The tassel-ended cords lie still. Champagne bottles limply dangle from ropes, unpropelled towards the hulls of ships. Velvet curtains remain stubbornly shut. For Prince Philip, consort of Queen Elizabeth II of England and the self-described “world’s most experienced plaque unveiler,” is ceasing public duties at the age of 95, the royal family announced today.

Prince Philip, who holds the title of Duke of Edinburgh and a few other honors*, was the guest of honor yesterday at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, where he cracked a joke about his longstanding experience uncovering engraved squares of masonry:

In the UK, the Queen remains a popular figure 65 years into her reign, and many applaud Philip’s loyal support over their 70-year marriage: Seven decades of hand-shaking, medal-pinning, and the sometimes-flamboyant exhibition of inscriptions.

#leadership