Remembering the Duke of Edinburgh – a personal experience
- Wednesday May 19, 2021
Following the sad news of the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, I wanted to share my experience of meeting him.
I completed the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Business award and met Prince Philip in St James Palace, London in the grandeur of the Throne room.
He was very kind and asked us several questions, he was interested in which part of the country we resided in and the profession we practised. When he asked me and I responded with Penrith, Cumbria, he laughed gently and said: ‘The toffee sold in Penrith is palatable.’ I was so shocked to hear that he knew about a small family run business in Penrith who sold toffees!
I nervously laughed and replied: ‘Yes the toffee is delicious, if only I knew, I would have brought a tablet with me for the ceremony.’ We both laughed this time and he said: ‘You must have lost my memo.’ I remember the conversation like it was yesterday.
For what it’s worth, Penrith, Lake District Toffee shop history can be found at www.thetoffeeshop.co.uk/our-story/, with the Queen, Prince Edward and Prince Charles frequently visiting!
As the saying goes: ‘In life, it’s all about the little things.’
The DofE charity programme is a journey I will never forget; it has instilled valuable life skills and a path to a productive and prosperous future. It has empowered me with the skills, confidence, and resilience to get the most out of life and make a difference to the world and contribute to society.
Unfortunately, there are no photos of Prince Philip with the cohort. Dr Vanessa Lawrence CB, director general of Ordnance Survey, presented the certificates.