The Edinburgh Reporter May 2021

8 DUKE OF EDINBURGH
Allan Warren
Capital city
fit for a duke
PRINCE PHILIP DUKE OF EDINBURGH 1921 - 2021
HRH PRINCE PHILIP, Duke of Edinburgh, died at Windsor Castle on 9 April. His association
with the capital was long and important, evident in the quadrant of his personal Standard which
bore an illustration of Edinburgh Castle. He married Princess Elizabeth on 20 November 1947,
when he was granted the style His Royal Highness and the title Duke of Edinburgh was recreated.
Ceremony of the Keys
THERE ARE MANY
people across the
world whose lives were
touched by the Duke
of Edinburgh. Cllr
Gavin Barrie
remembered while
attending the
Ceremony of the Keys
in 2018, that the last
time he had met the Duke was 43 years earlier when he had
been invited to the Palace of Holyroodhouse to receive his Duke
of Edinburgh Gold Award.
Cllr Barrie said: “To me that award is of great significance,
because two years later in 1977, aged 20, I was one of 600
applicants to apply to join Tayside Fire Brigade, as it was known
at that time.
“Of the 600 hundred applicants ten of us made it through to
the final interview with the Firemaster, where two were selected
for employment. My abiding memory of that interview was the
only thing the Firemaster asked me about was what I did to
achieve the Gold DofE Award. And there started a career for me
that lasted 34 years.”
41 Gun Salute
ON 10 APRIL there was a Death
Gun Salute from Edinburgh Castle
to commemorate His Royal
Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of
Edinburgh. Gun salutes were also
fired in other cities in the UK, in
Gibraltar and from Her Majesty’s
Ships at sea. The 41 rounds were
fired at one per minute for 40
minutes. While the public had been
advised to stay at home and watch
on TV, many hundreds gathered in
Princes Street Gardens to watch
and listen on this solemn occasion.
© The Scottish Gallery
POLITICIANS OF ALL parties
remembered Prince Philip during
consideration of Motions of Condolence.
In Edinburgh the council’s motion was laid
down by The Rt Hon Lord Provost, Frank
Ross, who is also The Queen’s royal
representative in Scotland and Lord
Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh.
“On behalf of this council, and the
citizens of Edinburgh, I want to offer my
deep condolences to Her Majesty The
Queen and Members of the Royal Family
on news of the death of His Royal Highness
The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
“Made Duke of Edinburgh on the day of
his wedding to Princess Elizabeth in 1947,
His Royal Highness has made an immense
contribution to the civic life and
international reputation of Edinburgh
throughout an extraordinary life of
public service.
“He demonstrated great appreciation of
and support for Scotland’s capital city and
its citizens. Quite simply, he took the name
of our Capital across the world and put
Edinburgh on the map in so many ways.
“Our strong relationship with the Duke
was consolidated at a very early stage
when he was presented with the Freedom
of the City in March 1949, in recognition
of his distinguished role and effort in
supporting Edinburgh.
“In 1953, the year of the Coronation, the
Duke was appointed Chancellor of the
University of Edinburgh and held this
position for nearly 60 years until 2010.
“His Royal Highness’s great interest in
the benefits of education and belief in
opportunities to transform young people’s
lives was also reflected in the setting up of
the inspirational Duke of Edinburgh
Awards Scheme in 1956.
“We know of course that The Duke
himself had, following a life of public
service, retired finally from his official
Royal duties in 2017, aged 96.
“It was particularly significant therefore
that the Depute Lord Provost, Cllr Joan
Griffiths, and I had the pleasure
of welcoming both The Queen and The
Prince Philip visiting
The Scottish Gallery
Celebrity New York
photographer Inge Morath
Duke of Edinburgh to the Opening of
the new Queensferry Crossing on the
Edinburgh side of the new Bridge on
4 September 2017.
This was indeed the last time that the
Duke undertook a formal engagement in
the city and a highly significant one at that,
enhancing transport links and economic
development opportunities across the Firth
of Forth and the East of Scotland.
His Royal Highness remained Patron,
President or member of some 30
Edinburgh-based organisations and won a
special place in the hearts of local people.
It has been my privilege and honour to
serve as Lord Lieutenant for Edinburgh, a
city where Prince Philip’s legacy will be
outstanding and enduring.”
Scottish Gallery
PRINCE PHILIP was a great friend
of the landscape and subject
painter, The Earl Haig. The image
here capture a visit to The Scottish
Gallery in 1981, (when the gallery
was in Castle Street) to see his
friend’s latest exhibition.
The Duke enjoyed an extensive
tour of the gallery which also
included an exhibition by the
British ceramicist Jennifer Lee.
Prince Philip was a great patron
of the arts and acquired emerging
talent regularly from the Royal
Scottish Academy Summer Show.