Over a long life the Duke’s public offices and involvements were many and varied. In 1952, at the time of the Queen’s Accession, he became Admiral of the Sea Cadet Corps, Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Cadet Force, and Air-Commodore-in-Chief of the Air Training Corps. In 1953, Coronation Year, he was elevated to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet, Field Marshal and Marshal of the Royal Air Force. Subsequently he became Colonel or Colonel-in-Chief, Captain-General, and Air Commodore forty-two times over. Away from the services, he was founder, fellow, patron, president, chairman, or member of at least 837 different organisations.
In 1948 he became a Trustee of the National Maritime Museum, an active involvement that continued until 1998. Also in 1948, he became an honorary member of the Royal Yachting Association, and was twice President, 1956–70 and 1975–80. Between 1951 and 1954 he was closely involved in the design and fitting out of the interior of the new Royal Yacht, Britannia. In 1951 he co-founded (with Frank Carr) the Cutty Sark Preservation Society, later Trust. In 1952 he became an Elder Brother of Trinity House and, subsequently, Master. In 1953 he joined the Royal Yacht Squadron: he was Admiral and Commodore, 1962–8, and rewrote the statutes. In 1955 he became Patron of the Sail Training Association. In 1969, again with Frank Carr, he was co-founder of the Maritime Trust.
From 1948 to 1976, he was Chancellor of the University of Wales. He became Chancellor of Edinburgh University in 1952, was Chancellor of Salford University 1967–91, and became Chancellor of Cambridge University in 1976. He became President of the City & Guilds of London Institute in 1951 and, in 1962, instituted the Institute’s Prince Philip Medal. In 1951–2 he was President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. In 1952 he became President of the English-Speaking Union. Again in 1952, with the Design Council he initiated the Designers’ Prize, and in 1959 initiated the Prize for Elegant Design, later known as Designer of the Year Award. From 1952 he was President of the Royal Society of Arts. From 1965 to 1975 he was President of the Council of Engineering Institutions. In 1976 he initiated the Fellowship of Engineering and became Senior Fellow of what was to become the Royal Academy of Engineering. In 1965 he was chairman of the originating committee of the Queen’s Award for Industry.
The list of his involvements, initiatives, and chairmanships is a long one: Variety Club (Life Member from 1949), MCC (Life Member from 1948, President 1949–50, 1974–5), Lord’s Taverners (Patron and Twelfth Man from 1950), Automobile Association (President, 1951–61), the Coronation Commission (Chairman, 1952–3), Royal Mint Advisory Committee on the Design of Coins, Seals and Medals (1952–99), Air League (Patron from 1950), Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators (Grand Master from 1952 and initiator of the Prince Philip Prize for Helicopter Rescue), Guards Polo Club (Founder, 1955), Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth (President and co-founder, with Sam Hordern, 1956), Commonwealth Technical Training Week (initiator, 1957), Voluntary Service Overseas (Patron from 1961), National Federation of Housing Associations (President, 1975–80, Patron from 1981), St George’s House (Co-founder with the Dean of Windsor, Robin Woods, 1965), Westminster Abbey Trust (President, 1972–97: the Trust raised some £22 million and oversaw major repairs to the exterior of the Abbey), British Commonwealth Ex-Service League (Grand President from 1974), Prince Philip Trust for Windsor and Maidenhead (Co-founder with Sir Kit Aston, 1976, and chairman of Trustees).
The significant prizes and medals that he initiated or that bear his name (there are at least seventy-five) reflect a cross-section of his interests: yachting, sailing, rowing, riding, carriage driving, dressage, flying, design, engineering, education, conservation, agriculture, even tiddlywinks (the inter-university championship), greyhound racing, and the Pakistan Army Pipe Band Trophy.
When I first showed Prince Philip this list of ‘achievements’ he made some factual corrections which I have incorporated and reminded me that ‘getting the details right’ matters. For example, while he acknowledged that it was reasonable to describe him as a founder of the Guards Polo Club in 1955, ‘To be strictly accurate, I organised for, what was then, the Household Brigade Polo Club, to play on Smith’s Lawn [at Windsor]. The club was founded by officers of the Brigade. It later became the Guards Club.’
If I had to highlight just three of the organisations in which Prince Philip was involved, I would choose these:
1. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme. Started from scratch in 1956, the concept has spread to 132 countries. More than eight million young people have taken part. In terms of a legacy, this is, to me, the Great Achievement, both because of its impact on so many individual lives and because the qualities the Award encourages – self-reliance, compassion, fitness, skill, endeavour – are among those Prince Philip valued most.
2. The International Equestrian Federation. Outside the horse-orientated world, this means very little, but it features on the list because the Duke was the active (some felt hyper-active) President for twenty-two years. He introduced international rules for carriage driving, long-distance riding and vaulting; he added international competitions for ponies, juniors and young riders; he steered the veterinary committee; he ran the show. In 1971 he initiated the International Carriage Driving Grand Prix at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. In 1972 he founded the Windsor Park Equestrian Club.
3. The World Wide Fund for Nature. Ornithology was a lifelong enthusiasm (800 books on birds on his shelves, President of the British Trust for Ornithology since 1987) and he was President of the London Zoological Society from 1960 to 1977, but his close involvement with WWF (UK President since 1961, International President from 1981, President Emeritus from 1996) saw his interest in wildlife broaden from a commitment to the conservation of natural habitats to a passionate and tireless championing of global environmental issues. (He was President of the Game Research Association, 1964–70; President of Game Conservancy, 1970–73, and subsequently Patron and Life Member; he was Patron of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation from 1967 and Patron of the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers from 1970.)
For the record, and because I have not seen the information given elsewhere, here is the note Prince Philip sent to me about his involvement in the World Wide Fund for Nature. It is typical of HRH’s style in several ways – not least because it manages to include a side-swipe at the press! ‘The exact story of my involvement in WWF started when Peter Scott [ornithologist and conservationist, 1909–89] came to me to invite me to become President of the newly founded international organisation. I had already been attacked by the Daily Mirror for shooting, so I thought it might be counter-productive to take a high-profile position in a conservation organisation. In any case I was already committed to the FEI [International Equestrian Federation] and I did not think that I could do two international jobs at the same time. However, I happened to know that P Bernhard [Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands] was staying at Claridge’s. I knew he was very interested in the African Game Parks, so I suggested that Peter should approach him. However, I agreed to become a Trustee of the international body and I also agreed to become President of the UK National Appeal while I was President of the London Zoo. That was later conveniently forgotten and I stayed on the Board. I eventually became International President in – I think – 1981 till 1995.’
Finally, here is a list of the Duke’s ‘offices and involvements’ kindly prepared by Dame Anne Griffiths, Prince Philip’s archivist and librarian:
Offices and Involvements
1947
Patron, London Federation of Boys’ Clubs (later London Federation of Clubs for Young People, then Federation of London Youth Clubs and now London Youth)
1948
President, National Playing Fields Association
1948–2000
Trustee, National Maritime Museum
Patron from 2000
1948
Hon. Member, Royal Yachting Association
Hon. Member of Council from 1980
President, 1956–70 and
1975–80
1948
Member, Royal Yacht Squadron
Admiral from 1953
1962–8 Commodore and rewrote Statutes
1948
Hon. Life Member, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)
President, 1949–50 and 1974–5
1948–76
Chancellor, University of Wales
1949
Life Member, Variety Club of Great Britain
1950
Patron and Twelfth Man, Lords Taverners
President 1960–61
1951–61
President, Automobile Association
Hon. Life Member from 1947
Ex-officio Member of the Committee from 1961
1951
President, Central Council of Physical Recreation and saved it from extinction
1951
Co-founder, with Frank Carr, the Cutty Sark Preservation Society (now Cutty Sark Trust), Patron 1952–2000
President from 2000
1951
President, City and Guilds of London Institute 1962 initiated Prince Philip Medal
1951–2
President, British Association for the Advancement of Science
1951–4
HM Yacht Britannia – involved in design until commissioned
1952–99
President, Royal Mint Advisory Committee on the design of coins, seals and medals
1952
President, English-speaking Union of the Commonwealth. Chairman, English Language Committee from 1977
1952
Chancellor, University of Edinburgh
1952–2002
Grand Master, Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators 1979 Prince Philip Prize for Helicopter Rescue Patron from 2002
1952
Elder Brother, Trinity House Master from 1969
1952
Patron, Air League President in 1969
1952–2000
President, British Amateur Athletic Board (later British Athletic Federation and now UK Athletics) Patron from 2000
1952
First flight on 12 November – Chipmunk from White Waltham
1952
President and Hon. Life Fellow, Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce
1953
Patron, Outward Bound Trust 1995–2000, Chairman of Trustees
1955
Founder and President, Guards Polo Club (originally Household Brigade Polo Club)
1955–90
President, Commonwealth Games Federation
1956
Founder, Commonwealth Study Conferences, held every six years – 1956, 1962, 1968, 1974, 1980, 1986, 1992, 1998, 2003
1956
Co-founder with Kurt Hahn and Chairman of Trustees, the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme Patron and Trustee 1961–2001 Patron from 2001
1956
Initiator, Lunches at Buckingham Palace
1956–92
Patron, Sail Training Association
1957
Co-founder with Sam Hordern, Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth, President from 1958
1957
Patron and co-founder with Michael Ansell, Pony Club Mounted Games Championship – Prince Philip Cup President, the Pony Club 1997–2002
1957
Initiator, Commonwealth Technical Training Week, held in 1961
1959
Initiated Designer’s Prize with the Design Council (formerly the Duke of Edinburgh’s Prize for Elegant Design (1959), the Duke of Edinburgh’s Design Prize (1971) and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Prize for Industrial Design (1976–89). Since 1990 the Prince Philip Designer’s Prize for the Designer of the Year)
1960–77
President, Zoological Society of London
Life Fellow 1959–77
Hon. Fellow from 1977
1960
Founder with Lord Buxton of Alsa, Countryside in 1970 Conferences, 1963, 1965 and 1970
1961
Patron, Voluntary Service Overseas
1961–81
UK President and International Trustee, World Wildlife Fund (now World Wide Fund for Nature)
1981–96 International President
1996– President Emeritus
1964–70
President, Game Research Association
1970–73 President, the Game Conservancy
1973– Patron and Life Member
1964–86
President, International Equestrian Federation (FEI)
Introduced International Rules for Carriage-Driving, Long-Distance Riding, Vaulting and initiated Veterinary Committee and Veterinary Regulations
Added International Competitions for Pony Riders, Jumons and Young Riders
1965
President, Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851
1965
Co-founder with Robin Woods, Dean of Windsor, and Trustre of the Council, St George’s House, Windsor Castle
1965
Chairman, Originating Committee, Queen’s Award for Industry, now the Queen’s Awards for Export & Technology
1965–75
President, Council of Engineering Institutions
1976 Initiator, Fellowship of Engineering
1976– Senior Fellow
From 1992 Royal Academy of Engineering
1966
Chairman and President Panel of Judges, Tiger Club ‘Dawn to Dusk’ (flying) Competition for the Duke of Edinburgh Trophy
1967
Patron, British Association for Shooting & Conservation (formerly WAGBI)
1967–91
First Chancellor, University of Salford
1968
Initiator, Standing Conference on Schools Science and Technology (SCSSI), subsequently Patron, Association for Schools’ Science Engineering and Technology
From 1961 Patron, Association for Science Education
1969
Co-founder with Frank Carr and President, the Maritime Trust
1970
Patron, British Trust for Conservation Volunteers
1971
Initiator, International Carriage-driving Grand Prix, Royal Windsor Horse Show
1971
Founder and Life Member, Windsor Park Equestrian Club, Patron 1971–84
President from 1984
1972
Initiator, Private Dinners at Buckingham Palace
1973–97
Chairman, Westminster Abbey Trust
1974
Grand President, British Commonwealth Ex-Services League and known from 2003 as the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League
1975–80
President, National Federation of Housing Associations Patron from 1981
1976
Chancellor of the University of Cambridge
1976
Co-founder with Sir Kit Aston, then Mayor of Windsor, and Chairman of Trustees, Prince Philip Trust for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
1977–8
Promoter, Degrees in Military Studies for Service Officers
1978
Co-founder with Colonel Anderton of Standing Conference on Countryside Sports
1978
Member of the British Team at the Four-in-Hand World Driving Championships which won the Team Bronze Medal at Kecskemet, Hungary
1980
Member of the British Team at the Four-in-Hand World Driving Championships which won the Team Gold Medal at Windsor
1981
Member of the British Team at the Four-in-Hand European Driving Championships which won the Team Bronze Medal at Zug, Switzerland
1982
Member of the British Team at the Four-in-Hand World Driving Championships which won the Team Bronze Medal at Apeldoorn, Netherlands
1984
Member of the British Team at the Four-in-Hand World Driving Championships which won the Team Bronze Medal at Szilvasvarad, Hungary
1984–91
Chairman of Inq
uiry into British Housing as Patron of the National Federation of Housing Associations (1st Report 1985, 2nd Report 1991)
Philip: The Final Portrait Page 52
