The Duke of Edinburgh will retire from carrying out royal engagements this autumn, Buckingham Palace has announced.
Prince Philip, who turns 96 next month, came to the decision himself and is supported by the Queen, who the palace said would “continue to carry out a full programme of official engagements”.
The duke performed 110 days of royal duties in 2016, and is currently president or member of nearly 800 organisations. Most recently, he opened a new stand at at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Wednesday where he joked that he is “the world’s most experienced plaque unveiler”.
Following the announcement of the duke’s retirement, Prime Minister Theresa May said:
“On behalf of the whole country, I want to offer our deepest gratitude and good wishes to His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh following today’s announcement that he will stand down from public duties in the Autumn.
“From his steadfast support for Her Majesty the Queen to his inspirational Duke of Edinburgh Awards and his patronage of hundreds of charities and good causes, his contribution to our United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the wider world will be of huge benefit to us all for years to come.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn added:
“He has dedicated his life to supporting the Queen and our country with a clear sense of public duty.
“His Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme has inspired young people for more than 60 years in over 140 nations.”
