Buckingham Palace: Prince Philip retires

duke of edinburgh with kylie minogue, Photo: royal.uk

Prince Philip retires from official duties

 

Prince Philip (95) retires and will no longer have official duties, reports the Buckingham Palace.

 

The decision applies from August. The Prince will still continue as chairman of a number of charities, but he will not play an active role in meetings and events. Prince Philip has previously had heart problems, but has nevertheless been a very active prince until now. The court also states that Queen Elizabeth will continue to perform her official assignments and duties as before.

Summons for urgent meeting at Buckingham Palace

Speculation in British press after summon for urgent meeting at Buckingham Palace. No worries, says a spokesman for Buckingham Palace.

Today, the British woke up to the news that the royal house had called for an urgent meeting-night to Monday, according to Dagbladet.

British media have already speculated vehemently on what the meeting will be about, where many have suspected that it possibly referred to the health of the country’s 91 year old queen, Elizabeth, or her husband, Prince Philip (95).

A large press squad has moved to Buckingham Palace in the morning, but many suggest that they have to go home without the big news.
Just over half past nine, a spokesman for Buckingham Palace, stated to the Associated Press (AP) news agency, stated that “there is no need to worry”.

Media hysteria

BBC’s court reporter, Peter Hunt, states that the Royal couple are doing well.

– The meeting has nothing to do with either the Queen or Prince Philip, he Tweets.

He states that the court employees meet at 11 CST. Any announcements will come afterwards.

NBC has also received confirmation by Buckingham Palace that the Royal family will continue to perform their duties as scheduled on Thursday.

TV 2’s royal expert, Kjell Arne Totland, reports to Dagbladet that he hopes and believes the public will get an explanation in the morning.

– I naturally registered speculation and rumour floods in the morning hours, and look first and foremost at the whole thing as a media hysteria anno 2017. The proverbial feather has turned into a whole coop, says Totland.

Called employees in from Scotland

It was the British major newspaper Daily Mail which first reported that Lord Chamberlain and the Queen’s closest adviser, Sir Christopher Geidt, had summoned the entire court staff to a meeting one hour after midnight.

According to The Telegraph will court manager has summoned the staff at Balmoral Castle personally to the meeting in London. Balmoral is the royal family’s summer residence in Scotland

Meeting requests by the British castle is basically not uncommon, and are held a few times a year, according to CNN. However, it was the time of the notice, and that the entire staff was asked to meet up, which started the speculation.

– Although meetings involving all the employees are not rare, so is the way it has been summoned to meet – in the eleventh hour – is very unusual and may suggest that there is something big to be announced, the Daily Mail writes.

Audience and cricket

Kjell Arne Totland believe, however, not the British royal family would have called for this kind of meeting if it turned out that someone in the royal family had passed away.

– To summon court staff from across the UK is probably not the first thing they would have done, he said.

It also has been rumours about a possible abdication, that is, Queen Elizabeth might want to resign from the throne.

The British Queen was photographed last Wednesday, May 3rd, outside Buckingham Palace, in conjunction with an audience with Prime Minister Theresa May.

According to AP, Prince Philip spent yesterday at a cricket club.

CNN states that they are not aware of an extraordinary announcement from Buckingham Palace this morning.

 

 

© Dagbladet / NTB Scanpix / Norway Today