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From the Olympic Games to London Planetarium - 10 things opened by Prince Philip

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Prince Philip.
Prince Philip.
Photo: Alastair Grant - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Britain's Prince Philip dubbed himself the world's most experienced plaque unveiler, after 70 years of public duties.

Here are 10 things opened by the Duke of Edinburgh:

1. 1956 Olympic Games 

On behalf of his wife Queen Elizabeth II, the Australian head of state, Prince Philip wore his naval uniform as he opened the Melbourne Olympics on 22 November 1956 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

He later declared his very brief speech as the best of his life. He spent several days watching the Games.

It was part of a lengthy solo Commonwealth tour on the new Royal Yacht Britannia, his longest time away from the queen, during which he visited the Antarctic.

2. The Emirates Stadium 

Queen Elizabeth was due to open Arsenal Football Club's new 60 000-capacity stadium in north London on 26 October 2006, but pulled out due to a strained back muscle.

Prince Philip deputised, unveiling the plaque which had his wife's name on it.

He met manager Arsene Wenger and captain Thierry Henry. His grandson Prince Harry's favourite team is yet to win the English Premier League since moving to their new ground.

The Duke of Edinburgh is introduced to the Arsenal
The Duke of Edinburgh is introduced to the Arsenal squad by captain Thierry Henry and chairman Peter Hill-Wood as he officially opens the Emirates Stadium in London, 26 October 2006.

3. Royal Australian Mint 

Opened on 22 February 1965, the mint in Canberra has been the sole producer of all of Australia's coins since it switched from pounds to decimalised dollars in 1966.

All Australian coins feature Queen Elizabeth on the obverse. Since opening, the mint has made more than 15 billion circulating coins and can produce two million per day.

4. The Bull Ring, Birmingham 

Opened on 29 May 1964, the redevelopment at the heart of Britain's second city was seen at the time as the height of modernity, containing Britain's first indoor, city-centre shopping centre.

However, over the years it came to epitomise the worst of Brutalist architecture.

Featuring boxy, grey concrete surrounded by ringroads and accessible through grim subways, it was eventually demolished and replaced in the early 2000s.

HRH Duke of Edinburgh, opens the Birmingham Bull R
HRH Duke of Edinburgh, opens the Birmingham Bull Ring Centre, West Midlands, 29 May 1964.

5. Vancouver City Hall annex 

On opening the new building in 29 October 1969, Prince Philip memorably declared: "It gives me great pleasure to declare this thing open, whatever it is."

He later explained that the name kept changing between the annex and the east wing, and people were standing waiting in the rain so he kept it brief.

Damaged by an earthquake, the "East Thing" was demolished in 2017.

6. Commonwealth Games 

The prince is certainly the world's most experienced Commonwealth Games opener, having done the honours six times.

He opened the Cardiff 1958, Perth 1962, Kingston 1966, Edinburgh 1970, Christchurch 1974 and Brisbane 1982 games.

The duties involve reading Queen Elizabeth's opening message, contained inside a baton carried around the Commonwealth in a relay.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, opens the Common
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, opens the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia on 30 September 1982.

7. London Planetarium

The dome-roofed building was a famous London landmark and one of the city's major tourist attractions after the science-minded duke opened it on 19 March 1958 as the space race took off.

It enchanted visitors with 3D educational shows about space exploration. The astronomy screenings stopped in 2006 and it is now part of the Madame Tussauds waxwork museum.

8. National Railway Museum

Prince Philip opened the museum in York, northern England, on 27 September 1975.

The duke tried his hand at driving a Green Arrow steam locomotive, and, according to one staff member, banged his head on it.

The museum has locomotives from the golden age of steam, plus royal train saloons giving visitors the chance to imagine life as a royal on the rails, including queen Victoria's "palace on wheels".

 Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh looks out onto t
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh looks out onto the seafront during his visit to the British Airways i360 attraction in Brighton, East Sussex where he took a ride on the world's first vertical cable car on 28 October 2016 in Brighton, United Kingdom.

9. Brighton i360 

The world's most slender tower, a 162-metre (530-foot) high steel pillar ringed by a doughnut-shaped glass observation pod that slides up and down, was officially opened by the prince on 28 October 2016 as he checked out the views over the English south coast resort.

He unveiled the plaque saying: "What's this going to turn out to be?"

10. Warner Stand at Lord's cricket ground 

The new stand at the spiritual home of cricket in London was the final thing opened by Prince Philip, on 3 May 3 2017 - the day before he announced his retirement.

With one last tug of the rope, he declared himself "the world's most experienced plaque unveiler".

The prince was a keen cricketer and was president of the MCC, which owns famous Lord's cricket ground, in 1948 and 1974.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh opens the new War
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh opens the new Warner Stand at Lord's Cricket Ground on 3 May 2017 in London, England.

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