Prince Philip was born in Greece into the Greek and Danish royal families, but his family was exiled from Greece when he was a child. He joined the British Royal Navy after leaving Gordonstoun public school at the age of 18 in 1939 and graduated from the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, in 1940 as the top cadet in his course. As a Midshipman he spent 4 months on the battleship HMS Ramillies, protecting convoys of the Australian Expeditionary Force in the Indian Ocean.
After the invasion of Greece by Italy in October 1940, he was transferred from the Indian Ocean to the battleship HMS Valiant in the Mediterranean Fleet. Among other engagements, he was involved in the Battle of Crete, was mentioned in despatches for his service during the Battle of Cape Matapan where he controlled the battleship’s searchlights.
During the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, as second in command of HMS Wallace, he saved his ship from a night bomber attack; he devised a plan to launch a raft with smoke floats that successfully distracted the bombers allowing the ship to slip away unnoticed.
In 1944-45 he served in the British Pacific Fleet on board the destroyer HMS Whelp and was present in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrender was signed. He returned to the UK in January 1946.
Philip had been corresponding with Princess Elizabeth throughout the war, and in the summer of 1946 asked King George VI for his daughter’s hand in marriage. The King granted his request. Philip married Elizbeth in November 1947 and was given the title Duke of Edinburgh by the King on the morning of the wedding.
Philip continued his active naval career up to 1951, but it was eclipsed when his wife became queen in 1952. In January 1953 he was promoted, as only royalty can be, from Commander to Admiral of the Fleet – bypassing the 5 ranks in between.
