Maria Puente

USA TODAY

Can anyone in Britain really imagine Prince Philip retired and puttering around the palace?

In fact, the 95-year-old Duke of Edinburgh was joking about the big-news-that-wasn't-big news on Thursday at — where else? — an official engagement with his wife of nearly 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II (who's already vowed she's never going to retire).

Philip, who turns 96 in June, was at his customary place behind the queen as they attended the Order of Merit service at the Chapel Royal in St James's Palace in London. His quick sense of humor seemed to be fully intact.

When a well-wisher expressed sadness at his decision to "stand down," Philip joked back: "I can't stand up much longer."

And he was joking at his solo engagement on Wednesday at Lord's Cricket Ground (the duke is a cricket fan), where he cut a ribbon and unveiled a plaque for a new viewing stand. "You're about to see the world's most experienced plaque unveiler," he joshed to onlookers.

But all kidding aside, citizens of the United Kingdom are going to have to get used to seeing their queen, 91, continue her full schedule of engagements without her "strength and stay" consort by her side, as he has been for tens of thousands of appearances through her 65 years on the throne.

During her Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012, when Philip was unexpectedly hospitalized, the British got a stark picture of what the future held as the queen walked alone up an aisle at a church service, when ordinarily she would have been accompanied by Philip.

For those youngsters who are learning about the young-and-macho Philip from Netflix's addictive series The Crown, it should be remembered that the duke said he would be retiring, or "winding down," as he put it, after he turned 90.

Could be he really means it now. According to the palace statement Thursday, he will carry out previously scheduled engagements between now and August, both solo and with the queen, but will not accept new invitations for engagements. Then came the kicker: "He may still choose to attend certain public events from time to time."

That's a big caveat for Britain's oldest and longest-serving royal consort and the man who has carried out 22,000 solo engagements, according to the official palace count. In recent years, he's been handling up to 300 engagements per year, often outworking his grandchildren, who are in their 30s.

Five years ago, Philip acknowledged in a television interview that he was nearing his "sell-by date" and that his memory for names was fading. "I reckon I've done my bit. I want to enjoy myself for a bit now. With less responsibility, less rushing about, less preparation, less trying to think of something to say," he said.

"Yes, I'm just sort of winding down."

Finally.