FRANCE 24 takes looks back at some eminent personalities who died in 2021, from Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, to former US Secretary of State Colin Powell, to literary icon Joan Didion.
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Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, died on April 9 at Windsor Castle, aged 99. A charismatic figure renowned for his sense of public duty, Philip was the longest-serving consort of any British monarch – at the queen’s side for more than seven decades, following their marriage in 1947 and her accession to the throne in 1952.
Philip was seen as an embodiment of British culture, though his family origins were a mostly continental mix: He was born on the Greek island of Corfu on June 10, 1921, to Andrew, Prince of Greece and Denmark, and Princess Alice of Battenberg.
Philip’s marriage to then princess Elizabeth followed his service in the Royal Navy during World War II. As the Queen’s consort, he was well-known for his commitment to public service, completing more than 22,000 solo engagements over 65 years until retiring from public duty in 2017 at the age of 96.
At an event to mark their golden wedding anniversary in 1997, the queen paid tribute to Philip: “He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years.”
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Charlie Watts, Rolling Stones drummer
The legendary Rolling Stones drummer died on August 24, aged 80, after nearly 60 years as in integral part…
Source : france24
