The Duke of Edinburgh…

….is finally retiring from public engagements. We tend to forget that he’ll be 96 in June, so most people his age retired 30 years ago. Actually, most people his age are dead. Whatever you think of him, his stamina and dedication to duty have been extraordinary. I know what my mum thought of him. She went down to Willesden Town Hall, just after my sister was born, to register the birth and overheard the conversation of the woman in front of her. “Father’s name?” said the clerk, “The Duke of Edinburgh”, the woman replied. The Clerk sighed impatiently, “Shall we just say Father Unknown?” The woman was outraged, “No, we won’t! I’ve told you once – the father is the Duke of Edinburgh”. So let’s wish the D of E all the best as he steps back to spend more time with his family. The question is, which one?