LAST week we quite rightly read a great deal about the magnificent service given to this country by the Queen as she became the longest-serving monarch, but I didn’t see anything in praise of Prince Philip, her consort through all these years.

For a man with such a strong personality and powers of leadership it must have been incredibly hard first to give up his chosen naval career and then always to take second place and walk two paces behind his wife.

His ability to put people at ease with his light-hearted quips and jokes has helped to relieve the tension at many royal occasions!

I think we owe his Royal Highness a huge debt of gratitude for the contribution he makes to the success of the monarchy, and at 94 shows no sign of retiring.

Margaret Mortimer

Bramble Edge,

Broadmayne