IN a way the death of the Duke of Edinburgh will take a bit of fun out of Royal visits.

Accompanying The Queen, Prince Philip visited Worcester five times and there was always expectation in the air as to what he might say.

Reporters hoovered through the crowds afterwards seeking out the people he had spoken to in case there was a quotable, or maybe unquotable, line. However, the Prince, for all his unpredictability, never obliged in the Faithful City.

The deferential few paces behind Her Majesty on royal walkabouts, Philip invariably had a twinkle in his eye and the keen observation of a military man. Not much escaped his attention. And, of course, there was the wicked sense of humour.

After all, here was a man who referred to the expensive home of his own son Prince Andrew, when married to Fergie, as looking “like a tart’s bedroom.”

While on an official visit to Canada he once announced: “I declare this thing open, whatever it is!” There are several books devoted to Philip’s jokes, quotes and gaffs, which I must be unique among royal figures.

The future Queen’s first official visit to Worcester, to tour the Royal Worcester factory and open the porcelain museum, was actually in 1951, minus Philip and when still Princess Elizabeth, so it was not until 1957 the city had its first close look at the new royal couple.

And what a memorable day April 24 was for more than 7,000 schoolchildren who packed Worcestershire CCC’s New Road ground as the Queen and Prince Philip were slowly driven around the outfield, standing in the back of a maroon Land Rover.

A day off school probably made the cheers even louder and the flag waving even more enthusiastic.

That was on the second day of a two day official visit to the county, with the overnight stop spent on the Royal train near Leigh Court. It had arrived at Shrub Hill station 8.45pm the previous evening when the Royal couple were driven down Lowesmoor, St Nicholas Street, The Cross and High Street Worcester to the floodlit Guildhall for dinner with 500 guests.

The following morning they arrived at 10am at Henwick Station and drove down through the new, un-named gates on to WCCC’s ground. While the Band of the Royal Artillery played, The Queen inspected a guard of honour of The Queen’s own Worcestershire Hussars (Warwick & Worcs Yeomanry) and ranks of Old Comrades.

After the Land Rover tour of the outfield, the royal couple changed back to their official car for the drive to Malvern, where they visited the Royal Radar Establishment and Malvern College, before going over the county border into Herefordshire at British Camp.

There followed royal visits by both The Queen and Prince Philip in 1980 (for the Maundy Thursday Service at the Cathedral), in 1989 (for the 800th anniversary of the first Royal Charter to Worcester) and in 2001 as part of the 250-year celebrations of Worcester Porcelain and to open the new Worcester City Police Station.

Worcester people got their last close up look at Prince Phillip in July 2012 when the Queen came to the city as part of her Diamond Jubilee tour. Then 90 years old, the Prince still cut an upright and immaculate figure, never flagging on a day that would have tested people half his age.

In a punishing schedule, the royal couple spent the morning in Hereford before travelling to Worcester where they opened the Hive, the city’s new £60m library and history centre. After a comprehensive tour of the building, it was on to a reception in the lower hall of the Guildhall with 100 of the county’s “great and good”, before moving upstairs to the Assembly Room and a two course lunch with 150 invited guests.

But they did not rest for long. After being presented with a porcelain plate, specially designed by the Museum of Royal Worcester, they stepped out into a packed High Street for a walkabout among the cheering crowds, before moving on to Worcester Cathedral for a 25 minute celebratory service. This was attended by about 1,000 people, including schoolchildren and unsung heroes nominated by readers of the Worcester News.

Following the service, the Queen unveiled a plaque by cathedral stonemason James Robinson and then it was goodbye to Worcester, quite possibly for the last time.

“We will never see his like again” is a well worn phrase sometimes used too lightly, but in Prince Philip’s case it is the only one that fits. His nearest successor might have been Prince Harry, but that’s not going to happen now.

 

The Queen and Prince Philip's visits to Worcester

 • 1951 - The year before her coronation, Princess Elizabeth visited Worcester to see the Royal Worcester factory and to open the Worcester porcelain museum

• 1957 – The Queen and Prince Phillip came to Worcester for an official visit. She went to the Guildhall as part of that

• 1980 – The Queen came to Worcester for the Maundy Thursday Service at the Cathedral and went to a reception at the Guildhall

• 1989 – The Queen visited Worcester for the 800th anniversary of the presenting of the first Royal Charter to Worcester. She had lunch at the Guildhall

• 2001 - Queen Elizabeth II came to Worcester with the Duke of Edinburgh in 2001 as part of the 250-year celebrations of Worcester Porcelain and to open the new Worcester City Police Station. They had lunch at Guildhall