Prince Philip: Sussex readers share memories of meeting the Duke of Edinburgh

With this in mind we asked readers across Sussex to share their stories of the times they met the Duke of Edinburgh

Memories ranged from meeting him while receiving their gold Duke of Edinburgh awards, to a soldier who met him at the Royal Windsor Tattoo, and students who met him when he opened Durrington High School in Worthing.

Jackie Elder from Littlehampton said: "My daughter did her Gold Duke of Edinburgh award and we both went up to St James Palace in March 2016 for her to collect her award. When he walked into the room where we were you could just feel the charisma and his presence. Took time to speak to most of the young people in the room who had achieved their awards."

Louise Fowler said: "My dad met him at a Royal Garden Party at Holyrood house. Chatted about football according to dad. My dad also said he was razor sharp."

Chris Bryant from Hastings shared an amusing memory of his meeting with the duke.

"During my time in the military I worked at the Royal Windsor Tattoo one year (2007/2008). At about 0830 in the morning I was in the grounds of Windsor Castle mucking about and dancing in tracks that go around the gardens when all of a sudden a car screeched to stop and a handful of guardsman around me braced up to attention and threw up a salute and quickly told me to get out of the road. I turned around and in the driver's seat of a Black Range Rover with the royal crown livery on it was Prince Phillip laughing, he waved me across the road and carried on driving...".

Liz Marchal from Hastings remembers meeting him in the 50s when she lived in London. "The Prince came to open a playing field and celebrated by kicking a football across," she said. "Us kids were very impressed!"

Meanwhile Darryl Telles from Hastings wrote: "I was in the queue of dignitaries to meet him at the launch of the i360 in Brighton in 2016. Well into his 90s he was sharp as a button, cracking jokes and a pleasure to be with. May he RIP."