
According to the post, as a senior official of the navy before his marriage to The Queen, Prince Philip had military affiliations with several Commonwealth nations, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It went on to detail some of the Commonwealth appointments Prince Philip had over the course of his life, such as the Commonwealth Games Federations.
Moreover, it acknowledged the contributions made by the Duke towards social welfare, as a patron or president of a range of Commonwealth charitable bodies and civil societies, from the Bahamas National Trust to Surf Life Saving Australia. His Royal Highness also founded The Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conferences, which has brought together more than 10,000 emerging leaders since its launch in 1956, it added.
Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Patricia Scotland issued a statement last week, paying tribute to His Royal Highness. “Past, present and future generations of Commonwealth citizens owe a debt of gratitude to Prince Philip for remaining constant and steadfast in his commitment to the Commonwealth, and his assuredness and vision of its global importance,” she said.
Touching personal tributes were also released by members of the Royal Family since Prince Philip’s passing, including one from Prince William, in which he described the late-Duke as “an extraordinary man… part of an extraordinary generation”.
Prince Charles honoured his “papa” in an emotional slideshow of images, which included family photographs from his childhood and pictures of the Queen and her husband laughing together over the years.
