Newspaper headlines: Prince Philip's retirement dominates By BBC News

Staff Published duration 5 May 2017

image copyright EPA image caption Taking a back seat... the Duke of Edinburgh

The local election results came too late for Friday morning's editions, but the Duke of Edinburgh's retirement features heavily.

A photo of a beaming Prince Philip accompanied by the headline "service with a smile" is on the front page of the Daily Telegraph

The paper says he became the grandfather of the nation, describing him as "wonderfully cantankerous".

It writes that the prince was a New Man, 70 years before his time, renouncing his beloved naval career in order to be the Queen's consort.

But the Daily Telegraph adds that his lifestyle was not something he was always happy about, apparently fuming to a friend: "I'm nothing but a bloody amoeba... the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his children."

It reports that he spent several months considering his future before making his decision and telling the Queen over the Easter weekend.

The paper says he has timed his retirement to "perfection" as the the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are moving to London so Prince William can take up full-time public duties.

It pays tribute to the duke, saying he is retiring after 70 of loyal service, mischief and controversy.

The paper says his decision means he will spend less time with the Queen and it believes the duke will stay at Windsor Castle while his wife continues her royal duties.

The Express also profiles the tiny Pacific island of Tanna, where people worship Prince Philip as a god.

Local legend tells of a white man emerging from the crater of a volcano, who then married a queen and travelled the world.

When the duke became aware of the story he sent the islanders a signed photo - which is still on proud display.

The Mail describes Philip and the Queen as "the greatest double act of all time", writing that he "shored her up in times of crisis" and "broke the ice when shyness overcame her".

It describes the duke as the "warm-up half of the act" and the "glamorous wise-cracking consort", who prides himself on being able to make people laugh within 15 seconds.

Speaking about his horse-loving daughter daughter, Princess Anne, he said: "If it doesn't fart, or eat hay, she's not interested."

And, when chatting to a Scottish driving instructor, he asked: "How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to pass the test?"

He was also famously unimpressed with the design of the Duke and Duchess of York's home in the 1980s, describing it as looking like a "tart's bedroom".