Prince Charles Shares Rare Childhood Photo to Mark Anniversary of Prince Philip's Death
Prince Charles is continuing to mourn the loss of his father, the late Prince Philip. On Saturday, April 9, the Prince of Wales marked the first anniversary of his father's death in a poignant way, with Clarence House, the office of Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, sharing three throwback photos to honor the late Duke of Edinburgh, one of those photos being a sweet childhood photo of Charles with his father.
Shared to the official Clarence House Instagram account, the tribute began with a photo of Philip. It was followed by a black-and-white photo taken on the grounds of the royal family's Balmoral estate back in 1955. In the photo, Charles and his sister, Princess Anne, sat on a swing as their father pushed them, with Queen Elizabeth watching on. A third photo in the tribute was snapped back in 2016, according to PEOPLE, as Charles, his parents, and his wife attended the unveiling of a statue of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. The photo gallery was shared with the caption, "Remembering The Duke of Edinburgh today, one year since his passing."
Philip passed away "peacefully" at Windsor Castle on April 9, 2021, as the longest-serving consort to a British sovereign. His passing was confirmed in a statement from the Queen herself, which was released via Buckingham Palace just hours after Philip's death. Following his passing, the flag at the Palace was lowered to half-staff, and a framed plaque with the official death announcement was placed on the front gates of the Palace.
A day after his father's death, Charles remembered his father as "a very special person" in an official statement. In the statement, Charles reflected on his father's impact, sharing that Philip had "given the most remarkable, devoted service to The Queen, to my family and to the country, but also to the whole of the Commonwealth." Charles said the royal family missed his father "enormously," adding that Philip "was a much loved and appreciated figure."
Charles was not the only member of the royal family to mark the somber anniversary. Over the weekend, the Queen shared a moving poem written by the U.K.'s Poet Laureate Simon Armitage reading alongside a video montage highlighting Philip and He Majesty's life together. The accompanying message read, "Remembering His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh on the first anniversary of his death."