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GORDONSTOUN IMAGES CREDIT MAJOR B VARVILL R.A.M.C; UFFA FOX IMAGE PPL MEDIA
Sailors pay tribute to Prince Philip
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As the sailing world paid tribute to HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, previously unseen images of His Royal Highness sailing as a schoolboy came to light. They were released by his former school Gordonstoun and were taken by the great-uncle of a former student. They show the Duke in happy times in 1937, sailing one of Gordonstoun’s boats, Diligent, helming and washing-up (above centre and right). Diligent was a 14-ton Cornish trading ketch, bought in Plymouth in 1936 by teacher Michael-Noel Varvill. Meanwhile tributes have been paid from across the sailling world to the Duke, who was a keen sailor and did much to support sailing. Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron, Jamie Sheldon, said: “We owe a substantial debt to our Admiral, who was an active and talented sailor and contributed enormously to the development of yachting on the Isle of Wight. “He was the catalyst behind the formation of Cowes Combined Clubs, the organisation which lies behind Cowes Week. “He was elected a Member in 1947 and became Admiral on the accession of Queen Elizabeth II. “He served as commodore from 1961-68. He was a dynamic, reforming commodore who modernised the governance of the club and admitted ladies as Associate Members (they were admitted as Full Members in 2015). “He continued to take a keen interest in the JUNE 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
club’s affairs well into his nineties. For the club’s Bicentenary in 2015, he undertook a Fleet Review of Squadron yachts, dressed overall, off East and West Cowes — a spectacular occasion. He will be sorely missed.“ Vice-Commodore of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, Tony Hanna, said: “His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, agreed to become Patron of the Royal Thames Yacht Club in November 1952. His Royal Highness attended dinners and presentations at the clubhouse, appeared regularly at our Cowes Week cocktail party and competed for club cups. “The Duke had many sailing successes, including being six times winner of the Holt Trophy, presented to the club in 1962 and now awarded to the Flying Fifteen class winner in Cowes Week. His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was proud of the Royal Thames Yacht Club and we were exceedingly proud of him. He will be much missed.” Tim O’Brien, President of the UK Flying Fifteen class, said: “One of Prince Philip’s passions was the sea and his link with sailing was prominent throughout, none more so than during Cowes Week when the Royal Yacht was anchored off Cowes with many of the Royal family actively involved in the week’s racing. “Flying Fifteen K192 - Coweslip - was a gift from Uffa Fox to Her Majesty The Queen and Prince Philip on the occasion of their marriage in 1949, and Uffa and Prince Philip were often to be found sailing Coweslip throughout the 1950s and
1960s (above left), usually in front of the paparazzi of the day and frequently with significant racing success... fun times. The Prince subsequently became life Patron of the Flying Fifteen class association, and Coweslip can still be seen today on display in Edinburgh with the Royal Yacht Britannia.” World Sailing said: “Well-known for his love of sailing, as well as his long-standing naval career, The Duke of Edinburgh started sailing while he was at Gordonstoun School in Scotland. “In 1948, Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh were listed as new members of the RYA and given Honorary Membership. “At the 1956 RYA Annual General Meeting, The Duke of Edinburgh was elected as President of the RYA for the first time. Following his election, the Council was regularly invited to hold one of its meetings on board HMY Britannia during Cowes Week. “In 1964, on the suggestion of HRH Prince Philip, Cowes Combined Clubs was formed to run and organise the regatta. That structure is still in place, delivering a single set of racing instructions for the regatta and ushering in a modern and evolving race management system which has been instrumental in creating what is one of the world’s premier regattas. “His Royal Highness opened the Regatta House building that the Cowes Week team still uses today, on 19 May 2004.”
