Prime Minister Boris Johnson has paid tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh, who died peacefully on Friday morning.
Speaking outside Downing Street, Johnson expressed his sorrow at the loss of the Queen’s husband, Prince Philip.
He said: “He (Philip) was an environmentalist, and a champion of the natural world long before it was fashionable.
“With his Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme he shaped and inspired the lives of countless young people and at literally tens of thousands of events he fostered their hopes and encouraged their ambitions.
“We remember the duke for all of this and above all for his steadfast support for Her Majesty the Queen.
“Not just as her consort, by her side every day of her reign, but as her husband, her ‘strength and stay’, of more than 70 years.
“And it is to Her Majesty, and her family, that our nation’s thoughts must turn today.
“Because they have lost not just a much-loved and highly respected public figure, but a devoted husband and a proud and loving father, grandfather and, in recent years, great-grandfather.”
Johnson’s fiancee Carrie Symonds tweeted: “So very sad to hear of the passing of HRH, the Duke of Edinburgh. An incredible life devoted to the Queen, his family and our country. Thoughts and prayers with Her Majesty and the Royal Family.”
Prince Philip passed away at Windsor Castle on Friday morning.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
