Imaging Supplies Leader Remembers the Duke of Edinburgh

Imaging Supplies Leader Remembers the Duke of Edinburgh

Industry people have joined millions around the world to mourn the passing of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh who passed away on April 9, 2021.

Prince Philip, the lifelong companion of Queen Elizabeth II and the longest-serving consort in British history, died at the age of 99.

Industry veteran Steve Weedon (pictured) remembers meeting the Duke (and the Queen) at Buckingham Palace in London on July 16, 2003, when he won the Queen’s Award for Export. Prince Philip has played an enthusiastic role in The Queen’s Awards for Export & Technology from its beginnings in 1965. He was Chairman of the Originating Committee for The Queen’s Award for Industry, as it was then known. The award recognises significant contributions to British industry and technological development.

Weedon is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Print-Rite Europe Limited and PRP Solutions GmbH—which sells Pelikan branded imaging consumables. At the time of the photo (above), Weedon was General Manager of Static Control Europe. “This photo of me shaking hands with the Duke shows him looking at my name tag and asking me what Static Control did,” said Weedon.

“I also remember being told seconds before meeting the Queen to call her ‘Mam as in Spam, and not Marm, as in Marmalade’,” he mused.

“Apparently, the Duke of Edinburgh has met 22% of the British population in his lifetime. So I count myself amongst the lucky ones,” said Weedon.

Some interesting facts about Prince Philip include:

• accompanying The Queen on all 251 of her official overseas visits;
• fulfilling over 18,567 official engagements excluding those accompanying The Queen, an average of 371 each year;
• undertaking 223 solo visits to 67 Commonwealth countries, and 385 visits to 74 other countries; an average of 12 countries per year, over the last 50 years.
• a major interest in science and technology, being Patron of the Industrial Society since 1952 and visiting research stations, laboratories, and every kind of workplace throughout Britain;
• caring for the environment: the Duke was the first President of the World Wildlife Fund-UK from its foundation in 1961 to 1982, was International President of WWF (now World Wide Fund for Nature) from 1981 to 1996.

Related:

• Weedon Takes Over at Print-Rite Pelikan

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