Celebrity Life

In 1994, Princess Diana made headlines with her appearance at the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens for a Vanity Fair fundraiser in a black off-the-shoulder chiffon dress. Famously known as the “revenge dress”, it was at the time more than just a fashion statement by the princess.

Cut to 2021, actress Elizabeth Debicki, who plays Princess Diana in season 5 of the acclaimed Netflix series The Crown (2016– ), has recreated the look for the show.

In photos from the sets taken on 6 November, Debicki was seen wearing a replica of the famous outfit while filming for the fifth instalment of the TV series. The look has taken social media by storm.

The Revenge Dress.

We all knew the Revenge Dress. Princess Diana wore it in 1994 after Prince Charles’ televised admission of his adultery with Camila. Now, #TheCrown is recreating it and Elizabeth Debicki did not disappoint. Can’t wait for Season 5! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/L6bAIRgwCb

— ReyDominic Vladimr (@ivladimr) November 7, 2021

I can’t wait for revenge dress Diana in #TheCrown pic.twitter.com/FkGHLf0Cip

— ✨Alondra ♌︎♉︎♏︎ Eternals era✨ (@yeehaw_Thanos) November 6, 2021

she's not real #TheCrown pic.twitter.com/QKE4N03YT4

— ˚ ༘ diana ♡ (@darthb3lle) November 6, 2021

Elizabeth Debicky looks like Princess Diana more like Princess Diana herself. #TheCrown #ElizabethDebicky #PrincessDiana pic.twitter.com/aHcVvV02QI

— Emirgamzayev Orxan (@OrXaNcHiK) November 6, 2021

The dress was originally bought in 1991, but the princess did not wear it, deeming it too risqué. However, she wore it to the fundraiser to reportedly send a message to her estranged husband, Prince Charles, as an ITV documentary titled Charles: The Private Man, The Public Role (1994) was to be aired that night. In the documentary, the prince confessed to having an affair with his now-wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, while he was married to Diana.

The original dress was created by Greek designer Christina Stambolian, and the princess paired it with silk Manolo Blahnik heels.

In the 2007 biographical book, The Diana Chronicles, author Tina Brown quotes Stambolian as telling a fashion commentator that Diana “chose not to play the scene like Odette [from Swan Lake], innocent in white. She was clearly angry. She played it like Odile, in black. She wore bright red nail enamel, which we had never seen her do before. She was saying, 'Let's be wicked tonight!'"

Brown further writes that Diana had declined the invite till she surprised the organisers with a call confirming her presence, which was after leaks of Prince Charles’ adultery admission started doing the rounds.

Princess Diana’s iconic off-the-shoulder dress was thus dubbed “revenge dress”. Reports suggest she was supposed to wear a Valentino gown to the event but had to switch to the black chiffon after sketches of the gown got leaked to the press.

Meanwhile, completing her recreation, Debicki also wore a replica of the pearl choker with a sapphire centre circled by diamonds that the princess wore at Kensington Gardens. The brooch was a gift from Queen Elizabeth II's mother, Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, to the princess.

What we know about season 5

The Crown season 5 will premiere in November 2022, which is still an entire year away. Not much has been revealed so far but new faces have been cast to play major characters, including Queen Elizabeth II.

While Elizabeth Debicki, who is best known for The Great Gatsby (2013), takes over Diana’s role from Emma Corrin, Deadline reports that Imelda Staunton will play Queen Elizabeth, Jonathan Pryce appears as Prince Philip and Lesley Manville will be Princess Margaret. The Wire actor Dominic West will essay the role of Prince Charles in the next instalment of the series, taking over from Josh O’Connor.

The new cast includes Khalid Abdalla as Diana’s boyfriend Dodi Fayed, Salim Daw as Dodi’s father Mohamed Al-Fayed, and Jonny Lee Miller as Prime Minister John Major.

According to Deadline, season 5 will include Princess Diana’s 1995 interview with BBC journalist Martin Bashir in which she spoke about the turmoil in her marriage and problems with the royal family. The interview, however, has itself become controversial after a 2020 investigation revealed that Bashir employed unethical means to secure Diana's participation. Bashir resigned just ahead of the release of the report in 2021.

Hero and Featured images: Christophe Archambault/AFP

The post Elizabeth Debicki Recreates Princess Diana’s Revenge Dress Moment for ‘The Crown’ Season 5 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Most of us know Wil Fang as the founder of Cookie DPT and Carbs. To his friends however, he's a bit of a hoarder. From sneakers and collectibles to a budding watch collection, the connoisseur of classic all-American fare tells us about his collecting habits, his quartet of Rolexes and what makes him tick.

Wil Fang will tell you he’s no watch collector – yet. He’s merely starting out, dipping his toes in. But step through the doors to his apartment that’s decked out in all sorts of collectibles – from Bearbricks to the Mr Moncler figurine created by artist Craig Costello and various Louis Vuitton x Supreme items – and you’ll see telling signs that he has the potential to become a very serious one.

That is, if his sneaker collection is anything to go by. Fang has a room lined with floor-to-ceiling shelving, dedicated to housing his 400-plus pairs of sneakers. At a glance, there are autographed Air Jordans, limited-edition Off-Whites, Fear of God, and more. His collection is still growing; he points to a couple of boxes stacked on a Supreme logo-ed folding chair – “I haven’t worn those yet,” he tells me.

Fang’s interest in sneakers grew from childhood – his first pair of Jordans was from his mother, when he was in third grade. He also has a single Jordan shoe, signed by the entire Chicago Bulls team, which he displays in a glass box.

“I even have a magazine signed by Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan after they won 72-10,” says Fang, referring to 1995-1996, when the Chicago Bulls set the record for the most wins in an NBA regular season. “I’m a huge Jordan fan and I always wear Jordans. He was my idol growing up.”

But back to watch collecting: “I’ve had quite a few watches, but I’d say the first serious timepiece I own is this Rolex, which my wife gave me on our wedding day,” says Fang.

The watch in question is a Rolex Submariner, in steel with a black dial and bezel. “When my wife got it for me, it wasn’t crazy expensive,” he continues. “Five years ago it wasn’t even difficult to get, like it is today. Things have definitely changed.”

Rolex was the definitive watch of Hong Kong culture, the ultimate milestone watch that you’d get for a special occasion. “It’s almost like the standard entry-level watch here,” says Fang. “Everyone’s got some sort of Rolex, whether it’s a Sub or a Milgauss – for a lot of my friends here, it’s very normal for them to get a Submariner for graduation or when they land their first job.”

The watch Fang got for himself when he got his first pay cheque, however, wasn’t a Rolex. When he graduated with a double major in mechanical engineering and business management from Bucknell University in 2005, he joined Ralph Lauren and was quickly sucked into the company culture.

“We weren’t required to wear any particular uniform, but as a young professional, you see your bosses walking around in suits and nice watches, and you start becoming part of that culture,” Fang recalls. “And, you know, it’s aspirational.”

And soon enough, his interest was piqued. The first watch he bought for himself with his own salary was a TAG Heuer Link chronograph, which he still owns. “In Hong Kong, maybe it’s not a big deal, but back then, when you’re 22 years old in the States, it’s a pretty nice watch. It was a gift to myself.”

Later, as Ralph Lauren ventured into timepieces, Fang also invested in a dress watch. “It was unnecessarily quite expensive,” he says with a chuckle. “It was a Ralph Lauren watch and I probably should have put that money into something else, but it’s a prototype model. It’s definitely sentimental and I’ll never sell it or get rid of it. It’ll stay in my collection.”

Later, Fang’s work brought him to Hong Kong and, in 2016, he found himself in Taipei with a group of friends launching a fashion retail concept store called DPT. “It was one of those dream-come-true situations,” says Fang. “I’m half-Taiwanese and Hong Kong was home, so I was commuting weekly back and forth from Taipei for
two years.”

It was at DPT that Fang’s sneaker collection really flourished. “I’m a sneakerhead,” he says, enthusiastically. “I’ve had sneakers my whole life, but when you open your own shop and brands send you 50 pairs and you could have your first pick, it was like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve made it.’”

Owning the sneakers – and the watches – was only part of the thrill. A huge part of what makes the community so exciting was the hunt for a good bargain, the relationships you build with your authorised dealers, and the full experience of receiving the goods.

“The cool thing about collecting is like, once you have it, you have it, but there’s also a story of how you got them, whether they’re sneakers or watches,” says Fang. “I’ve seen my friends pick up their watches at a VIP house and it’s a great day, you know, everyone’s excited and they come with a bottle of champagne. It’s all part of the process.”

After his wedding Submariner opened the floodgates, Fang picked up a “Panda” Daytona with a black ceramic bezel, an Explorer and a vintage “Pepsi” GMT Master with a faded bezel, explaining that Rolex was an easy entry point to collecting for him. “I like things that are more modern, a bit more subtle and sleek,” he says. “White gold or steel and black. Something that’s very clean and not too flashy.”

“Collecting watches is definitely a more expensive hobby. It’s not like collecting suits or sneakers,” says Fang. “But what I like about it is the community. It’s much smaller, more intimate. I don’t even consider myself a watch collector at this point, but from an interest perspective, I really like the circle. They come from all places – from F&B, fashion, finance, entrepreneurs – you meet so many interesting people through collecting. And a lot of them are successful, so it also gives me the drive and the mentality to work hard in my own businesses too.”

That drive is serving him well. Unfazed by the pandemic, Fang and the DPT Group are launching a takeout pizza business called Carbs – “I’m playing the devil’s advocate,” says Fang.

“Covid isn’t such a happy time but seeing the success of a fast-moving takeout delivery business gives us the confidence that, even in the toughest times, Carbs will be OK.” And how could it not be? Comfort mac-and-cheese, authentic Chicago deep-dish pizzas, fried chicken, and hands-down the best spicy vodka fusilli I’ve tasted. Perhaps as Hong Kong’s appetite for Fang’s goods continues to grow, so will his watch collection.

The post 2021 Emmy Awards: ‘The Crown’ Wins Big and Other Highlights appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

The 73rd Primetime Emmy nominations were announced by father-daughter duo Ron Cephas Jones and Jasmine Cephas Jones on July 13. This year’s ceremony will be hosted by actor and stand-up artist Cedric the Entertainer and will take place in Los Angeles’ Microsoft theatre on September 19.

The ceremony will go live on CBS at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET (5.30 am IST on 20 September) and it can be streamed on Paramount+. While last year's show was completely virtual, 2021 will have a limited live audience in the form of nominees and their guests.

[caption id="attachment_1811071" align="aligncenter" width="1069"] A still from The Mandalorian. Image: Courtesy IMDb[/caption]

In what seems like a promising race to the finish, HBO and HBO Max together received 130 nominations. Giving tough competition was Netflix, which tailed close with 129 nods. While Disney Plus received 71 nominations. Quite expectedly, Netflix’s The Crown and Disney Plus’ The Mandalorian remained hot favourites, getting 24 nominations each. Another Disney Plus show — a Marvel spin-off WandaVision — got 23 nods, while Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale received 21, followed by Apple TV+'s Ted Lasso, which got 20. 

Jason Sudeikis in Ted Lasso. Image: Courtesy IMDb

The nomination list also came with its share of surprises and snubs. The much-criticised Emily In Paris was nominated in the Outstanding Comedy Series category alongside favourites Ted Lasso, PEN15, The Flight Attendant and Black-ish. No nomination for Nicole Kidman’s performance in The Undoing also raised eyebrows. Many were also disappointed with Don Cheadle getting a nomination for a meagre appearance in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

[caption id="attachment_1811068" align="aligncenter" width="699"] Lily Collins in Emily in Paris. Image: Courtesy Netflix[/caption]

Mj Rodriguez created history by becoming the first transgender artiste to earn a nomination in a major acting category. Rodriguez was nominated in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role in Pose. Chinese-American Bowen Yang secured a spot in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, making him the first SNL featured player to get a nomination in an acting category. British actress Michaela Coel’s brilliant performance in I May Destroy You got her a spot in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie race. Netflix blockbuster Bridegerton earned a total of 12 nods, including one for British actor Regé-Jean Page in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series category.

[caption id="attachment_1811072" align="aligncenter" width="983"] A still from WandaVision. Image: Courtesy Marvel Studios/Marvel Studios - © Marvel Studios 2020/IMDb[/caption]

Apart from the limited live audience, this year’s Emmy’s will be different from its predecessor in one more way — it will be more inclusive for gender non-conforming individuals. The Television Academy's Board of Governors recently announced this change, which means that a nominee or winner can request to be addressed with a gender-neutral title like ‘Performer’ on their nomination certificate and Emmy statuette.

Here’s the complete list of 2021 Emmy nominations: 

Outstanding Drama Series 

The Boys 

Bridgerton 

The Crown 

The Mandalorian 

Lovecraft Country 

Pose 

The Handmaid's Tale 

This Is Us 

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series 

Rege-Jean Page, Bridgerton 

Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us 

Billy Porter, Pose 

Jonathan Majors, Lovecraft Country 

Matthew Rhys, Perry Mason 

Josh O'Connor, The Crown 

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series 

Emma Corrin, The Crown 

Olivia Colman, The Crown 

Uzo Aduba, In Treatment 

Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale 

Jurnee Smollett, Lovecraft Country 

Mj Rodriguez, Pose 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series 

Michael K. Williams, Lovecraft Country 

Bradley Whitford, The Handmaid's Tale 

Max Minghella, The Handmaid's Tale 

O-T Fagbenle, The Handmaid's Tale 

John Lithgow, Perry Mason 

Tobias Menzies, The Crown 

Giancarlo Esposito, The Mandalorian 

Chris Sullivan, This Is Us 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series 

Gillian Anderson, The Crown 

Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown 

Emerald Fennell, The Crown 

Ann Dowd, The Handmaid's Tale 

Yvonne Strahovski, The Handmaid's Tale 

Samira Wiley, The Handmaid's Tale 

Madeline Brewer, The Handmaid's Tale 

Aunjanue Ellis, Lovecraft Country 

Outstanding Comedy Series 

black-ish 

Cobra Kai 

Pen15 

Emily in Paris 

Hacks 

Ted Lasso 

The Flight Attendant 

The Kominsky Method 

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 

Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso 

Anthony Anderson, black-ish 

Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method 

William H. Macy, Shameless 

Kenan Thompson, Kenan 

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series 

Aidy Bryant, Shrill 

Jean Smart, Hacks 

Allison Janney, Mom 

Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant 

Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series 

Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live 

Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live 

Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso 

Brendan Hunt, Ted Lasso 

Nick Mohammed, Ted Lasso 

Jeremy Swift, Ted Lasso 

Paul Reiser, The Kominsky Method 

Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Hacks 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series 

Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live 

Cecily Strong, Saturday Night Live 

Aidy Bryant, Saturday Night Live 

Rosie Perez, The Flight Attendant 

Hannah Einbinder, Hacks 

Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso 

Juno Temple, Ted Lasso 

Outstanding Limited Series 

Mare of Easttown 

I May Destroy You 

WandaVision 

The Queen's Gambit 

The Underground Railroad 

Outstanding Television Movie 

Uncle Frank 

Sylvie's Love 

Oslo 

Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia 

Dolly Parton's Christmas on The Square 

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie 

Paul Bettany, WandaVision 

Hugh Grant, The Undoing 

Ewan McGregor, Halston 

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton 

Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton 

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie 

Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown 

Michaela Coel, I May Destroy You 

Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen's Gambit 

Elizabeth Olsen, WandaVision 

Cynthia Erivo, Genius: Aretha 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie 

Daveed Diggs, Hamilton 

Jonathan Groff, Hamilton 

Anthony Ramos, Hamilton 

Thomas Brodie-Sangster, The Queen's Gambit 

Evan Peters, Mare of Easttown 

Paapa Essiedu, I May Destroy You 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie 

Jean Smart, Mare of Easttown 

Julianne Nicholson, Mare of Easttown 

Kathryn Hahn, WandaVision 

Phillipa Soo, Hamilton 

Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton 

Moses Ingram, The Queen's Gambit 

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series 

Courtney B. Vance, Lovecraft Country 

Charles Dance, The Crown 

Don Cheadle, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier 

Timothy Olyphant, The Mandalorian 

Carl Weathers, The Mandalorian 

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series 

Alexis Bledel, The Handmaid's Tale 

Mckenna Grace, The Handmaid's Tale 

Claire Foy, The Crown 

Phylicia Rashad, This Is Us 

Sophie Okonedo, Ratched 

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series 

Alec Baldwin, Saturday Night Live 

Chris Rock, Saturday Night Live 

Dave Chappelle, Saturday Night Live 

Daniel Kaluuya, Saturday Night Live 

Dan Levy, Saturday Night Live 

Morgan Freeman, The Kominsky Method 

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series 

Maya Rudolph, Saturday Night Live 

Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live 

Issa Rae, A Black Lady Sketch Show 

Jane Adams, Hacks 

Bernadette Peters, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist 

Yvette Nicole Brown, A Black Lady Sketch Show 

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series 

A Black Lady Sketch Show 

Saturday Night Live 

Outstanding Variety Talk Series 

Conan 

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert 

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah 

Jimmy Kimmel Live 

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver 

Outstanding Competition Program 

The Amazing Race 

Nailed It! 

RuPaul's Drag Race 

Top Chef 

The Voice 

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program 

RuPaul, RuPaul's Drag Race 

Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski and Jonathan Van Ness, Queer Eye 

Nicole Byer, Nailed It! 

Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons, Top Chef 

Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John and Kevin O'Leary, Shark Tank 

Main image: Courtesy Netflix; Featured image: Courtesy IMDb

The post ‘The Crown’ and ‘The Mandalorian’ Lead 2021 Emmy Nominations: Here’s the Full List appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

He often grabbed headlines for his gaffes, but Prince Philip was portrayed by royalists as the silent stalwart, who shelved his personal ambitions to support to Queen Elizabeth II over seven decades.

Born into the Greek royal family — although he preferred to be thought of as a Danish prince — the Duke of Edinburgh never wore a crown himself. Yet he was a permanent public presence at the queen's side, who called him her "strength and stay".

Like her, his life was ruled by duty and tradition, putting his considerable energy behind numerous charities and carrying out 22,219 solo public engagements since Elizabeth rose to the throne in 1952. But Philip regularly got into hot water for what were politely referred to as "politically incorrect" off-the-cuff remarks — quips that from anyone else would be seen as downright racist.

"You managed not to get eaten, then?" he remarked to a British student who had trekked in Papua New Guinea in 1998. And on a historic state visit to China in 1986, the self-described "cantankerous old sod" warned a group of British students: "If you stay here much longer, you'll all be slitty-eyed."

There was also his reputation as a womaniser, something that worried the royal family even before he and queen married. They reportedly found the young naval officer "rough, ill-mannered and uneducated" and worried he "would probably not be faithful". The man the queen's formidable mother privately referred to as "The Hun" because of his German Battenberg blood, was quickly suspected of a string of affairs, which would later be resurrected in the hit Netflix series The Crown.

But Philip laughed off talk of philandering — with Sarah, the Duchess of York's mother often cited as one of his former lovers. "For the last 40 years I have never moved anywhere without a policeman accompanying me. So how the hell could I get away with anything like that?" he said.

At home, the duke had a reputation for being cold towards his four children, Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward. But many observers considered Philip to be the glue that held together the royal family. And in a rarely seen softer side, it emerged the late princess Diana addressed him as "Dearest Pa" in letters in which he offered solace over her deteriorating marriage to his eldest son Charles.

Prince Philip: 'Trial and error'

Philip, the world's longest serving consort, was blessed with robust health for much of his long life, and conducted his final official appearance in August 2017 at the age of 96. But he was admitted to hospital with various complaints as he advanced into his 90s, most recently for a heart procedure.

In January 2019, at the age of 97 and still driving, he was involved in a car accident near the royal estate of Sandringham in eastern England. His Land Rover Freelander overturned and two other motorists were injured. Prosecutors decided not to press charges after the prince, who walked away unscathed, voluntarily surrendered his driving licence.

The accident saw him withdraw from public life and he spent much of 2020 in isolation with the queen at their Windsor Castle home west of London, shielding from the coronavirus pandemic. But he made several appearances, including at the wedding ceremony of his granddaughter Princess Beatrice in July, four months before celebrating his own 73rd wedding anniversary. He also attended a military ceremony at Windsor in July when he handed over his ceremonial military role as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles regiment to his daughter-in-law Camilla, wife of Prince Charles.

Never one to talk about his own feelings, the prince admitted in a rare 2011 interview that he had carved out his own role in the royal family by "trial and error". Asked if he had been successful, he told the BBC in his typical forthright manner: "I couldn't care less. Who cares what I think about it? I mean it's ridiculous." But the queen has been more forthcoming about his worth.

"He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years," she said in a speech to mark their golden wedding anniversary in 1997.

Exile from Greece

Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark was born on a kitchen table on Corfu on June 10, 1921, the only son of prince Andrew of Greece — the younger brother of Greece's king Constantine — and princess Alice of Battenberg.

Aged just 18 months, he and his family were evacuated in a British Royal Navy ship from politically unstable Greece, with the toddler reputedly carried in a cot made from an orange box. The family settled in Paris with young Philip heading to the austere Gordonstoun public school in Aberdeenshire, northeast Scotland, where he became head boy.

He pursued his love of sailing and at the outbreak of World War II in 1939 became an outstanding Royal Navy cadet before serving on battleships in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean. As the war progressed, Philip was mentioned in despatches and promoted through the ranks. By 1945, he was a first lieutenant and witnessed the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay with the British Pacific Fleet.

Philip had been formally introduced to princess Elizabeth, the future queen, in July 1939. The pair shared a great-great grandmother — Queen Victoria — making them distant cousins, and they kept in touch during the war, meeting on a number of occasions. But it was not until July 1947 that their engagement was announced and they tied the knot that year on November 20 at Westminster Abbey in London.

'Duty to serve her'

The royal couple made their first major tour together — to Canada and the United States — in 1951. By now a commander, Philip's naval career was cut short by the death of Elizabeth's father, king George VI, in 1952, which brought her to the throne. "Prince Philip was a highly talented seaman," said his contemporary Terence Lewin. "If he hadn't become what he did, he would have been First Sea Lord (chief of naval staff) and not me."

Philip once admitted the curtailment of his career was "disappointing" but said, "being married to the queen, it seemed to me that my first duty was to serve her in the best way I could". Yet he remained closely involved with the armed services and the queen marked his 90th birthday in 2011 by appointing him Lord High Admiral — the titular head of the British Royal Navy and an office until then held by her.

He was a keen flyer, clocking well over 5,000 hours of pilot time, and turned his love of horses to competition, first as a polo player and later representing Britain at carriage-driving. He also maintained an interest in science, technology and the environment and for years drove a liquid petroleum gas taxi around London. His greatest legacy may lie in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, which was set up in 1956 to develop the confidence and skills of young people aged 15 to 25 in Britain and the Commonwealth.

His youngest son, Edward, said its importance was likely to be greater due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on formal education. "I think the role of the non-formal in this present climate is going to be even more important than ever before because it's those skills and experiences which are going to be looked for," he told Sky News television

Philip was also patron of a number of organisations, including the World Wide Fund for Nature, and chancellor of the universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh.

[caption id="attachment_219862" align="alignnone" width="2462"] British Queen Elizabeth II enters the House of Lords with the Duke of Edinburgh, in a ritual steeped in centuries of pomp and ceremony, 14 May, when she opened the British Parliament with the traditional speech setting out Prime Minister Tony Blair's legislative program for the next 17 months. (Image: Gerry PennyY/AFP)[/caption]

An A to Z of Prince Philip

A for AWARD: Since 1956, millions of youths worldwide have completed The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which promotes community service and self-reliance through volunteering, physical, skill and expedition challenges.

B for BARBEQUE: Prince Philip was in charge of grilling duties at the royal Scottish retreat at Balmoral, sizzling up the steaks by the river, with Queen Elizabeth doing the washing up.

C for CARRIAGE DRIVING: The duke took up the sport in 1971 after giving up polo. He compiled its international competition rules and represented Britain. He was still driving horses into his 90s.

D for DANISH: Philip was born into the house of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg and considered himself Danish by race.

E for ENGAGEMENTS: The prince conducted 22,219 solo engagements between 1952 and his retirement in 2017. He gave 5,496 speeches and 785 organisations had him as a patron, president or member.

F for FAMILY: The duke ran the royal family, deciding on his children's schooling, modernising the running of the palaces and trying to keep his son Charles's doomed marriage to Diana going.

G for GREECE: Born a prince of Greece and Denmark in Corfu in 1921, his family fled to exile in Paris within a year. He understands some Greek and signs his paintings with phi, the Greek letter P.

H for HMS MAGPIE: Philip commanded his own frigate from 1950 to 1952. The officer and his young bride spent two idyllic years stationed on Malta before King George VI died in 1952.

I for IRASCIBILITY: He is notoriously impatient and does not suffer fools gladly. Non-adherence to his "get on with it" approach is often likely to infuriate the hot-tempered prince.

J for JOKES: His off-the-cuff quips are designed to put the public at ease when meeting royalty but his politically-incorrect wisecracks have infamously come back to haunt him.

K for KURT HAHN: The Jewish educator heavily influenced the prince's life with his self-reliance doctrine. Hahn taught him in Germany then at Gordonstoun in Scotland, the school that Hahn founded in 1934, having fled the Nazis.

L for LIEGE MAN: At the 1953 coronation, he swore to be his wife's "liege man of life and limb" and to "live and die against all manner of folks", before kissing her cheek.

M for MOUNTBATTEN: Needing a surname after giving up his Greek and Danish titles to marry in 1947, he chose his mother's anglicised Battenburg family name. He was infuriated when told his children would be Windsors.

N for NATURE: An early activist for wildlife conservation, he spoke out on pollution in 1970 and was president of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) from 1981 to 1996, though he despised what he called green "bunny-huggers".

O for OLDEST: He is the oldest-ever male member of the British royal family and the longest-serving consort.

P for PARENTS: Prince Andrew, the son of Greece's king George I, left to live with his mistress on the French riviera, while Princess Alice was committed to a sanatorium. She is buried in Jerusalem.

Q for QUEEN: The couple met in 1939 when King George VI visited his naval college. They exchanged letters during World War II and he proposed in 1946. She described him as her "strength and stay".

R for ROYAL NAVY: The duke loved his naval years and was tipped for the top before his wife became queen. In 2011, she gave him her title as lord high admiral, the titular head of the service.

S for SPORT: He captained his school cricket and hockey teams and opened the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. A keen yachtsman, he played polo and led the International Equestrian Federation from 1964 to 1986. He captained an England cricket XI in 1949.

T for TELEVISION: The pioneering prince presented his own show in 1957, gave the first royal TV interview in 1961 and let in the cameras for a 1969 documentary that transformed how the world saw the Windsors.

U for UNCLE LOUIS: Lord Mountbatten — the last viceroy of British-ruled India — was a formative influence on the prince in the absence of his father. He steered Philip into the navy and took credit for engineering his marriage to the future queen.

V for VANUATU: The prince is revered as a god in a village on the island of Tanna. The cult grew when he appeared in person in 1974. They have exchanged gifts and pictures.

W for WORLD WAR II: He was mentioned in despatches for his role in winning the 1941 Battle of Cape Matapan, Italy's worst naval defeat. He was in Tokyo Bay for the Japanese surrender.

X for XIAN: Prince Philip's greatest diplomatic gaffe came at this Chinese university in 1986 when he warned British students against going "slitty-eyed".

Y for YACHT: The Royal Yacht Britannia served the family for 50 years. He helped design the interiors and in 1956-1957 did a four-month world tour.

Z for ZAZA: Also known as a gin and Dubonnet. The royals' preferred cocktail before lunch. Prime Minister Tony Blair described them as "true rocket fuel".

(Main and featured image: Toby Melville/AFP)

This story was published via AFP Relaxnews.

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