After lifetime of public service, Prince Philip officially retires at 96

Britain's Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and husband of Queen Elizabeth II, on 2 August 2017 retired from the royal services at the age of 96, thus putting an end to 70 years of his service.

However, the Duke will continue to be associated with the more than 780 organisations of which he is Patron, President or a member.

On the final day of his services, Prince Philip attended a parade of Royal Marines at Buckingham Palace. He took the salute at the end of a charity challenge by the Royal Marines in which members ran 2678 km over 100 days to mark the 1664 Global Challenge.

About Prince Philip
• At the age of 96, Prince Philip is the longest serving consort in British history.

• He carried out a total of 22219 solo engagements since 1952.

• He has been Captain General of the Royal Marines since 1953.

• The Duke was a naval officer during the Second World War in 1939 before serving on battleships in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.

• Over the past 65 years, he has carried out 637 visits abroad on his own, gave almost 5500 speeches, written 14 books and was patron or a member of more than 780 organisations.

• He has a keen interest in scientific and technological research, was an early champion of the conservation movement.

• He was formally introduced to princess Elizabeth in July 1939 when her father King George VI toured the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, on England's south coast.