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Prince Philip

Gun salutes planned across UK as Prince Philip dies at 99

International Desk | banglanews24.com
Update: 2021-04-10 12:25:09
Gun salutes planned across UK as Prince Philip dies at 99 [photo collected]

Gun salutes to mark the death of the Duke of Edinburgh are due to take place later across the UK, in Gibraltar and from warships at sea.

Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II's husband of 73 years, died on Friday.

Aged 99, he was the longest-serving royal consort in British history.

Saluting batteries will fire 41 rounds at one round every minute from 12:00 BST in cities including London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, the Ministry of Defence said.

Royal Navy ships at sea, including HMS Diamond and HMS Montrose, will also fire the salute in honour of the duke, who served as a naval officer during World War Two and held the office of Lord High Admiral.

The salutes will be broadcast online and on TV, and the public are encouraged to observe them from home.

In pictures: Death of Prince Philip announced
Obituary: HRH the Duke of Edinburgh
An extraordinary man who led an extraordinary life
Announcing the duke's death on Friday, Buckingham Palace said: "It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty the Queen announces the death of her beloved husband.

"The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss."

Reflecting on Prince Philip's life for a BBC programme, the Prince of Wales described his father's life as an "astonishing achievement".

First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the most senior officer in the Royal Navy, praised the duke's "empathy, affection and engagement" with the fleet.

"His deep understanding of our values, standards and ethos made him such a close friend to the service for over eight decades," he said.

General Sir Nick Carter, Chief of the Defence Staff, added the duke had been a "great friend, inspiration and role model" for the armed forces.

"A life well lived, His Royal Highness leaves us with a legacy of indomitable spirit, steadfastness and an unshakeable sense of duty," Sir Nick said.

Similar salutes were fired to mark the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 and Winston Churchill in 1965.

Source: BBC

BDST: 1125 HRS, APR 10, 2021
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