Sarah Mitchell
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was a man deeply interested in God and Christianity. He was baptized as an infant in the Greek Orthodox rite at St. George's Church in the Old Fortress in Corfu. Prince Philip's mother, Alice, founded an order of nuns, and his great-aunt Ella was canonized as a Holy Martyr by the Russian Orthodox Church. Religion played a central role in the prince's life, especially as he grew older. He was known to engage in diplomatic conversations between major faiths and had a library of over 600 books on theology and religion.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Baptism | Baptized as a Greek Orthodox Christian |
| Date of Baptism | October 1921 |
| Place of Baptism | Church of St. George at the Old Fortress on Corfu |
| Faith | Christian |
| Religion | Greek Orthodox |
| Interest in Christianity | Deepened under the guidance of Robin Woods |
| Number of Books on Religion | Over 600 |
| Conversations with Scholars of Other Faiths | Arranged conversations with Jewish and Muslim scholars |
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What You'll Learn
Prince Philip's baptism
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was baptised as a Greek Orthodox Christian. Born on 10 June 1921 on the Greek island of Corfu, he was baptised in the Greek Orthodox rite at St. George's Church in the Old Fortress in Corfu. Philip was a prince of both Greece and Denmark by virtue of his patrilineal descent from George I of Greece and George's father, Christian IX of Denmark.
Philip's mother, Princess Alice, founded an order of nuns, and his great-aunt Ella was canonised as a Holy Martyr by the Russian Orthodox Church. Religion played a central part in the prince's life, especially as he grew older. He was deeply interested in God and often arranged conversations with Jewish and Muslim scholars, putting himself in the role of the Christian theologian. Philip exemplified humility, self-giving, patience, long-suffering, and kindness, according to Gavin Ashenden, a former Anglican bishop who converted to Catholicism.
Philip's interest in Christianity deepened under the guidance of Robin Woods, who became Dean of Windsor in 1962. The prince began to read widely on religion, building a library of more than 600 books on the subject. He also exchanged letters with Michael Mann, the Dean of Windsor, which were published in 1984 as "A Windsor Correspondence". In these letters, Philip argued that the point of life was to make it better for future generations rather than to secure a good afterlife.
When Philip married Princess Elizabeth in 1947, he ceased to be Orthodox and became an Anglican like his wife, who later became Queen and head of the Church of England.
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His faith and interest in Christianity
Prince Philip was born on the Greek island of Corfu in 1921. He was a prince of both Greece and Denmark by virtue of his patrilineal descent from George I of Greece and George's father, Christian IX of Denmark. Philip was baptised in the Greek Orthodox rite at St. George's Church in the Old Fortress in Corfu. His mother, Princess Alice, later returned to Greece and became an Orthodox nun.
Religion ran in Prince Philip's family, and it played a central part in his life, especially as he grew older. His interest in Christianity deepened under the guidance of Robin Woods, who became Dean of Windsor in 1962. Prince Philip began to read widely on all aspects of religion, building up a library of more than 600 books on the subject. He also exchanged letters with a subsequent Dean of Windsor, Michael Mann, which were eventually published in 1984 as a short book, "A Windsor Correspondence". In the book, the prince argued that the whole point of life was to make it better for future generations rather than to secure a good time in the afterlife.
Prince Philip was described by a former chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II, Gavin Ashenden, as a man so deeply interested in God that he often arranged conversations with Jewish and Muslim scholars, putting himself in the role of the Christian theologian. Ashenden, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, said that Philip "exemplified the kind of humility and self-giving that Christianity has at its heart". He also noted that Philip accepted the idiosyncrasies of Anglicanism for the woman he loved, Queen Elizabeth II, who is the head of the Church of England.
Prince Philip's curiosity about his faith encouraged him to learn from others. He was said to have more books on theology in his library than on any other subject, except bird watching. He expressed his faith by engaging in diplomatic conversations between the major faiths, and he encouraged interfaith dialogue by inviting leaders from different religious traditions to speak at events.
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His conversion to Anglicanism
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was born on June 10, 1921, on the Greek island of Corfu. He was the only son and fifth and final child of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg. Philip's father was the fourth son of King George I and Queen Olga of Greece, and his mother was the daughter of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Milford Haven.
Philip was baptised in the Greek Orthodox rite at St. George's Church in the Old Fortress in Corfu. His family, however, was forced to flee Greece when he was just two years old, and they eventually settled on the outskirts of Paris.
In 1947, Philip gave up his Greek and Danish royal titles and became a naturalised British subject. He also adopted the surname Mountbatten, the Anglicised version of his mother's family name, Battenberg. That same year, he married Princess Elizabeth, who would later become Queen Elizabeth II and the head of the Church of England. As a result of his marriage, Philip was required to convert from Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, the religious denomination of the Church of England.
Philip's interest in Christianity deepened over the years, and he is remembered as a man deeply interested in God. He built up a library of more than 600 books on theology and engaged in conversations with Jewish and Muslim scholars, often putting himself in the role of the Christian theologian. He also corresponded with religious figures such as Robin Woods, Dean of Windsor, and Michael Mann, who succeeded Woods as Dean. Their letters were published in 1984 as "A Windsor Correspondence." In one letter, Philip argued that "the whole point of life was to make it better for future generations rather than to secure a good time in the afterlife."
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His marriage to Princess Elizabeth
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was born on June 10, 1921, on the Greek island of Corfu. He was a prince of Greece and Denmark by birth, being the only son and fifth child of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg. Philip was baptised in the Greek Orthodox rite at St. George's Church in the Old Fortress in Corfu.
Princess Elizabeth, on the other hand, was the elder daughter and heir presumptive of King George VI. Elizabeth and Philip first met as children in 1934 at the wedding of Elizabeth's uncle, Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Philip's cousin, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. They met again in 1939, and the 13-year-old Elizabeth fell in love with Philip, and they began exchanging letters. In the summer of 1946, Philip asked King George VI for his daughter's hand in marriage, and the King granted his request, provided that any formal engagement be delayed until Elizabeth's 21st birthday.
In March 1947, Philip adopted the surname Mountbatten from his mother's family and gave up his Greek and Danish royal titles to become a naturalised British subject. In July 1947, the couple formally announced their engagement. On November 20, 1947, Princess Elizabeth married Philip at Westminster Abbey, in a ceremony recorded and broadcast by BBC radio to 200 million people worldwide. Elizabeth's father, King George VI, described the union as a "genuine romance", and the couple moved into Clarence House after their marriage.
The marriage between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip produced four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward. Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1952, becoming Queen Elizabeth II, while Philip became the consort of the British monarch, a role he served until his death in 2021. Their marriage lasted over 73 years, the longest of any British monarch.
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His funeral
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was born on June 10, 1921, and died at the age of 99, two months before his centenary, at Windsor Castle. He was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II and the father of King Charles III.
Prince Philip was a member of the Greek and Danish royal families and was a prince of both Greece and Denmark. He was baptized in the Greek Orthodox rite at St. George's Church in the Old Fortress in Corfu. His baptism was attended by his paternal grandmother, Queen Olga of Greece, his cousin George, Crown Prince of Greece, his uncle Lord Louis Mountbatten, and the municipality of Corfu, represented by its mayor, Alexandros Kokotos, and the president of the council, Stylianos Maniarizis.
Prince Philip's funeral took place on April 17, 2021, at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, only 30 people were allowed to attend the funeral, which was a small, intimate ceremony for his closest family. The funeral service was conducted by the Dean of Windsor, with the Archbishop of Canterbury playing a supporting role. The ceremony was a simple and reflective service that celebrated Prince Philip's life and his more than 70 years of service to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
The funeral procession reflected Prince Philip's military affiliations and included a custom-built Land Rover Defender, which he designed himself, and was used to carry his coffin. The coffin was draped in his personal standard and carried his sword, naval cap, and a wreath of flowers. The procession was led by the Band of the Grenadier Guards, followed by the Major General commanding the Household Division, and then members of the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, and the Queen's Company First Battalion Grenadier Guards. The Prince of Wales and other members of the royal family joined the procession on foot, while the Queen travelled to the chapel by car.
During the funeral service, there was a national minute of silence, and the service included a reduced choir of four singers, with the music including pieces specially selected by Prince Philip. The Dean of Windsor paid tribute to Prince Philip's "kindness, humour and humanity" and his "unwavering loyalty" to the Queen. The Archbishop of Canterbury also gave thanks for his "resolute faith and loyalty".
After the funeral, Prince Philip's coffin was interred in the Royal Vault of St. George's Chapel, where it will remain until the Queen's death, when he will be transferred to the King George VI Memorial Chapel to be buried alongside the Queen.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Prince Philip was baptized as a Greek Orthodox Christian.
Prince Philip was baptized in the month following his birth in June 1921.
Prince Philip was baptized in the Church of St. George at the Old Fortress on Corfu.
Yes, Prince Philip converted to Anglicanism when he married Princess Elizabeth in 1947.
