Lord Mayor sends his deepest condolences following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh

The Lord Mayor of Canterbury, Cllr Pat Todd, has expressed his sadness at the news of the death of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, on behalf of the whole district.

Reacting to the news, Cllr Todd said: “It is with great sadness that I learned of the Duke of Edinburgh’s death today and would like to express my deepest and most sincere condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family on behalf of everyone living, working and studying in the district. 

“We join the rest of the country, and indeed the Commonwealth, in expressing our admiration for a man who dedicated himself to doing his duty, serving the public and supporting his beloved wife during her continuing and incredibly successful reign as our Sovereign.

“These are qualities all of us have emulated as we have got to grips with the global pandemic and made substantial sacrifices for the good of others, for the people around us.

“The Duke of Edinburgh won the respect of many as a military man during the Second World War and cemented it with his charitable work not least with the creation of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme, a scheme that has done enormous good for this country for almost 70 years.

“Prince Philip grabbed life with both hands, his interests many and varied not least the preservation of the environment.

“But today our thoughts are with his family, who so obviously adored him, as they would be with any family facing such a sad and significant loss.

“No matter who you are, where you have come from and what you have achieved, the end is always humbling and reminds us all of what there is left to achieve and how we want to be remembered.”

Canterbury City Council will be flying its flags at half mast at its flag poles across the district as a mark of respect.

The Lord Mayor, the Sheriff of Canterbury and the Chief Executive of Canterbury City Council attended Canterbury Cathedral on Sunday for a remembrance service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

After the service, the Lord Mayor laid flowers on behalf of the district under the statue of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Books of condolence are not being provided at public buildings because of the current Covid-19 guidelines.

The public is encouraged to leave tributes by signing the book of condolence on the website of The Royal Household. 

If you are unable to access the online book of condolence you are welcome to send your tribute in writing to the following address: Tribute to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, The Civic Office, Sessions House, County Road, Maidstone ME14 1XQ.

The Royal Household has requested that members of the public do not leave floral tributes or gather in public places to offer their respects. 

The Palace has suggested that people could donate to charity instead, if they wish to do so.

Published: 9 April 2021