Philip, who turns 95 next month, is the Royal Navy Lord High Admiral and is said to be “immensely disappointed” not to be a part of the anniversary events.
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Edinburgh’s Lord Provost and Lord Lieutenant, Donald Wilson, said: “It has been a proud moment for me to stand alongside the ancestors of those who fought and died for their country to commemorate the Battle of Jutland”.
Prince Philip, 94, is understood to have no plans to cancel any other forthcoming engagements, and has not attended hospital. The palace did not elaborate on his condition.
A MEMORIAL service was held yesterday to mark the centenary of the biggest naval battle of World War.
The maritime confrontation, known in German as the “Battle of Skagerrak”, began on 31 May 1916 and involved 250 ships and 100,000 naval personnel.
Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth II’s daughter, attended the ceremony and an earlier service at St Magnus Cathedral in the Orkney Islands’ main town of Kirkwall, Britain’s most northerly cathedral.
Also writing in the order of service, David Cameron said: “The strategic importance of Scapa Flow can not be overstated and it is therefore highly symbolic that today the stark and striking beauty of the Orkney Islands provides the backdrop to our commemorations”.
The cathedral is scheduled to be the venue for Battle of Jutland commemorations on Tuesday, with many dignitaries due to attend.
Despite 6,094 sailors dying, the battle was judged a British victory because the blockade held firm.
By the time it was over, more than 7,000 were dead and over 20 ships went down.
The German President will be joined by serving members of the German Navy and two German Navy frigates, one of which will join a British ship to drop poppies and forget-me-nots in the seas off Jutland Bank.
Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, who is married to Princess Anne, said: “He’s very frustrated and disappointed that he can’t be here and we’re all very sad that he won’t be with us”.
Historians have long argued over who won the battle.
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A Merseyside-built cruiser – the last surviving vessel from the Battle of Jutland – will open to the public tomorrow after a £15 million-plus lottery-backed restoration project.
