Duke of Edinburgh, 1977
The Duke of Edinburgh was born in the Greek island of Corfu on 10 June 1921. His family tree includes members of the royal families of Denmark, Germany, Russia and Britain.
Philip as a young boy
Prince Philip was the only son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice of Battenberg.
Prince Philip of Greece, later Duke of Edinburgh, with his schoolmates at the MacJannet American school in St Cloud. The prince is the second boy from the left.
The prince began his education in France at the MacJannet American school in St-Cloud and is seen here (second from left) with his schoolmates. At the age of seven he went to live with his Mountbatten relatives in England, where he attended a prep school in Surrey.
Prince Philip at Gordonstoun aged 16
Later he attended Gordonstoun boarding school, founded by educational pioneer Kurt Hahn in northern Scotland, where he excelled at sport.
Princess Elizabeth (third from left), with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth during a visit to the chapel at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, 23 July 1939
This is believed to be the first time Princess Elizabeth (third from left) and the then naval cadet Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark (in the white cap on the far right) were pictured together. It was taken during a visit to the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth on 23 July 1939.
Duke of Edinburgh, Royal Navy, Portsmouth
During World War Two, Prince Philip saw action as a midshipman on the battleship HMS Valiant. When the Italian fleet was trapped off Greece in 1941, Philip commanded the searchlights that illuminated the enemy and he was later mentioned in dispatches.
The engagement of Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten
His engagement to Princess Elizabeth was officially announced in July 1947.
Princess Elizabeth (latterly Queen Elizabeth II) and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, pose for their official wedding photo at Buckingham Palace, 20 November 1947
They married on 20 November that year.
The Duke of Edinburgh jumping off the water skis
image captionIn 1951 a photographer caught the moment the Duke of Edinburgh jumped off his water skis as he reached the beach at Marmaris in Turkey. It was taken during his last posting as commander of HMS Magpie.
The Duke of Edinburgh at the Roehampton Club, where he was playing for Cowdray Park in the semi-finals of the Roehampton Cup
The prince is seen here playing polo for Cowdray Park in the semi-finals of the Roehampton Cup. He was one of the leading polo players in Britain.
The Duke of Edinburgh batting during the 12 a side cricket match between the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke of Norfolk
The duke was also a keen cricketer. Here his team, made up of former England stars, were pitted against one captained by the Duke of Norfolk, with Sussex players.
The Queen and Philip and their four children
The duke and Queen had four children, (from left) Edward, Andrew, Anne and Charles, pictured here in the 1960s.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh during a visit to a farm on their Balmoral estate, to celebrate their Silver Wedding anniversary
The couple are seen here during a visit to a farm on their Balmoral estate, to celebrate their Silver Wedding anniversary.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, both wearing Maori Kahu-Kiwi (Kiwi feather cloaks) at Rugby Park in Gisborne, on the North Island of New Zealand when they attended the opening of the Royal New Zealand Polynesian Festival as their Silver Jubilee Tour continues
In 1977 the prince accompanied the Queen as she celebrated her Silver Jubilee. They are seen here both wearing Maori Kahu-Kiwi (Kiwi feather cloaks) at Rugby Park in Gisborne, on the North Island of New Zealand when they attended the opening of the Royal New Zealand Polynesian Festival in February.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh wave as Concorde flies by the Royal Yacht Britannia as the royal couple neared Barbados
Later that year the royal couple waved as Concorde flew past the Royal Yacht Britannia as they neared Barbados.
The Union flag-draped coffin of Lord Mountbatten rests on a catafalque during the funeral service in Westminster Abbey. Royal mourners (l/r) Queen Elizabeth II, her husband The Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and the Prince of Wales, 5 September 1979
In August 1979 the Queen’s cousin, Lord Louis Mountbatten, was killed by an IRA bomb blast on his boat in Ireland. The Duke of Edinburgh returned to the UK after hearing the news, having taken part in a coach-driving championship in Normandy, northern France.
Duke of Edinburgh sitting atop an elephant while visiting the Kanha Game Reserve, 1983
Nature and conservation were lifelong passions of the Duke of Edinburgh and he seemed a natural choice to become the international president of what was then the World Wildlife Fund.
The Prince of Wales with the Princess of Wales, baby Prince Harry, Prince William, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, London to watch the fly past
In 1985 the Duke of Edinburgh was surrounded by his family, including the young princes William and Harry, as they gathered to watch a flypast over Buckingham Palace after Trooping the Colour.
South African President Nelson Mandela, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh
In 1996 the duke escorted the South African President Nelson Mandela as he prepared to review an honour guard in Horse Guards Parade on the first day of his state visit to Britain.
Queen Elizabeth II (right) and the Duke of Edinburgh (centre right) visit market stalls in Kingston town centre, during the Queen's Golden Jubilee visit to West London
Prince Philip supported the Queen through more than 60 years of her reign, including the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002.
The Duke of Edinburgh attends the Presentation Receptions for The Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holders, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, 2010
The prince set up the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, which is aimed at developing young people’s abilities, in 1956. Here he shares a joke with Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holders at Holyroodhouse in 2010.
The Duke Edinburgh competes at the Sandringham Country show Horse Driving Trials held on the Norfolk Estate
The duke continued to compete in sport late in his life, including this carriage-driving event at Sandringham in 2005.
Britain's Prince William kisses his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, after the wedding service, in London, 29 April 2011
Thousands gathered outside Buckingham Palace to greet the Royal Family after the wedding of Prince Philip’s grandson, Prince William, to Catherine Middleton in 2011.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, waves as he stand onboard the Spirit of Chartwell during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant
Twelve months later, the prince had appeared to be in good health when he accompanied the Queen on the royal barge, the Spirit of Chartwell, which formed part of the rain-drenched Diamond Jubilee river pageant on 3 June 2012. He and the Queen stood for most of the 80-minute journey, as they were accompanied by 1,000 boats travelling seven miles down the River Thames to Tower Bridge. However, the duke was admitted to hospital with a bladder infection before the Diamond Jubilee concert on 4 June.
Princess Anne attends equestrian eventing with Prince Phillip the Duke of Edinburgh,
After making a recovery, he was fit enough to accompany Princess Anne to watch Great Britain’s equestrian team, which included his granddaughter Zara Phillips, compete in the eventing at the 2012 London Olympics.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh as they attend a service at Westminster Abbey in central London to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation
In June 2013 the duke attended a church service at Westminster Abbey to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.
Signing the visitors book at Hillsborough Castle, Belfast
In 2014 he accompanied the Queen on a tour of Northern Ireland. He is pictured here signing the visitors book at Hillsborough Castle, Belfast.
Lighting beacon at Windsor Castle
Queen Elizabeth II accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh lit the first of more than 200 beacons to commemorate the 70th anniversary of VE Day at Windsor Castle.
The Duke of Edinburgh (left) and the Prince of Wales, during a visit to Poundbury, a new urban development on the edge of Dorchester, October 2016
The duke and his son Charles shared a funny moment together during a visit to Poundbury, an urban development on the edge of Dorchester, where the Queen unveiled a statue of the Queen Mother.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh with an elephant at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, where they officially opened the zoo's new Centre for Elephant Care as part of a visit to Bedfordshire
In April 2017 the duke accompanied his wife to open a new Centre for Elephant Care at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire. In May however he announced he was to stand down from public engagements at the age of 95, with the full support of the Queen.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh observing a minute's silence at the start of a garden party at Buckingham Palace in London, 23 May 2017
Alongside the Queen the duke observed a minute’s silence at the start of a garden party at Buckingham Palace on 23 May 2017 in tribute to those killed at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.
The Duke of Edinburgh during a visit to the headquarters of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force's (RAuxAF) 603 Squadron in Edinburgh
The duke has been the longest-serving royal consort in British history.