Opinion: RIP Prince Phillip

A week ago, Prince Phillip of the United Kingdom, 99, died after battling health issues for some time. Queen Elizabeth II of Great Brittain met her future husband when she was a 13-year-old princess. By most accounts, her family strenuously objected to the selection of Phillip Mountbatten as a future husband and consort.

What followed is a royal love story for the ages. According to Google, the young prince courted the future queen by mail while serving in the Royal Navy.

Young people may now never know the thrill of an actual love letter. They may receive love emails or text messages, but it isn’t the same thing at all. The thrill and the agony of waiting by the mailbox to see if the postman will bring word from your beloved have been all but lost. Today, service members generally have access to Skype, Zoom and other manners of communication.

When I was a sophomore in high school, I corresponded with a young man, who after graduation, enlisted in the United States Navy. He and three friends graduated in June and shipped out in August.

My best friend and I wrote letters to two of these young men. As Navy girlfriends, my friend Kris and I wrote the guys letters every day. Her sailor’s handwriting in cursive was such that he made the “B,” in boot camp look like an “F.” She convinced herself that after he finished boot camp her fella went through training at foot camp.

My father served in the Navy and by that time my older brothers were in the Army. She eventually understood it was all boot camp and no foot camp.

Researching the life of Prince Phillip shows a man who put duty and service above ego to serve both Queen Elizabeth II and the Commonwealth of the United Kingdom.

Throughout their marriage, he always walked a few steps behind his wife and demurred to her in all matters Royal. I have found the study of England’s Royal family an interesting pastime.

Every four years the United States votes to decide who will be the head of our government. In Britain, the queen invites her Prime Minister to form a government in her name.

Queen Elizabeth’s first Prime Minister was the late, great Winston Churchill. This fascinating historical figure helped Great Britain and the Allied Forces to win World War II. Churchill served as Prime Minister for the UK from 1940 to 1945 and from 1951 to 1955.

Beginning in 2016 the online streaming service Netflix produced a docudrama titled “The Crown.” This ambitious body of work depicts the life of Britain’s Royal family from the queen’s wedding day to the present, according to its website.

I became interested in the Royal Family when Diana Spencer married Prince Charles in what was then called the wedding of the century in 1981. Their tumultuous relationship sold many copies of the tabloids in the UK and, as the Brits say, across the pond.

Lots of little girls dream of being a princess; I know I did. After learning the many trials and tribulations being a princess entails it is hard to imagine that anyone in their right mind would choose to completely subjugate their own personality to be royalty.

In America interest in the Royal family has always been high. The passing of Prince Phillip will no doubt intensify this interest.

When Diana, the Princess of Wales, died in a Paris automobile accident in 1997, the whole world took notice. A very dear friend, the late Nancy Swan paid a visit to the British Consulate and signed our names to the death register paying our respects to the late princess.

Queen Elizabeth has broken all the longevity records with her 69-year reign. Her 74-year marriage is also one for the record books.

Charles, the Prince of Wales and her oldest son, should be crowned King after her death. It is a strange system when one spends their entire life waiting for their mother to die.

In addition to the Royal family, the United Kingdom has an elected Parliament (congress) that runs the day-to-day business of the country.

The Monarchy will continue its role at least until the death of Queen Elizabeth, I believe. After her passing, if the citizens of the United Kingdom should choose to abolish the practice and save the expense is anybody’s guess.

Rest in Peace Prince Phillip.

Long days and pleasant nights have a great weekend.

• • •

Readers may contact Tami Jo Nix by emailing tamijonix@gmail.com or following @TamiJoNix on Twitter.