Today, which marks the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, furthers a years-long prayer and concern for him and the Royal Family. Forty years ago when Princess Diana married Prince Charles my brother and I watched the wedding from our living room on Glen Lily Road in Bowling Green, Kentucky. We were both in elementary school at the time as we watched. I think this was our first real introduction to the Royal Family. As the pictures below show, Prince Philip and the Queen (as all of us) were much younger then. As we watched the pomp and listened to the special coverage on Good Morning America, I remember listening to all their particular stories and the intrigue they brought.
The Joint Family Portrait of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, 1981
The Queen, Prince Philip, and the Queen Mum during the wedding ceremony
Today Marks the Third Death
The Queen Mum (technically Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) died in 2002 at almost 102 years old. Princess Di died in a tragic car crash in France in 1997, just 36 years old. Now today, the funeral of Prince Philip, who died April 9th at 99 years old, marks the third death of those in the immediate Royal Family from that wedding day.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and the Royal Family – A Forty Year Burden
Today seems a bit personal (as did Princess Diana’s death) because of that wedding day forty years ago. I remember going to bed that evening burdened spiritually for the Queen, Prince Philip, Princess Di, Prince Charles, and the entire Royal Family. As I laid there that night, I wondered if anyone would reach them with the Gospel, how anyone could reach them, and when anyone would reach them. I laid in bed that evening dreaming up ways it might be possible. I prayed that someone would impact them with the Gospel and that they would all be saved.
Today, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will preside over the funeral. I listened to an interview with him where he described Prince Philip as a deeply spiritual man. He explained how he was well-read and discussed theology often. Further, he said that Prince Philip’s hope was in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Of course I do not know or pretend to know the eternal state of Prince Philip. But I certainly pray that he did understand Jesus Christ as the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). I pray that he understood that no one comes to the Father but through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. My hope is that he recognized as a sinner his only hope was to repent of his sins, ask God’s forgiveness based upon the completed work of Christ, and trust only in Jesus for salvation. I also pray that he followed Jesus as His only Lord as Rev Welby explained.
The Realities of Today
One sad reality of today is that a family mourns over the passing of a husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. A man born into privilege with a hard life as a youth. He met and married his queen – literally. He served in the Royal Navy during World War 2 and served over 900 charities as a Royal.
Another reality of today is the fact that today Price Philip is more alive than ever. Unfortunately, we do not know where he is alive. He enjoys Jesus and heaven today or has begun everlasting punishment in hell. Those same two experiences face every person who lives on this earth. Regardless of your privilege or not, at death, there are only two options: heaven and hell. My prayer for forty years has been that he knew Jesus’ forgiveness and that today he might be in heaven.
One happy reality of today is that you and I as readers are living. We each still have the opportunity of choosing where we will spend eternity. I’m grateful that for years I have known that I would spend eternity in heaven since I trusted Jesus as my personal Savior for the forgiveness of my sins back when I was just five years old. I write this morning in confidence of my future home in heaven. I hope in that day to meet Prince Philip there. Thankfully, you can enjoy heaven as well.
King Solomon wrote that we are better to be at a funeral home than at a party. He told us that because it is in the funeral home that we consider death and eternity. As people all over the world today consider death and eternity, my additional prayer for them and for you the reader is that each one would also consider their eternity as well.
KevinCarson.com | Wisdom for Life in Christ Together
Princess Margaret, the Qieen’s sister also died in 2002. So that makes four senior royal deaths since and including the death of the Princess of Wales.