Martha MacCallum: Goodnight, Sweet and Salty Prince.

Like Princess Diana alone on the bench at the Taj Mahal, the enduring image from Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, is dignified Queen Elizabeth alone in St. George’s Chapel; at times, far bent over in prayer in her pew, her large black hat pitched forward like a shield.

Becoming husband to a woman who was not expected to be Queen, but suddenly was, Philip did what men of his era did. His duty. It was not without struggle against the gravity that pulled him away from the sea and his freedom. His early intransigence, and perhaps transgressions, in the end, deepened his character. The Queen called him, "her strength and her stay." The young man who craved an adventurous naval career, matured and so did their marriage, their steadfastness, tolerance and love, for 73 years. It is the "sacrifice" that has become so rare and unheralded in our time of serial emoting and sharing ‘our truth.’ Especially unacknowledged sacrifice. He once was asked if it was very difficult to leave his career behind, and said "Not very difficult really, but disappointing.’ That was major sharing for the Duke. Even to his final ceremony, his funeral, he eschewed fuss. There was no fawning, no eulogy, no sermon, just Ecclesiasticus acknowledging that God is in charge, not us. This passage chosen by Philip.