Today marks the death of Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, Consort to Queen Elizabeth II, in London two months short of his 100th birthday. Prince Philip was born on the Greek island of Corfu on 10 June 1921, the only son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg. As a member of the House of Glücksburg and the ruling house of Denmark, he was a prince of both Greece and Denmark by virtue of his patrilineal descent from George I of Greece and Christian IX of Denmark. From birth, he was in the line of succession to both thrones.
Some people may remember the visit of Elizabeth and Philip to Penang in 1972. They arrived at Swettenham Pier on 8th March and were whisked away to visit the Supreme Court building and the newly constructed Dewan Sri Pinang. During their brief 11-hour stay in Penang, the royal couple were also taken to Penang Hill, Batu Ferringhi and the Botanic Gardens.
What is lesser known is that on 31st October 1956, Philip had made a rare, even shorter hours-long visit to Penang as part of his tour of the Commonwealth countries in the Far East, including Australia and New Zealand. He was supposed to visit Singapore but that part of his itinerary was cancelled following some riots there earlier. However, his visit to Malaya proceeded as scheduled.
In the Penang Free School Magazine of 1957, it was written that a motorcade bringing Philip, Sir Donald MacGillivray (the British High Commissioner) and RP Bingham (the Resident Commissioner) had driven into the school grounds on that day. After the Headmaster, JE Tod, had greeted them, the visitors proceeded to the school field where Philip planted a casuarina sapling near the flagstaff. He then walked up to the assembled masters and had a brief chat with them. As he was leaving the school field, the School Captain led the School in three rousing cheers.
The school magazine added: "Turning back, the Duke waved and then noticed some English ladies and gentlemen who were standing near the parapet of the first floor of the school building. Thereupon, the Prince smiled at them and upon his waving his hand again, a lady fell off her chair."
Unfortunately, this sapling did not survive for long and there is no longer any trace of it on the school field.
