The Tribune

WHEN Prince Charles spoke publicly for the first time following the news on Friday of the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh he said how amazed his father would have been by the reaction of so many to his passing, both in Britain itself and around the world – not least in the Commonwealth – and that he would have been surprised and touched by the depth of feeling and sorrow expressed by millions.

Already, both at home and abroad there have been 41-gun salutes in honour of Prince Philip, on land and at sea, and services of remembrance and reflection in recognition and praise of his immense contribution to Britain’s national life – with the two key words, duty and service, summing that up.

Tributes to ‘a steadfast prince’ have poured in from monarchs, heads of state and Prime Ministers across the globe who have also sent their condolences to The Queen and the Royal Family. Following an eight-day period of mourning, his funeral service – for which he is said to have wanted ‘minimum fuss’ and which he had organised himself including having his coffin borne in a suitably modified Land Rover - will be in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle this coming Saturday. It will be limited to an attendance of 30 in accordance with coronavirus restrictions.

The media coverage following Prince Philip’s passing has been all-encompassing and exhaustive. I think the BBC’s coverage has been admirable – comprehensive, informative, sensitive and appropriately balanced with a good deal of interesting and inspiring archival footage. So, it would be superfluous to seek to repeat any of the fine reportage. Instead, I draw attention to the remarks of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in an official statement and in a tweet, neither of which may have been widely seen here in The Bahamas.

His tweet read: ‘By any measure, Prince Philip lived an extraordinary life – as a naval hero in the Second World War, as the man who inspired countless young people through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and, above all, as Her Majesty The Queen’s loyal consort. Our thoughts are with Her Majesty and her family, who have lost not just a much loved and highly respected public figure, but a devoted husband and a proud and loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather. We are a kingdom united both in grief and gratitude; grief at Prince Philip’s passing, and gratitude for his decades of selfless service to the country’.

In his separate statement, the Prime Minister said Prince Philip had earned the affection of generations in the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world. He was the longest serving consort in history and was one of the last surviving people in Britain to have been involved in the Second World War, serving with distinction in the Royal Navy and being ‘mentioned in despatches’ for bravery. Mr Johnson went on to say he had helped to steer the Royal Family and the monarchy ‘so that it remains an institution indisputably vital to the balance and happiness of our national life’. He also drew attention to what The Queen said publicly about him at their golden wedding anniversary in 1997: ‘He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years. I and his whole family, and this and many countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim or we shall ever know.’

The Prime Minister’s words surely reflect Prince Philip’s legacy very well. In offering a personal thought, I believe that, as The Queen’s constant strength and guide, he was ferociously loyal as he devoted his life to public duty. It was well known he was a person of strong will and keen intellect who was forceful, believed in candour and did not suffer fools gladly.

So, he was regarded by some as a controversial figure. But he was also unpretentious, charming and kind and was full of fun with a lively sense of humour and an evident generosity of spirit. It was equally well known he could be a mix of the courtly and profane with a knack for chummy small talk, when needed, together with a propensity for outspokenness and gaffes. But he was always able to put people at their ease by cracking jokes and making them laugh, and this endeared him to so many.

Prince Philip helped to mould a modern monarchy and, despite playing second fiddle one step behind his wife on official occasions, found it possible – as an independent original thinker ahead of his time and a passionate environmentalist – to flourish in his own right with a variety of particular causes and projects; and, apparently, in the royal household he was the undisputed master for seven decades, not least being reputed to be the only person in the world who could tell The Queen what to do!

Even though he himself might have been surprised by the outpouring of public feeling and grief, most people expected it because Prince Philip has always been held in huge affection for his naturalness and forthrightness in dealing with everybody – and one aspect of his passing that has so far received little attention is the especially sad effect it has already had on the so-called ‘war baby’ generation.

For them, he has been a constant presence as an unofficial father figure throughout their lives. He was, indirectly, someone with whom they could identify as a part of their own lives. Some even had an irrational feeling that he would go on forever so his passing is also a bleak reminder of their own mortality. Meanwhile, his abiding presence and devotion to The Queen and his public duty had earned him the love and respect of the general public. So it was heart-warming to learn that his image is being broadcast around the clock on the neon signs in Piccadilly Circus in the very heart of London.

Prince Philip was a regular visitor to The Bahamas over the years. His first visit with the Queen was in 1966 during a royal tour of the Caribbean. But as long ago as 1959 he came to the Royal Nassau Sailing Club, which received its royal charter in 1925, to watch the races for the King’s Cup and then present the trophies. His last visit here was in 1998 in connection with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – known locally as the Governor General’s Youth Award – and, almost needless to say, it was an interesting and rewarding experience to accompany him on his appointments.

As Mr Johnson said, by any measure Prince Philip lived an extraordinary life – one of duty, of selfless public service and of enormous achievement and accomplishment in so many different fields of activity. In the words of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the leader of the established Church of England, at a service of remembrance and reflection in Canterbury Cathedral over the weekend: ‘He took the hand he was dealt and followed his call’.

Everybody will now be concerned about The Queen who has suffered a severe loss that will leave a huge void in her life after 73 years of marriage. The Archbishop also said that, even though death may be expected, that does not make it any easier to bear when it comes. But her tenacity, stoicism and inner strength are well known. The whole family, who are said to be united in their sorrow, will now need time to grieve – and the general public will surely wish all of them well at their time of loss.

Listen to the experts and we can get out of this crisis

I imagine those who are keen that the nation’s vaccination programme should be completed as rapidly as possible will have noted with satisfaction a report in The Tribune last week about the views of infectious diseases expert, Dr Nikkiah Forbes, concerning the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. This is, of course, the vaccine being used here in The Bahamas.

Dr Forbes is reported to have said at a press conference that the benefits of taking the AstraZeneca vaccine far outweigh the risks associated with the jab. This was against a background of complaints in other countries recently that this vaccine can cause blood clots, with a very small number suffering such a clot after taking the vaccine; though the incidence of this has been tiny compared with the millions of doses which have been administered. She explained that, although the science was still not clear on the issue, this could be a very rare side effect of this vaccine, and it has been reported that a small number of people who have been vaccinated in this country have complained of other side effects which have been classified as ‘non-serious and mild’.

Dr Forbes’ assessment has been confirmed by medical experts in Britain. According to the Medicines & Healthcare Regulation Authority, given the total number of doses of this vaccine already administered (more than 36 million nation-wide), the tiny number of blood clots reported in people after receiving a first dose – and the experts say a conclusive link has not been established in every case – means there is a four in one million risk of developing a clot and a one in a million risk of dying. Thus, there is a much higher risk of clots due to having COVID-19 itself. Moreover, the experts say there is also a higher risk of clots from the contraceptive pill for females. So it now seems the concerns about blood clots have been overblown and it is both desirable and safe to take the jab.

The UK Health Minister Matt Hancock is quoted as saying coronavirus is a horrible disease which affects people in their twenties as much as any other group and can have debilitating long-term side effects. So it is essential for everyone to have a vaccination when it becomes available.

In light of this, it was encouraging to see a report in The Tribune yesterday that so far more than 15,000 vaccine doses have been administered in New Providence, Grand Bahama and Eleuthera. Since Dr Forbes’ advice is the AstraZeneca vaccine still far outweighs the risks, all concerned will surely hope this momentum will be maintained.