By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

Condolences to the Queen and the Royal Family have poured in from around the world including from here in The Bahamas.

Governor General Sir Cornelius Smith, being the Queen’s representative, officially broke the news here of the Duke of Edinburgh’s passing.

“It is with deep sadness that I inform Bahamians and residents in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas of the passing of His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 9 April 2021.”

The Governor General said his thoughts are prayers are with Her Majesty and the Royal Family at this time.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, in a statement, mentioned the Prince’s previous visits to The Bahamas.

His statement read: “It is with deep sadness and sorrow that we have learnt of the passing of His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II on 9 April 2021.

“Very fond memories of Prince Philip’s visits to The Bahamas in 1966, 1975, 1977 and 1994 are warmly held by the people of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. His work and interest in empowering young people throughout the Commonwealth and indeed globally, are especially cherished, for which he will be fondly remembered.”

He sent condolences to citizens of the United Kingdom on behalf of the government and people of The Bahamas.

Celebrating the life and legacy of Prince Philip in a statement, the Governor General Youth Award (GGYA) organisation here in The Bahamas hailed him as a champion of young people worldwide and instrumental in their growth. The programme was initially called the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award before it was renamed.

GGYA is one of the nation’s most popular after school programmes for non-formal education and learning.

The statement read: “Across The Bahamas today, 729 participants, 124 volunteers, 42 units, the national office, council and board of trustees marked the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

“Sixty-five years ago, Prince Philip established the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in the United Kingdom. Since then, it’s been rolled out in more than 130 countries and territories, empowering millions of young people to build the skills, confidence and resilience they need to support their communities and be ready for the world.”

The Progressive Liberal Party, through a statement from its leader, Philip “Brave” Davis, also extended condolences to the Queen.

“On behalf of the Progressive Liberal Party, I extend condolences to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, our head of state, on the death of His Royal Highness Prince Philip,” Mr Davis’ statement noted.

“Prince Philip has been an active and prominent figure during our national advancement; he frequently visited our islands in years past and remained a friend of the Bahamian people. He is remembered fondly by many of our people for his work in founding what is now called the Governor General’s Award scheme and his patronage of the work of the Bahamas National Trust (BNT).”

In a statement to its Facebook page, BNT said it was honoured to have Prince Philip as its patron until he retired in 2017.

“Over the years it was our privilege to have His Royal Highness open The Retreat Garden on October 18, 1985 and to attend the Heritage Fund Dinner in March 1989, marking the occasion of the creation of this important endowment fund for the work of the Bahamas National Trust,” BNT said.

Prince Philip had an unsettled and peripatetic childhood.

His parents separated and his father settled in Monte Carlo where he amassed significant gambling debts, and his mother, who was deaf, went on to found an order of nuns before becoming depressed and being admitted to an asylum.

Once describing himself as “a discredited Balkan prince of no particular merit or distinction,” Prince Philip was born on June 10, 1921 on the kitchen table at the family home of Mon Repos on the island of Corfu.

He was the youngest child and only son of Prince Andrew of Greece, an officer in the Greek army, and Princess Alice of Battenberg.

When his father was charged with high treason in the aftermath of the heavy defeat of the Greeks by the Turks the family fled. They were evacuated in a British warship, with one-year-old Philip carried in a makeshift cot.

Prince Philip was the longest serving consort in British history, and was only months away from his 100th birthday in June.

A private royal funeral will be held for him at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on Saturday with under 30 people in attendance so as to comply with the UK’s COVID regulations.