Memories of meeting or seeing the Duke of Edinburgh

[peak2021]

A thread for anyone who has met or seen the Duke of Edinburgh to share their memories.

Saw him on two occasions- carriage driving at Hickstead, and the second time walking behind the Queen Mother's coffin in 2002.

2012 during the Queen's diamond jubilee tour, they visited my local town. I glimpsed the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh three times - once as they were getting out of their car; as they were were walking through the indoor shopping centre (parts were roped off, but I was allowed to get through to use the baby changing facilities for DS who was a few months old) and I saw them on the level above me; then lastly as they were driving away from the town.

1988, went to a WWF dinner hosted by him at St James’s Palace. Full evening dress and we had to be at the Palace by 6 for dinner at 6:30. He came in at the last minute and left at 8:30. It was very stiff and boring.

I met him! He was nice. Ex fiance worked at Balmoral. He was always around organising things like menus for the days food etc this was around 1991. Met the Queen as well. Shes a lot quieter.

Oldham 1977 or 78. Not sure if it was the Civic Centre or Leisure Centre, I just remember a huge cavernous space. I was part of a Bronze D of E Award group that had been invited to demonstrate/ talk about different skills we'd learnt as part of the scheme.
My school group only saw him from a distance but my memory is that he was very tall.

I was involved in the organisation of a very formal event attended by the Royal Family that was also attended by various senior military personnel. The floors of the venue had obviously been polished for the occasion, and the senior military figures, in their formal footwear walking with a purposeful stride, kept sliding on the polished floors and tumbling onto their arses. I was slightly worried we would lose a Royal, but fortunately they all remained upright!

RIP Prince Philip

My colleague just told a funny story about him. It was a charity cricket match many years ago taking place in the grounds of Windsor Castle hosted by a big investment company for all the smaller companies they had invested in. PP shook the hand of the CEO of the big company that was hosting, and said "do all these people work for you?" She said "no, we've invested in their companies" and he said "oh so they're here to suck up to you!!" Which was hilariously rude, and probably true

My brothers met him at Buck House to get their gold Duke of Ed awards. He came round to their group (all from Northern Ireland) and said "shouldn't you all be at Drumcree throwing stones"

My husband sat next to him at a dinner at Balmoral and said he was down-to-earth and funny.

Husband and I were presented to him at Buckingham Palace.

We were meant to meet the Queen but she had the snuffles and couldn't make it.

I was very impressed by him and his very pleasant and engaging conversation.

He was a lot taller than I imagined.

About 1998 when The Queen opened a new leisure centre in my hometown. He drove past me and my friend when were walking home from school.

Well i have been mildly insulted by him haha.

When i recived my gold duke of Edinburgh award , i was stood in a small group with some other people, we had been arranged into groups of 4 or five and he came round each group to say hello.

Two girls next to me were ballet dancers , and they had done this for their skill section and were chatting to him about it.

Then he turned to me and said "what about you , did you do ballet as well "
I said no and did a nervous laugh and he said
"No i thought not too robust "

So thats my claim to fame.
Called a fatty. Brilliant

I met him when I got my gold D of E award. Like the pp we were arranged in little groups of around 5. He talked to the boys on our group who were cadets in uniform and didn't say a word to my and my friend.

He visited our school in 1997 to open our new library. He was wonderful - really took the time to put us all at our ease, stayed and chatted about our favourite books and reading, and made us all laugh. We did a little concert and I had to sing a solo. When my music teacher introduced him to us beforehand he could see I was nervous. He told me not to be silly, to take a deep breath, hold my head high, and never let anyone in the audience see I was afraid. When I finished singing, he winked, gave me a thumbs up, and mouthed 'well done'. I've done a lot of performing in my years since (both amateur and professional) and I don't think I've ever been prouder than when he did that!