As the news of Prince Philip’s upcoming retirement from royal duties sunk in around the world, former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien was rubbing elbows with the man himself inside St. James’s Palace in London, England on Thursday morning.
The Royal Family announced on Twitter on Thursday that the Duke of Edinburgh would no longer carry out public engagements beginning in the fall.
Chretien told CTV News Channel from London that he was there to attend the Order of Merit service at the Chapel Royal in St. James’s Palace. Chretien, a member of the Order of Merit, also accompanied the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen to a luncheon after the service where he sat directly beside Philip.
“We chatted for an-hour-and-a-half more or less,” Chretien recalled. “We had a good time and we talked about all sorts of anecdotes that we lived through in Canada or elsewhere.”
When asked if Philip mentioned all the publicity surrounding his decision to step back from public life, Chretien said he didn’t talk about it directly, but that he must have been aware of it.
“He was in very good spirits and was very comfortable with his decision,” the former prime minister said.
As for his health, Chretien said the Queen’s husband appeared in good health and was his usual self.
“He was very colourful in his comments and sometimes blunt,” he said. “It was a lot of fun.”
Chretien was appointed to the Order of Merit in 2009 by the Queen. Membership in the order consists of the Queen and no more than 24 other living members. Prince Philip and his son Prince Charles are also included in the group.
