Death of Prince Philip: "It's a certain idea of ​​England that is disappearing"

INTERVIEW

"It is not the sudden death of Princess Diana, but there is sadness", reacts Denis MacShane, former British Minister for European Affairs, of the death of Prince Philip on Friday at the age of 99 years old.

"We hoped that he would continue until his 100th birthday in mid-June, but he left," said the former minister, adding that Prince Philip had been hospitalized for three weeks.

"It's a certain idea of ​​England disappearing," he said.

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A man "from nowhere"

For the British, the disappearance of Prince Philip will mark a break in the monarchy, believes Denis MacShane.

"He was a fighter in World War II, then he came out of nowhere, we called him 'Phil the Greek'," said the former minister.

"Then he married a little princess".

A little princess who became queen, Elisabeth II, and in whose shadow he had, all his life, to take sides.

"He had to accept to be always a meter behind his wife, for the rest of his life," continues Denis MacShane.

"He and His Majesty were a couple with difficulties, but there was never any question of divorce, of separation."

"Like the rest of the people"

Depicting a man full of humor but discreet, Denis MacShane also affirms that the funeral of Prince Philip would be in his image.

"We are not announcing a large state funeral, or a parade of soldiers in London," said the former minister, who recalls that the Covid in any case prevents the organization of large-scale events.

"It's not necessarily a bad thing," he concludes, "because he's like the rest of the people."