Prince Philip, the 'strength' behind Britain's throne

Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip

Britain's Prince Philip, who turns 95 on Friday, has been Queen Elizabeth's constant companion for almost 70 years, offending and amusing in equal measure with his salty off-the-cuff comments and gaffes.
Known formally as the Duke of Edinburgh, the prince is a supporter of numerous charities and has been a reassuring presence at Elizabeth's side. A self-described "cantankerous old sod", Philip's unvarnished humour endears him to some but often makes headlines for the wrong reasons.
In 2015 he was caught on camera appearing to tell a photographer "just take the f***ing picture!" and asked a group of unpaid community workers: "Who do you sponge off?" "You managed not to get eaten, then?" was one typical remark to a British student who had trekked in Papua New Guinea in 1998. And on a historic state visit to China in 1986, Prince Philip warned a group of British students: "If you stay here much longer, you'll all be slitty-eyed."
Although garnering a reputation for coldness towards his children, the prince is considered by observers to be the glue that held the royal family together during a series of divorces by three of his four offspring.
In a rarely seen softer side, it emerged that the late Princess Diana addressed him as "Dearest Pa" in letters in which he offered solace over her deteriorating marriage to his eldest son Prince Charles.
The prince has been largely blessed with robust health, but was admitted to hospital with various complaints as he advanced into his 90s.
He suffered a bladder infection during the queen's diamond jubilee celebrations in 2012 and had a coronary stent fitted in 2011.
However, he accompanied the queen on overseas visits as recently as 2015, although was forced to miss a World War I commemorative ceremony last month on "doctors' advice".
Never one to talk about his own feelings, the prince admitted in a rare interview that he had carved out his own role by "trial and error".
Asked if he had been successful, he told the BBC: "I couldn't care less. Who cares what I think about it? I mean it's ridiculous."