There have been worldwide headlines following the death at Windsor Castle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the devoted consort and husband of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and 'grandfather of the nation' as people around the world mourn his loss.
The royal family and people worldwide reacted to his death, aged 99 celebrating and paying touching tributes to an extraordinary life well lived as a Royal, a husband, a father, a grandfather and in recent times, a great-grandfather.
The patriarch of the family, for 74 years of marriage Prince Philip gave tireless service and according to the Times of London by the time of his death, had undertaken 22,191 solo engagements, delivered 5,493 speeches and served as the patron of 800 charitable organisations - an unparalleled life of duty and service.
His old fashioned notions of duty and hard work are being written about in media outlets worldwide. His curiosity and sense of humour never faded as he and the Queen kept continuity and consistently amid constant change within the British monarchy. The Union Flag has been lowered to half-mast outside Buckingham Palace, and the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral, which he planned himself, will be televised around the world on Saturday.
Only around 30 relatives are expected to attend the family funeral as the late Duke will be taken in a custom-made Land Rover that he designed himself to St. George's Chapel in a ceremony that will be televised. In his trademark style, he was thought to have told the Queen, 'just stick me in the back of a Land Rover and drive me to Windsor'.
So what now for the Royal family? His grandsons Prince William and Prince Harry (without Meghan Markle, who has been advised not to travel because of the impending arrival of their second child) are expected to stand shoulder to shoulder to mourn their grandfather, and it is anticipated to be a 'time of healing for the family who is 'united in grief. This will be the first time for the brothers to meet since the bombshell Oprah interview where Harry claimed that his brother was 'trapped'.
Meanwhile, the Queen is said to be 'in contemplative mode' as she comes to terms with the loss of her steadfast companion, supporter and closest confidante of over seven decades. Her Majesty shared a touching tribute on the Royal Family's social media a day after her husband died, quoting the words she spoke on their Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1997. "He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know".
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