Prince Philip: Students at Duke's old boarding school lay wreath at sea as tribute
Video report by ITV News Scotland Correspondent Peter Smith
Students at Prince Philip's former school have paid tribute to him by laying a wreath at sea.
Gordonstoun school in Scotland remembered the Duke on Saturday - the day of his funeral at Windsor.
Children gathered on the school’s yacht, anchored off the harbour, at Hopeman Harbour in Moray.
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While a lone piper played Flowers of the Forest on the harbour wall, a wreath was laid in the water.
As a pupil at the exclusive boarding school, Philip was a keen sailor and enjoyed many outdoor pursuits.
The school’s current principal Lisa Kerr said Gordonstoun had provided stability after the turbulent early years of the prince’s life.
‘Even though he’s not here… thank you for allowing me to have the best education anyone could ever want.’
Prince Philip's boarding school Gordonstoun pays tribute to their former pupil
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She said: “When he came to Gordonstoun in 1934 as the school’s tenth pupil, it was a place where he found security and stability and a place where he was able to discover his true self and become the very best version of himself."
She added that Philip developed his love of the sea, sport, and the outdoors at Gordonstoun.
"He particularly built his focus on service to others, which is such an important part of the Gordonstoun curriculum even today,” Ms Kerr said.
Ms Kerr said his connection to Gordonstoun was “lifelong”, writing to the school in the final days of his life.
Three of Philip’s children and two grandchildren attended Gordonstoun.
Ms Kerr said: “When he came to Gordonstoun as a parent or grandparent, there was no pomp and ceremony.
“There’s a lovely story of how he came to one of Prince Edward’s drama performances and he sat in a seat with a handwritten sign that simply said ‘mum and dad’.”
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The headteacher said the ceremony had aimed to reflect Philip’s love for the school and the area.
Ms Kerr said: “Throughout the whole of the last week we have had the opportunity to reflect on how proud we are in shaping what was important to the Duke.
“We can’t have large-scale gatherings at the moment, but to be able to have a smaller tribute to him which is still an appropriate scale is great."
Pupils at Gordonstoun joined with people across the UK in observing a minute’s silence for the duke.
Opportunities to hold official commemoration events have been limited due to coronavirus restrictions.