Remembering Prince Philip and the DoE Property Committee

For a number of years in the noughties, I sat on the Duke of Edinburgh Award Property Committee, together with a number of clients and contacts who were at the heart of the London Property Industry. 

Although the fund-raising side was hard work, we had the incredible honour of working with Prince Philip; Prince Edward; Sophie, Countess of Wessex and the Award team. Prince Philip was then 83 years old and incredibly sharp and vibrant; he also had a deep understanding of and interest in the built environment. 

I was very fortunate to have spent time with the Duke in meetings and private lunches at Buckingham Palace, as well as more public events such as property industry Receptions, Garden Parties and Gold Award ceremonies.

Among my fondest memories were a reception at the Travellers Club in Pall Mall where I was chatting to the Duke (together a well-known property industry entrepreneur who used to cycle round London before it was an ESG issue) and a photographer came up to us and took a flash photo without warning. The Duke immediately blew a gasket and barked at the photographer “ **** off, just **** off” and carried on chatting urbanely as if nothing had happened.

One summer at a Royal Garden Party, my mother asked the Duke if I had told him that I was named after him? I wont repeat the response! 

On 21 July 2007, during the second July terrorist attack in London, I spent 4 hours locked down in the Chinese Dining Room at Buckingham Palace with Prince Philip, Prince Edward and Sophie. We were guarded by police with machine guns in the room. The conversation ranged from speculating about the terrorists to being late for hair appointments! Described by another client of mine this morning who was at that lunch as the most surreal experience of her life!