The Closing Life of a Fine Man

Watching the closing of Prince Philips’s life this week has been both sad and joyous for me. Seldom do we hear of men of stature without some disheartening event in their lives that tarnished what should have been exemplary. Here, in the life of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, we have of a man of exemplary character, a man who loved people.

Today’s ceremony reflected everything about a man who left a legacy of goodness for a whole world to reflect on. His love of his Queen, people everywhere throughout the world, nature, the sea, the art of life came gently and unassumingly together throughout the loving service we witnessed in the life of the Royals.

The music, passages from life, the book of Ecclesiastes, the military presence, reflected the significance of this man’s life in every word spoken, every action large and small, every note played and sung.

To leave your family and friends, even just a few weeks from a 100-year life, would still be a tremendous wrench, but he gave his best to all he ever did and I am sure departs with no regrets. I am sad for my queen, Queen Elizabeth II and her children and grandchildren. They will comfort and console one another as grief heals their broken hearts and the nation of Britain will carry them on.

This day closes the life of a very special and unassuming man. May he rest in peace.

19 Comments

  1. Paul Thank you for writing this acknowledgment to a great Man. As a child I would have been in the crowd of people as they came through our (my) City, in Ontario, Canada.
    I never realized I was following his believe in in people and family. I just hope that I will be remembered by my family. As he Prince Philip is remembered by the world.

  2. I got to watch it live on television, which ironically was of his doing, having these formerly private events shared with the people. RIP Prince Philip

  3. During his life, the media jumped on the occasional gaffs Prince Philip made when talking with people. Immediately after his passing some sections of the media reported on his achievements while others bored us stiff by interviewing nonentities who had maybe had a 30 second conversation with him 50 years ago.

    In contrast to some of the media reporting of the past week, his funeral was, a simple yet dignified affair which reflected on the very real achievements of his life. His achievements nearly all benefited countless others far more than himself. Most of his accomplishments did not cease with his passing but will continue long into the future.

    The world is a better place as a result of his life and we should all be grateful for that.

    May he rest in peace.

  4. He served the public in many roles, fulfilled his duties and genuinely tried to help others. That’s a life well spent. May he rest in peace.

    I never met him. I did meet Lord Louis Mountbatten, when I had to give a speech in front of him, aged 15. Same vintage as Prince Philip. May he also rest in peace.

  5. Without a doubt he certainly left his mark on our country. Thankyou Paul for hi-lighting this story. Prince Philip will certainly go down in history as a great man May he RIP. and God bless our Queen and all the family who today mourns his loss

  6. I like the way you comment on things like this Paul, alongside your woodworking wisdom – thanks for doing that.

  7. Paul, i agree entirely, with one small corection. The reading was from Ecclesiasticus 43, not Ecclesiastes which has no 43rd chapter. i don’t say this to be nit-picky, but because Ecclesiasticus is a powerfully moving piece of scripture which speaks powerfully to your love of nature.
    Thank you for your post.

    1. Thank you, Peter. I see my mistake. I was impressed by it when I read it in today’s Daily Telegraph. They did the greatest honour and tribute to our dearly departed Duke, His Royal Highness and his family in today’s edition. Our world will be sad as we grieve for what we may have taken more for granted than we ought.

  8. In some societies he would qualify for sainthood. He had power and used it to help others. Others do not do so well with it unfortunately.

  9. Here, Here on your comments to a man I first saw at age of 5 as he and the queen passed by on a steam train on the last carriage in NSW Australia

  10. Nice read Paul, Phillip greatly amused me through out his life a man of candid humour in a place of pomp and ceremony. Not lost on me was his years of service, undying loyalty to his family punctuated by a cracking politically incorrect wit used to bring us all back to earth. May he rest in peace.

  11. I agree, Paul, that Prince Philip was a good man and will be missed by many – his family and many more people around the Commonwealth and elsewhere in the world.

    I have been told by my mother that I saw him in person once. I have no personal memory though, as I was only just barely 4 at the time. My mother had me with her in the crowd outside Buckingham Palace on the Queen’s Coronation Day.

    By the way, I was born in Bedfordshire but am now in the USA in Maryland.

  12. Paul, Thank you very much for including this thoughtful and respectful tribute to a great man. The Prince is a wonderful example to the nation and world of service, duty and constancy over such a long life. May he rest in peace.

  13. Paul,
    Thank you for your thoughts.

    Prince Philip was a great man who set aside his own career and life goals to stand beside an amazing woman. Who among us could do the same?

    Rest in peace dear Prince.

  14. Our deepest condolences on your loss. Thank you for putting this into a perspective that you don’t have to obtain by reading between the lines from a biased media…

  15. I am one of those bloody Yanks, Paul, but all I can say is “Beautiful” and I admire you even more.

  16. Paul I agree with every word, a once in a life man. I completed the
    D of E award scheme after three years in 1961, I’m very proud of my silver award. I like meany other young people where taught things we didn’t know we could do, looking after the countryside and other people. This has stayed with me all through my life, which I personally thank him for, a very sad loss.

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