Duke of Edinburgh to join Queen at Queensferry Crossing opening

Queensferry Crossing bridge. Picture; TSPL

Philip bid farewell to his own royal jobs at the beginning of August when he celebrated the fundraising achievements of Royal Marines at Buckingham Palace.

The Queen’s consort was pictured doffing his bowler hat to acknowledge the marching marines in the palace’s forecourt, as he called time on his personal public duties.

But palace officials have stressed from time to time he may accompany the monarch at her events, and on September 4 he will join the Queen when she opens Scotland’s Queensferry Crossing.

The £1.35 billion, 1.7-mile long Queensferry Crossing is a replacement for the Forth Road Bridge across the Forth between the Lothians and Fife.

Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, will also attend the event alongside construction workers, and there will be a blessing by the Moderator of the Church of Scotland.

The Queen’s Consort had announced in May he would be retiring from solo royal engagements, a decision which was fully supported by the Queen and was not medically related.

The monarch’s public schedule continues as normal but other members of the Royal Family will step up in support of the Queen in her role as head of state.

When the Duke retired on August 2, he had carried out 22,219 solo engagements since 1952.

Over the decades he had made 637 solo overseas visits, including 229 visits to 67 Commonwealth countries, and 408 visits to 76 other countries.