Prince Philip 1921-2021
The Duke of Edinburgh’s peaceful passing with the Queen by his side at Windsor Castle in the morning of 9 April 2021, just two months before his 100th birthday, “reflects a remarkable life lived in quiet and self-effacing dignity,” as The Telegraph’s Camilla Tominey put it in her article paying tribute to Prince Philip (extracts below). My thoughts and prayers are with the Prince and the Royal family and I will watch the 41-gun salute held from 12 p.m. BST on Saturday.
The Duke of Edinburgh was born on 10 June 1921 in Corfu, as Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. He married Princess Elizabeth on 20 November 1947 whom he had first met in 1934 and had been corresponding with her all the time during his military service in the Royal Navy in World War II.
Elisabeth became Queen in 1952. When Prince Philip died yesterday, 9 April 2021, at Windsor Castle he was the longest-serving consort of a reigning British monarch and the longest-lived male member of the British royal family.
Although Buckingham Palace declined to “go into any specifics” about the nature of the Duke’s passing, it is thought the 94-year-old Queen was at her husband’s bedside when the time came late yesterday morning.
Since his retirement from public life in 2017, the Duke had grown used to spending most of his days in blissful solitude at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate, whiling away his days reading, writing and painting.
When the onset of Covid-19 required him to relocate to join the Queen at Windsor Castle, an “unexpected bonus” was that they spent more time together in the past 12 months than they have done in years.
Described as “very happy” to have been able to lunch and dine with her husband most days as they both awaited the further lifting of restrictions, the Queen remained in daily contact with the royal doctors monitoring the Duke’s progress. The Duke had been advised to rest after his discharge from the King Edward VII’s hospital on Mar 15, where he was convalescing following a successful procedure for a heart condition at another London hospital, St Bartholomew’s.
According to one well-placed source: “He spent most of the four weeks he was in hospital trying to get home.
“They operated on his heart in a bid to give him a little longer, maybe with the 100th birthday in mind. But he didn’t really care about that. He just wanted to be back in his own bed. There is no way he would have wanted to die in hospital.”
Upon hearing the news of the Duke‘s death, the Prince of Wales drove from Highgrove, his Gloucestershire home, to be with his mother.
At 12.01pm, Windsor Castle issued a 58-word statement confirming: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.” Within seconds the statement had made it on to the airwaves and messages popped up on smart phones all over the world.
My thoughts and prayers are with the Prince and the Royal family.
It has not yet been decided when the funeral will take place, but it has already emerged that due to Covid guidelines only 30 mourners will attend the ceremony. The funeral is expected to take place next Saturday at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. There is likely to be a short procession within the castle grounds. Buckingham Palace confirmed last night that the Queen was considering the revised plans, which will be announced in the coming days.
The Duke would have turned 100 in June and the royal household were busy trying to put plans together for a modest celebration to mark his century. However, the Duke desired no such fuss. Having once declared he “couldn’t imagine anything worse” than living to 100, he was described by aides as “a rather reluctant celebrant”.
As such, the man who the Queen famously described as being owed a debt “greater than he would ever claim” may not have wanted Westminster Abbey to go to the trouble of tolling its tenor bell once every 60 seconds, 99 times from 6pm last night or the military’s 41-gun salute that will be held today at royal parks across the country today to mark the Duke’s death.
The government issued guidance that all official flags, including the Union Flag, are to be half-masted on all UK government buildings until the morning following the Funeral.
Any non-official flags currently flying or due to be flown should be taken down and replaced with a Union Flag at half-mast. Half-mast means the flag is flown a third of the way down the flagpole from the top, with at least the height of the flag between the top of the flag and the top of the flagpole.
In his final wishes, the Duke who hated “fuss” and took a no-nonsense approach to life, left strict instructions that he should have a relatively low-key funeral, swapping a formal lying-in-state for commemorations and focusing instead on his military ties and charity patronages. However, Buckingham Palace confirmed yesterday that coronavirus restrictions meant the arrangements had been completely revised and public will be asked to stay away owing to coronavirus restrictions.
The Queen, perhaps as a sign of her growing uncertainty over the Duke’s health, or to help her get through the Harry-Meghan-Crisis, took household staff by surprise in March by acquiring two new puppies – despite previously saying she did not want to take on any more dogs when her most recent pet corgi had died in 2018 and was left with only one dog after having had more than 30 dogs over the years.
The Queen was said to be delighted with the extra company at Windsor Castle, having had only one since the end of last year. The pets brought in a lot of noise and energy into the castle while Philip was in hospital.
Nostalgically naming the dorgi, a cross between a corgi and dachshund, Fergus after her maternal uncle, and the corgi, Muick, after Loch Muick in Royal Deeside, there was a sense that the Queen had decided life was too short as she took on the pets ahead of her 95th birthday on 21 April. Now they will keep her company in the Queen’s new role as a widow.
Back to normal
From Monday 12th April stage 2 of easing the lockdown in England will begin. That means that outdoor seating areas are reopening in London and life starts to return to normal.
Fourth Again After Easter Weekend
Despite missing Declan Rice who got injured on international duty and losing Michail Antonio because of muscular problems after half an hour, the Hammers lead 3:0 after 38 minutes. Jesse Lingard scored a brilliant solo goal, Fornals doubled their lead and Antonio’s substitute Bowen scored a third before Wolves pulled one goal back before halftime.
Lingard had been instrumental in West Ham’s second and third goal as he produced a brilliant flick on the byline to find Arthur Masuaku, whose low cross was turned in first time by Pablo Fornals, before Lingard led a quick counter to tee up substitute Jarrod Bowen to drive in the third.
In the second half West Ham held off the Wolves fightback and conceded only one more goal to secure a victory that moves them into the top four of the Premier League.
This time David Moyes’ side didn’t let slip a 3-0 lead as they had done in their previous game against Arsenal to draw 3-3, though they looked in danger of a repeat when they dropped deep as they tried to hold onto their slender advantage.
With Chelsea having surprisingly lost 5-2 to West Brom at the weekend, this win moves West Ham up to fourth with 52 points. Next Sunday afternoon the Irons will host third placed Leicester (56 points) at the London Stadium.
Bar-o-meter Until April 12th
The government has set out a roadmap for lifting lockdown in England thanks to the coronavirus vaccine programme going to plan. Coronavirus infections in Britain are lower than in all the main EU nations as the number of second vaccine doses administered reaches a record high.
Last week outdoor sports facilities were allowed to reopen in England, but pubs and restaurants remained closed for two more weeks.
From 12 April stage 2 of easing the lockdown restrictions will see all shops and also hairdressers and beauty salons reopen, and from this date food and alcohol can be served outdoors by restaurants and pubs! The Sun had a Bar-o-meter to “colour in each day until you fill your pint”.
Starting from Friday everyone in England will be offered two rapid COVID-19 tests per week, in order to curb outbreaks as the lockdown is eased.
Stage 3 shall start from 17 May when indoor entertainment will be allowed and pubs and restaurants can serve customers indoors. Hotels can open and international leisure travel may resume. Also sports fans may be allowed back to stadiums, not too late for attending the games of the last round of the Premier League which will be played by 23 May.
There will be some pilot sports events with fans prior to this date that were announced on Sunday, including the FA Cup semi-final between Southampton and Leicester City on April 18, the World Snooker Championship from April 17, the Carabao Cup Final (Manchester City v Tottenham) on April 25, and then a planned 21,000 crowd for the FA Cup final on May 15.
Finally Stage 4 (no earlier than 21 June) could see all restrictions on social contact removed if vaccine programme continues to go to plan.
Der Herr ist auferstanden!
„Die Botschaft der Auferstehung ist, dass diese Welt wichtig ist. Aller Ungerechtigkeit und allem Leid, die wir heute erleben, müssen wir mit der Botschaft entgegentreten, dass Heil, Gerechtigkeit und Liebe gesiegt haben … Wenn Jesus wahrhaftig – und nicht nur im Geiste – von den Toten auferstanden ist, dann geht es bei Ostern nicht bloß um eine neue spirituelle Dimension in meinem Leben. Vielmehr ist der christliche Glaube eine frohe Botschaft für die ganze Welt: Ostern bedeutet, dass in einer Welt, in der Ungerechtigkeit, Gewalt, Erniedrigung usw. an der Tagesordnung sind, Gott nicht bereit ist, diese Dinge zu dulden – und dass wir mit all Seiner Energie darauf hinarbeiten, den Sieg Jesu über diese Dinge Gestalt annehmen zu lassen.“
(N.T. Wright, For All God‘s Worth: True Worship and the Calling of the Church)
Good Friday
Songs
(St. Peter’s Brighton) “Christ in Me” https://www.instagram.com/tv/CNLK8mngOul/?igshid=a38wsfsu19tf
(HTB) “How deep the father’s love for us” https://www.instagram.com/tv/CNKdz1QFz5M/?igshid=5s77n6geq03
How deep the Father's love for us How vast beyond all measure That He should give His only Son To make a wretch His treasure How great the pain of searing loss The Father turns His face away As wounds which mar the Chosen One Bring many sons to glory Behold the man upon a cross My sin upon His shoulders Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice Call out among the scoffers It was my sin that held Him there Until it was accomplished His dying breath has brought me life I know that it is finished I will not boast in anything No gifts, no power, no wisdom But I will boast in Jesus Christ His death and resurrection Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer But this I know with all my heart His wounds have paid my ransom Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer But this I know with all my heart His wounds have paid my ransom (Selah, 2009) https://www.lyrics.com/track/17059007/Selah/How+Deep+the+Father%27s+Love+for+Us
Rice Rises To The Occasion
England 2-1 Poland: Harry Maguire scored a late winner in this World Cup qualifier after Kane had put England in front with an early penalty and Poland had levelled in the second half. Declan Rice again was very influential in midfield and won his second „MAN OF THE MATCH“ in three games. Jesse Lingard didn’t come on before the 90th minute when he replaced Sterling.
Match report: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56505758
Iron Men
Jesse Lingard (right) and Declan Rice (left) made the Hammers proud with their “Man of the Match” performances in England’s recent two games of World Cup Qualifying Group I against San Marino (5:0) and Albania (2:0). Tomorrow an other qualifier awaits the Three Lions against Poland.
Unfortunately there isn’t a third Iron in this team to win West Ham a hattrick of “Player of the Match” trophies in tonight’s game.
Royal Albert Hall turns 150
On Monday, 29 March, the Royal Albert Hall turns 150 years old. The famous concert hall in South Kensington was opened by Queen Victoria on this day in 1871 and named after her late husband Prince Albert who had died six years before.
But unfortunately, this is the second birthday the Hall, which has more than 5,000 seats, had on its own, without any audience.
I’m sure everybody does miss the concert hall as much as I do. I’ve been there on various occasions. I was at a “Blues fest” concert with Robert Plant (ex-Led Zeppelin), a Patrick Bruel concert, a Christmas concert with traditional carols singing along, and a classical “Proms” concert in the summer of 2018. We also had afternoon tea before one of these concerts, and I remember that we walked past the hall to watch hundreds of people queue for a ticket for the “Last night of the Proms” which we attended in Hyde Park. Our last visit came two years ago in May 2019 when we attended the “Leadership Conference” with Nicky Gumbel and thousands of Alpha leaders from all over the world.
Due to the impossibility of welcoming any crowds to the hall, the Royal Albert Hall released a video to mark the occasion by celebrating the people behind the scenes who’ve been working behind closed doors this whole time, keeping an eye on the Royal Albert Hall and making sure that your room will be ready for the return of the audience to the Hall.
An Other Austrian For West Ham?
Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic scored twice for Austria in their World Cup qualifier against Scotland, and is expected to hit the back of the net again when Austria play Faroer on Sunday in Vienna. This would be only his fourth cap for his country and just his second time in the ÖFB starting XI. According to various reports the 23-year-old could be signed by the Hammers in summer, but he is also said to be pursued by other clubs as AS Roma and RB Leipzig.
Rapid Vienna wanted to sign Kaladjic from his club Admira in 2019, but the U21-player preferred to join German outfit VfB Stuttgart that played in the 2nd Bundesliga at that time and helped them to promotion to Germany’s first tier in 2020. In this season so far the frontman wearing the no. 9 shirt at Stuttgart has scored 13 goals and assisted teammates on three occasions in 25 outings in the German Bundesliga.
The Hammers having been quoted to bid £15million for the 2 m tall Austrian, could look to make Kalajdzic their Sebastien Haller replacement this summer. The Irons failed to add cover for Michail Antonio in January and are keen to sign a striker in the summer.
The 23-year-old would be the third Austrian who plays for the Irons in the Premier League, following in the footsteps of Emanuel Pogatetz (2013) and, of course, Hammer of the Year (2018) Marko Arnautovic whose replacement Sébastien Haller could not be dubbed a success at West Ham and was transferred to Ajax Amsterdam in January.
In the time that has transpired since Haller’s departure, West Ham manager David Moyes has been forced to utilise Jarrod Bowen and Jesse Lingard as false nines when Antonio’s troublesome hamstring issues were flaring up.
Standing at 6’5, drawing comparisons to former England international Peter Crouch, it’s no surprise Kalajdzic is proficient aerially, but the Austrian ace also has strong technical ability and has become a clinical marksman for his club VfB Stuttgart in this season’s German Bundesliga.
With SK Rapid having missed out on the young striker two years ago, it would be great to see the Austrian (whose parents are of Serbian origin and came to Austria from Bosnia-Herzegowina) in claret and blue next season!
EXTRA TIME 
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