Since The Queen's accession, The Duke of Edinburgh has played a prominent part in many aspects of national life.
The Duke of Edinburgh accompanies The Queen on all her Commonwealth tours and State visits overseas, as well as on tours and visits to all parts of the United Kingdom. He has also travelled abroad a great deal on his own account.
View a trailer for the Playing Fields Association (of which His Royal Highness is Patron) featuring The Duke of Edinburgh:
He is patron or president of some 800 organisations, with special interests in scientific and technological research and development, the encouragement of sport, the welfare of young people, and conservation and the environment.
Industry is a particular interest, and there is hardly an aspect of the UK's industrial life with which Prince Philip is not familiar.
He has visited research stations and laboratories, coalmines and factories, engineering works and industrial plants - all with the aim of understanding, and contributing to the improvement of, British industrial life.
As Patron of The Work Foundation, he has sponsored six conferences on the human problems of industrial communities within the Commonwealth.
The environment is another key interest. Since visiting Antarctica and the South Atlantic in 1956-57, Prince Philip has devoted himself to raising public awareness of the relationship of humanity with the environment.
View footage of The Duke of Edinburgh hosting a reception at Buckingham Palace:
He was the first President of World Wildlife Fund - UK (WWF) from its formation in 1961 to 1982, and International President of WWF (later the World Wide Fund for Nature) from 1981 to 1996. He is now President Emeritus of WWF.
In his flying career, he flew nearly 6,000 flying hours as a pilot from 1952 to 1997.
He has made nearly 5,000 speeches and chaired over 1,500 meetings since 1952.
The Duke of Edinburgh has served as Chancellor of the Universities of Cambridge (1976-), Edinburgh (1952-), Salford (1967-91) and Wales (1948-76). He is also a Life Governor of King's College, London and Patron of London Guildhall University.
As a keen sportsman, Prince Philip is an enthusiastic promoter of sports. He was President of the International Equestrian Federation from 1964 to 1986.
He is President of Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR), Admiral of the Royal Yacht Squadron, and has twice served as President of the Marylebone Cricket Club (the MCC).
He is also Patron of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators of the British Empire, and has been Master of Trinity House since 1969
