The Duke

  

Last week the Duke of Edinburgh died at the ripe old age of 99 years old. It's a sad day when anyone dies but may be more poignant when it's all over every TV channel. I have to say first that I had no opinion on the Royal family and to be honest no interest. That lack of opinion works on both sides. As much as I have nothing positive to say I have nothing negative to say either. They are just there and I look no further than that. The only times I can remember any more than that all revolved around Diana. I remember my mum and her sister sitting on the floor crying in front of the TV watching the live coverage of wedding of Charles and Diana. I remember the strange numbness of the day she died. And I remember the strange feeling going through the tunnel in Paris where she died. Other than that nothing.

On the Duke my opinion has been pretty blinkered. My opinion of him has been forged by satirical comedy. I've taken no interest in him but would always hear jokes at his expense as he was generally painted as a blithering old racist and bigot in comedy circles. His gaffes are legendary like asking a driving instructor in Scotland how he kept the locals off the booze long enough to teach them. They were the source of many an email meme in the early days of Internet before social media. How many were true I don't know. 

That was my opinion of him until I watched the BBC documentary about his like today. It made me feel a little small-minded not to have given him more of my time. A war hero, an environmentalist, a champion of the young and a tireless charity worker who worked well beyond retirement age. Not perfect but who is? A life truly well lived. His selflessness really came to mind when I read many negative comments today with the word "parasite" used. Disgusting really. He was from a different generation who was more prone to speak its mind. I don't claim to understand that generation any more than I understand the younger generation today. They are both different from each other and different from my own. Those differences do not detract from all the good he did. I did the Duke of Edinburgh award at school and remember how great it felt to achieve something. I'd actually like to read or watch more now. I'm just sorry I left it so long to find out he was not the man I though he was.