Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Has Retired from Royal Duties at the Age of 95

The BBC has confirmed news that Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh has announced that he will retire from royal duties as of autumn 2017.

The decision was made by Prince Philip himself and is supported by the Queen, a palace spokesman said.

The duke, who turns 96 next month, will attend previously scheduled engagements between now and August but will not accept new invitations. The duke carried out 110 days of engagements in 2016.

He is patron, president or a member of more than 780 organisations and will continue to be associated with them, but “will no longer play an active role by attending engagements”, Buckingham Palace said.

In the statement, the spokesman said the duke “may still choose to attend certain public events from time to time”.

The Queen “will continue to carry out a full programme of official engagements”, the palace said.

The news has come after reports that the palace had called for an emergency meeting of all royal household staff across the United Kingdom at 3am local time.

The Queen is said to have called servants from Royal residences across the United Kingdom to Buckingham Palace for the urgent meeting.

They were addressed by the Lord Chamberlain – the most senior officer of the Royal Household – as well as Her Majesty’s right-hand man, private secretary Sir Christopher Geidt, the Mail reported.

The “highly unusual” meeting sparked fears for the health of Prince Philip.

The queen’s consort has had a few health problems over the past several years and was seen in public as recently as yesterday as he opened the new grandstand refurbishments at Lords cricket ground.

Prince Philip was born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark in Corfu, Greece, on 10 June 1921. He is husband to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, and the two will be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary this November. Together they have four children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

Source: BBC News