HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921-2021) by Paul Brason; oil on canvas, 2012
Prince Philip’s interest in engineering began with his Royal Navy service in 1939. A lifelong advocate for the profession, he championed efforts to raise its status and unify its institutions. In 1976, he initiated the creation of the Fellowship of Engineering, serving as Senior Fellow from its inception. Granted a royal charter in 1983, it was renamed the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1992.
Commissioned for the Royal Academy of Engineering by Dame Stephanie Shirley DBE FREng.
HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921-2021) by Paul Brason; pencil on paper, 2012
Brason produced preparatory sketches as an essential stage in his creative process. They reveal the planning and precision behind the final oil painting on the adjacent wall. Like engineers who use technical drawings and prototypes to test and develop ideas, artists use studies to explore form, structure, and detail before committing to the finished work.
Commissioned for the Royal Academy of Engineering by Dame Stephanie Shirley DBE FREng.
Prince Philip’s portrait commission by Dame Stephanie Shirley
Dame Stephanie ‘Steve’ Shirley CH (1933–2025) was a pioneering tech entrepreneur and philanthropist who arrived in Britain as a child refugee from Nazi Germany. In 1962, she founded Freelance Programmers, transforming opportunities for women in computing.
In recognition of Prince Philip’s support for engineering, she commissioned this portrait, unveiled in 2012 at Prince Philip House, the central London home of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
For more on Dame Steve Shirley’s incredible life and career in engineering click here.