His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Viscount Trenchard Excerpts

Monday 12th April 2021 Lords Chamber

[Viscount Trenchard (Con) [V]]

My Lords, I join all noble Lords in expressing my sadness on the passing of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, who made such an enormous contribution to our nation over so many years. As a former officer of 4th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets, I know how much his presence as colonel-in-chief of The Rifles did to ensure the successful merger of the predecessor regiments and the creation of a single identity and spirit drawing on their strengths.

He was immensely knowledgeable about the detail of many strands of our nation’s life. You certainly needed to have your wits about you at all times with him. He had a better understanding of the dynamics of the British countryside than practically any British-born person I have encountered. His leadership of the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, as president and then as patron for 57 years, started the initiative to save the grey partridge, which he described as

“our favourite native game-species”.

He said:

“If we can solve the problem for the partridges, we shall be conferring enormous benefits on many other like species which are also in trouble.”


As your Lordships are aware, he was a most accomplished sailor. It is less well-known that he was also an accomplished pilot, as mentioned by my noble friend Lord Glenarthur. On one occasion more than 20 years ago when he flew into Islay Airport, I was asked by my father-in-law to drive him from the apron to the quayside at Port Askaig, where he was due to embark in the Royal Barge and join the other members of the Royal Family. I think it was the last voyage of “Britannia” around the Western Isles.

The journey was some 16 miles along the route agreed in advance between Strathclyde Police and the Royal Household. Across the peatlands to the north of the airport, we observed cutting in progress and Prince Philip revealed his knowledge of the detail of the process and science of distilling whisky, asking many penetrating questions about the differences between the various iconic Islay whiskies.

As we moved into higher ground, he asked me many questions about the deer population, including the average weight of an Islay stag, as they are bigger and heavier than their mainland cousins. Filled with shame that I did not have the facts at my fingertips, I asked him if he wanted to see some large stags, pointing out that we would have to change the approved route I had been instructed to drive him along. He said that he would like me to do that, so I slowed down and performed a U-turn to proceed by the high road. I can still see the faces of the shocked police officers in the following car, who did not expect any unauthorised deviation from the approved route. His Royal Highness certainly possessed a rebellious streak and enjoyed both our decision to change the route and the opportunity to observe some very fine stags during the rest of our slightly extended journey to the quayside at Port Askaig.

As the noble Baroness, Lady Grey-Thompson, and other noble Lords have observed, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme is an important one of his many creations, for which he will rightly be very long remembered. Indeed, I know from the experience of my own children what an important contribution it made to their broader education. I believe that what it has taught nearly 7 million young people in this country has hugely contributed to the strength of our voluntary sector. Also, if I may say so, it has helped to prepare the British people to make the most of the opportunities offered by global Britain as we embark on this new chapter in our nation’s life. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme continues to grow across the world, even 65 years after its foundation, and is already present or represented in more than 140 countries.

As many noble Lords have noted, it is only now he has gone that so many people realise how vast is the void that Prince Philip leaves in our national life. But, of course, by far the largest void he leaves is that in the life of Her Majesty the Queen. I am honoured to have the opportunity to speak in this debate and, together with so many other noble Lords, to offer my most sincere condolences to Her Majesty and all members of the Royal Family.