Prince Phillip and then Chief Minister H. Lavity Stoutt (both deceased) meet Members of the Legislative Assembly during his visit to the Virgin Islands in 1993. Third from right is then Governor Peter A. Penfold and 4th from right is then Commissioner of Police, Vernon E. Malone. Photo: Provided

At the Brewers Bay located Icis Villas, which recently reopened, the Territorial Flag was flown at half-mast. Photo: Provided

Prince Phillip steps on to the dock at Road Town during his visit in 1993. Photo: Provided

From front-left: Brigadier Miles Hunt-Davis CBE; Governor's wife Celia Penfold, Governor Peter A. Penfold and Prince Phillip in 1993. Standing at the back is Commissioner of police Vernon E. Malone. Photo: Provided

At the Brewers Bay located Icis Villas, which recently reopened, the Territorial Flag was flown at half-mast.

Former CoP 'regrets' passing of Prince Phillip

“Mr Vernon E. Malone QPM, former Commissioner of Police and one of the owners of Icis Villas Bar and Restaurant, regrets the passing of the Duke of Edinburgh and is displaying its BVI flag at half-mast on the sad occasion,” Icis Villas stated.

Prince Phillip had visited the VI in 1966, 1977 with Her Majesty The Queen and in 1993 without The Queen. According to Governor John J. Rankin, CMG, Prince Phillip was a friend of the VI.

When Prince Phillip visited in 1993 as part of a tour of all five of the British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean – Montserrat, Anguilla, Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands, Mr Malone, who would later successfully run for political office with the Virgin Islands Party (VIP), was at the helm of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) and accompanied the royal entourage while in the territory.

At that same time, the Governor was Mr Peter A. Penfold.

Penfold & Malone first to greet Prince Phillip in 1993 visit

Mr Penfold, recalling the last visit by Prince Phillip, wrote in a church magazine in Britain recently that he, Mr Penfold, was kitted out in his full gubernatorial uniform, starched white with gleaming gold buttons and epaulettes, boots and sword and pith helmet bedecked with swan’s feathers, “and accompanied by my Commissioner of Police, Vernon Malone, looking equally splendid in his full dress uniform.”

Mr Penfold said he and Mr Malone went out in a police launch to greet the Duke on board the Royal Yacht. “We then embarked the royal barge and made our way to the Road Town jetty where I introduced HRH to the Chief Minister of the BVI, the Hon Hamilton Lavity Stoutt, who then proceeded to formally welcome Prince Philip to the territory and introduce the assembled members of the Legislative Council waiting on the quayside.”

The retired British diplomat, Penfold, said throughout his time in the Virgin Islands Prince Phillip continued to display his famous ability to talk to everybody at every level and put them at their ease. “Maybe sometimes people could not appreciate his style of humour,” he added.

Itinerary

Prince Phillip’s itinerary included addressing the Legislative Assembly (now House of Assembly), opening the newly built Government Administration complex, unveiling a plaque at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC), a tour around the island meeting and greeting many of the inhabitants.

“At Government House, we held an MBE presentation ceremony to two of the BVI’s stalwart ladies for serving the community in their respective fields.”

Mr Penfold said the ceremony was followed by a reception in the gardens before he and his wife hosted a lunch for a ‘smaller select group’.

“Given that the BVI has some of the finest hotels in the world, Celia arranged for three of them to help prepare each course of the lunch, insisting that everything must be locally caught or grown, a fact much appreciated by HRH [His Royal Highness].”

Mr Penfold concluded that he cherishes the memories of Prince Philip’s visit to the VI.

“In later life, I would join him as a fellow Paramount Chief of Sierra Leone. I mourn his loss but give thanks for his extraordinary life. RIP.”

The funeral for the late Prince Phillip was held on April 17, 2021.