It is with great sadness that Buckingham Town Council learns of the death of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
On behalf of the people of Buckingham, the Town Council would like to express their deep condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and all the members of the Royal Family.
Prince Philip served our country throughout his life. During the Second World war he was a Royal Navy officer serving in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. He was mentioned in dispatches for his bravery during the battle of Cape Matapan.
Many people do not realise that Prince Philip was a passionate environmentalist. In 1961 he became president of the British National Appeal, one of many national organisations that became the World Wildlife Fund, an organisation which appointed him President Emeritus.
A desire to support young people led to the formation of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme in the 1950s, a programme that thousands of young people still take part in every year, earning awards through volunteering and achieving personal challenges.
Some residents may remember that Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II visited Buckingham in 1966, travelling by train to Buckingham Station and meeting with the then Mayor of Buckingham, Alderman T. Lambourne. Images of the couple smiling in the train carriage were printed in the local paper and it is with these images in mind that we remember Prince Philip.
In order to mark the passing of Prince Philip, flags have been lowered to half-mast.
As we receive further information from Buckingham Palace regarding books of condolence and charitable donations we will pass this information on to residents.