Here, the Isle of Wight County Press takes a look back at his strong links to the Island, over seventy years of visits.

The Duke of Edinburgh was a familiar face on the Isle of Wight - enjoying regular trips to the world famous Cowes Week sailing regatta and meeting scores of Islanders at shipyards, charities, businesses and organisations.

One of the Duke's first official visits to the Island came just two years after his wedding to the (then) Princess Elizabeth.

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In 1949, the Royal couple were captured in British Pathe footage sailing the waters off Cowes, on board the yacht 'Fanny Rosa'.

They were also filmed on the Dragon class boat Bluebottle.

It had been a wedding gift - paid for by members of the Island Sailing Club, in Cowes.

Above, with Prince Edward off Cowes in 1990

Below, outside Northwood House

The Duke sailed Bluebottle competitively and a young Prince Charles was later pictured on board.

A number of competitive crews put Bluebottle through her paces and in 1956 she won gold at the Melbourne Olympics, remaining ‘The Royal Dragon’ until 1962.

In 2001, after 40 years service as a sail training vessel, the Duke of Edinburgh loaned her to the National Maritime Museum in Cornwall, where she now resides.

A keen sailor, The Duke of Edinburgh trained at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in 1939, before serving in the Mediterranean and the Pacific in the Second World War.

In 1952, he left the Royal Navy as a commander, when Princess Elizabeth became Queen.

Here, British Pathe film shows the Duke taking to the Solent, off Cowes, in that same year.

At Osborne, in 2012

It was not just water-going craft of the sailing variety that appeared to draw the Duke's interest.

With East Cowes at the forefront of boat and hovercraft design, he paid many visits to the thriving hub at what is now the Venture Quays buildings, formerly Saunders Roe.

In the 1950s, Prince Philip took the opportunity to hop aboard early hovercraft, being built at East Cowes.

He is seen in Pathe film piloting a craft from its landing pad, at the mouth of the Medina.

The Duke at Cowes, copyright Britsh Pathe 

A keen yachtsman, the Duke of Edinburgh was a friend of the East Cowes-born legendary boat designer Uffa Fox.

The pair raced together at Cowes Week and Fox took the Royal children sailing, including at the 1957 regatta, in Bluebottle.

July 26 1965 marked a significant visit to the Isle of Wight for the Royal couple.

They were filmed by Pathe as they greeted crowds on Ryde beach, drove through the town to a bunting-covered Ryde Theatre - the official home of Ryde Town Council - and then at Ventnor Park, meeting Brownies and Guides.

They were filmed walking in the shadow of Shanklin's cliff lift and watching a procession of carnival queens, from the 1965 Sandown Bay Regatta.

Their visit also took them to Yarmouth, where the Queen unveiled a plaque on the town hall.

During the visit, former Ryde Town councillor Edward Minghella was presented to the couple - photographed wearing his official robes of office.

'What are they? Dressing gowns?', Prince Philip was quoted as asking, when faced with the formal attire.

In 1968, with the Royal Yacht Britannia as a backdrop, Prince Philip was photographed on board Coweslip, with Uffa Fox, competing in a Flying Fifteen event.

A year later, in 1969, the Duke paid another visit to the yard now known as Venture Quays, in East Cowes.

Back then, it was the British Hovercraft Corporation.

Pathe film footage shows him watching a demonstration of a model radio-controlled SRN 4 hovercraft.

In 1974, The Duke took the salute, while on board Britannia, in Cowes harbour, as a fleet of majestic tall ships sailed past.

They were heading to St Malo, France before a race back to the NAB Tower, off Sandown.

Thousands of holiday-makers also braved the driving rain to watch.

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With the County Press's Lori Little, at Yarmouth Pier in 2008

Through the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, the Duke was a familiar face at Cowes Week.

Scores of photos are testament to his competitive spirit and enjoyment of the regatta.

In 1982, the Duke of Edinburgh sailed his Yeoman class yacht in the Queens Cup, on August 1.

He was back again, on another Yeoman, in August 1996.

In Cowes Harbour

More recently, in June 2012, celebrations took place to mark The Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

After spending hours in adverse weather on a barge on the Thames, as part of the River Pageant, The Duke of Edinburgh fell ill and spent five days in hospital.

He returned to Windsor Castle the day before his 91st birthday, having missed a number of events.

Despite the scare, just weeks later, on July 25 2012, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, visited Cowes.

Their arrival was part of a celebratory tour of the United Kingdom.

Working their way past crowds of well-wishers on Cowes parade, the Royal couple were shown around the newly opened Cowes RNLI station.

In Cowes, in 2015

A choir from Cowes Primary School performed a song written for The Queen and Michelin-starred chef Robert Thompson presented the couple with a hamper of Isle of Wight’s best produce.

He also handed them a hamper for the Queen’s corgis.

Isle of Wight Studio Glass's Timothy Harris also presented the Queen with a commemorative glass bowl.

Days later, in August 2012, Prince Philip returned to Cowes Week.

While he was he here, he visited Newport's AJ Wells and Son, unveiling a plaque to mark the family firm's 40th anniversary.

A lunch in the company of the former Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Major General Martin White was also on the agenda.

During a visit to Northwood House

Shortly after his visit, the Prince again fell ill for a time, but he was soon recovered and in 2015, led a host of visiting European royals in marking the bicentenary of Cowes's Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS).

A fleet review more than 180 members' boats, many of which were moored in the Medina for the day, was a colourful spectacle for onlookers.

On hand to celebrate, were King Harald of Norway, the former king of Spain, Juan Carlos, King Constantine II of Greece, Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince Henrik of Denmark.

Princess Anne, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Prince Michael of Kent also attended.

The Prince was spotted by Islanders strolling through Cowes, attending a private service at Trinity Church and at the beating retreat on Cowes Parade, conducted by the Royal Marine Marching Band, where he took the salute.

In July 2016, Prince Philip met the Portsmouth-based design and engineering team behind Isle of Wight resident Sir Ben Ainslie's America’s Cup entry.

Ahead of the competition in Bermuda in 2017, The Duke visited The Solent to watch some high-speed racing action and to meet Sir Ben.

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Visiting Spinlock, Cowes

The Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes, which counted Prince Philip as its Commodore from 1962 until 1968, credits him with transforming the club and bringing it into the 20th century.

It says it was The Duke who suggested the creation of the Cowes Combined Clubs, to modernise Cowes Week and help with its administration.

The Queen remains patron of the Royal Yacht Squadron and at the time of his death, the Duke of Edinburgh was its admiral.