Remembering A True Gentleman

I have spent time on and off today watching the coverage after yesterday’s passing of Prince Philip. There were many things I didn’t know about him and was struck by how much of a gentleman he was.

The story I loved the most was one when he was being escorted down a hallway after an event that involved a dinner. As they passed the door to the kitchen he insisted on going inside to thank everyone in the background who had put on such a fine meal. Once he gave his thanks to them he then insisted on meeting the REAL workers. “Where are the ones doing the washing up?  I want to meet them too!”  And so he did. He thanked them all. And then he left.

According to a 2018 poll 22% of the British public have either met or seen Prince Philip, and I am fortunate to be able to count myself in that number. This picture was taken by me on June 1st, 2017, when I was privileged to have been invited to one of the garden parties at Buckingham Palace. We knew at the time that it was one of the last garden parties that the Prince would attend, so it was very special to have got so close to him on that afternoon. You can read about my visit in my blip here.

He will be greatly missed by so many around the world, but mostly by his own family. They may be royalty, but in this way they are really like any other family - missing one greatly loved.

(Forgive me, blipfoto, for violating the rule of posting a picture only on the day it was taken!  Normal service will resume tomorrow!)