Prince Philip’s career in images

The 96-year-old Duke of Edinburgh is officially retiring after 65 years of public service.

In retirement, the Duke will likely enjoy more leisure time at Windsor Castle in Berkshire — he is an avid carriage driver and enjoys oil painting.

His Royal Highness will be remembered equally for his sharp wit as he will be for his gaffes, which have often left the nation laughing or reeling.

To commemorate Philip and his lengthy career here are some of the best images from his 70 years as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

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1947: Prince Philip began his journey as a British royal when he married into the country’s royal family after a five-month engagement to his distant cousin, Elizabeth. He was 26.

1948: The couple had their first child, Prince Charles, in 1948. In this picture, he sleeps in the arms of his mother, then Princess Elizabeth, after his Christening at Buckingham Palace.

1949: Philip spent many of his younger years in the Royal Navy meaning family time was precious. He spent much of 1949 stationed in Malta as the first lieutenant of the destroyer HMS Chequers, the lead ship of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean Fleet.

1950: Two years after the birth of Prince Charles, Elizabeth and Philip gave birth to their second child, Princess Anne.

1951: The family’s first home was Clarence House, located just a stone’s throw away from Buckingham Palace in central London. The family can be seen playing in its gardens in this photo.

1952: Despite his active naval career ending in 1951, he was promoted to commander of the Royal Navy in 1952.

1953: During the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Philip bowed to his wife while more than 27 million people in Britain watched on television.

1954: This photo shows the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh during an official visit to HMAS Australia, flagship of the Australian Navy. The Royal couple went aboard during their visit to Cairns, Queensland.

1955: Throughout his career, he has been involved with more than 780 organisations and been a loyal supporter of his wife, attending events around the world with her for more than 60 years.

1956: In 1956, the royal founded the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. The scheme is still running 61 years later and aims to instil within young people a “sense of responsibility to themselves and their communities,” by encouraging them to take part in charity work and outdoor activities.

1957: It wasn’t until 1957 that Philip was formerly made a British prince. That same year, he completed a round the world tour aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia. Here he is feeding penguins during a visit to the Antarctic.

1959: Philip and Elizabeth’s children grew up meeting some of the world’s most powerful leaders. President Eisenhower visited Balmoral Castle in 1959, where he was photographed patting Princess Anne on the shoulder as her father looked on proudly.

1963: In 1963, the couple went on a three-month tour of Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand.

1964: People often don’t realise that the royal is also a qualified pilot, having racked up nearly 6,000 flying hours over the past five decades. He’s also the patron of the Guild of Air Pilots.

1965: Philip attended the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill, along with fellow British royals and royals and dignitaries from overseas.

1967: When asked whether he would like to visit the Soviet Union, he replied: “I would like to go to Russia very much, although the bastards murdered half my family.” This is a reference to his German heritage.

1969: Prince Philip joined a patient’s group therapy session when he visited the National Addiction and Research Institute in Chelsea, London. The prince spent 20 minutes with the patients discussing their problems.

1970: Queen Elizabeth II read her speech in the House of Lords alongside her husband for the State Opening of Parliament in 1970.

1974: He received a traditional Maori welcome when he arrived in Christchurch, to open the 10th Commonwealth Games.

1979: This family photo was taken in the ground of Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Elizabeth and Philip were joined by their sons (l-r) Prince Andrew, Prince Charles, and Prince Edward.

1981: Philip’s first son, Prince Charles, married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. An estimated 750 million people watched the ceremony worldwide.

1982: The Queen looked surprised after her husband, Prince Philip, pointed that they should be going another way as they drove through the crowd of athletes and officials during the Closing Ceremony of the 12th Commonwealth Games. The crowd forced them to make another lap around the stadium.

1983: The couple has met every sitting US president — bar Lyndon B. Johnson — since Elizabeth ascended to the throne. Here they’re pictured with former President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in San Francisco.

1985: The Queen, Prince Philip, the Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal, Princes William, and Harry and the Earl of Wessex at the Trooping the Colour.

1986: The couple paid a state visit to China, making the Queen the first British monarch to ever do so.

1987: Philip held a news conference in Washington D.C. in May 1987, to announce a World Wildlife Fund Campaign to end illegal wildlife trade. The global organisation has also named an award after him — The Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Award — which recognises “highly meritorious contributions to the conservation of wildlife and natural resources.

1994: This was the first ever visit to Israel by a member of the royal family. Philip flew to the country to participate in a ceremony honouring his mother for saving Greek Jews during WWII. In this photo, Prince Philip jokes with British veterans.

1997: Philip and his wife, Queen Elizabeth II, walk through a sea of flowers left by the public outside Buckingham Palace in memory of Princess Diana in the days following her death.

1999: The Queen and her husband were welcomed to Ghana by the sound of drums and reggae music, where they met the 13 regional chiefs and eight Queen Mothers of Ghana.

2006: Prince Philip visited the Queen’s Royal Hussars in Basra. He told the troops that most people in Britain had “a great deal of sympathy for those of you at the sharp end who are trying to do your best to make life civilised and tolerable for the locals.”

2007: Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth celebrated their diamond (60th) wedding anniversary. They marked the occasion with a special thanksgiving service held at Westminster Abbey.

2013: Prince Philip was presented with New Zealand’s highest honour, the Order of New Zealand, by his wife, Elizabeth, at Buckingham Palace in London. He also celebrated his 92nd birthday that year.

2016: The Duke of Edinburgh Award turned celebrated its 60 anniversary in 2016 — arguably the most successful venture of any current royal. The Queen celebrated her 90th birthday in style with the Patron’s Lunch street party, pictured below

2017: After 65 years of public service, the prince is retired. Public appearances had been increasingly rare, one of his most recent outings was at the annual garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.