Prince Philip to carry out final official engagement

 The Duke of Edinburgh paying a surprise visit to Iraq to see British troops serving in Basra in 2006

The Duke of Edinburgh paying a surprise visit to Iraq to see British troops serving in Basra in 2006

The Duke of Edinburgh will meet Royal Marines in his final public engagement before he retires from royal duties.

The 96-year-old announced his retirement in May, after decades of supporting the Queen, as well as attending events for his own charities and organisations.

Prince Philip has completed 22,219 solo engagements since 1952.

On Wednesday, he will meet servicemen who have taken part in a 1,664-mile trek in aid of charity.

As Captain General of the Royal Marines, the duke will attend a parade to mark the finale of the 1664 Global Challenge – a series of strength and endurance challenges raising funds and awareness for charity.

While his diary of engagements will come to an end, Buckingham Palace has said the Duke may still decide to attend certain events alongside the Queen in the future.

The Queen’s public schedule will continue as normal.

On announcing his retirement earlier this year, the royal consort was praised for his years of service, with prime minister Theresa May offering the country’s “deepest gratitude and good wishes”.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wished him “all the best in his well-earned retirement”.

BBC

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*