Prince Philip 95, announces his retirement from royal duties

London, (Daily Mail, London), 4 May 2017 -Prince Philip has today revealed he is to step down from all public royal duties at the age of 95 after 70 years of loyal service.   

The Duke of Edinburgh’s well-earned retirement this autumn was announced at a top secret emergency meeting called by Buckingham Palace and attended by other royals including his daughter Princess Anne.   

The difficult decision was made by Philip himself and he will retire just before he and the Queen reach their 70 year platinum wedding anniversary in November.   

The Queen will continue her public engagements as she has always vowed to serve her country for as long as she lives.   

In a statement Buckingham palace said this morning: ‘His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh has decided that he will no longer carry out public engagements from the autumn of this year. In taking this decision, The Duke has the full support of The Queen. ‘The Duke of Edinburgh is Patron, President or a member of over 780 organisations, with which he will continue to be associated, although he will no longer play an active role by attending engagements’.   

wThe Duke and the Queen were back at work an hour after the announcement, attending an Order of Merit service at St James’s Palace.