Republican organisations refused to use the death of Prince Philip to push their anti-monarchy agenda
The Duke of Edinburgh died this morning, aged 99, bringing to the end more than seven decades of public service as the longest-serving consort to a monarch in British history.
Republic, a campaigning group dedicated to replacing the UK monarchy with an elected head of state, offered condolences.
Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader and a well-known republican, said his thoughts were with Prince Philip’s family.
Mary Lou Macdonald, the president of Sinn Féin and leader of the Irish opposition also sent sympathies to the Queen and to those with a British identity.
She finished with a Gaelic phrase, translated as ‘may his holy soul be on the right side of God’.
The Green Party, which still runs on a ticket of republicanism, emphasised the Prince Philip’s role in establishing the Duke of Edinburgh awards.
Caroline Lucas, former Green Party leader, said she admired Prince Philip’s role as the first president of the WWF as 1961.
Adam Price, the leader of nationalist republican party Plaid Cymru, has also said his thoughts lie with the Royal Family. The party ran on an anti-monarchist manifesto at the 2019 General Election.
