His informality went down well with athletes, as highlighted by the great Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser when she recalled a lunch on board the Royal yacht Britannia in Melbourne in 1963.

By then Fraser, one of the all-time great swimmers, had set world records and won three Olympic titles. She also won six gold medals at the Commonwealth Games - including four in Perth the year before at a Games attended by Prince Philip.

In the days of amateur sport, Fraser, a well-known "larrikin" from a working class background who often found herself in trouble with the sporting authorities, was working as a saleswoman at a local shop when she was invited to meet The Queen and Prince Philip on their tour.

Before lunch was served, Dame Pattie Menzies, the arch conservative wife of Australia's longest-serving Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, "came and told me loudly about table manners, how to use the cutlery etc".

"Invited to dine with The Queen in a select group and then looked down upon by petty people who felt they were better than I was - I felt like giving her a piece of my mind but assured her I had been trained very nicely by my mother and father, thank you, although sometimes we just used our fingers," Fraser said.

Fraser sat next to Prince Philip, who then "sent up Dame Pattie by laboriously explaining in a mock serious way that I should start from the outside and work my way in and if we skipped a course I should also skip the cutlery".

By then Prince Philip had attended three Commonwealth Games, and had become President of the Commonwealth Games Federation, a role he held for 35 years.

He officially opened six Games, starting in Cardiff in 1958, where Fraser won two golds and fell asleep drunk in a flower bed after a night out.

Prince Philip piloted himself to Cardiff in a Heron plane, which he flew from London.

Because of other engagements, The Queen did not join her husband at the Games until 1970, by which time Prince Philip was a regular.

At the end of those Games he and The Queen made sure that complaints from an Australian team official were drowned out when athletes climbed onto a Land Rover carrying the Royal Family.

There was no need for anyone to apologise for "a spontaneous and honest expression of feeling".

Prince Philip's first Games visit was in 1954, when he saw the famous "mile of the century" race between Roger Bannister and John Landy in Vancouver.

Within 45 minutes of that race the British marathon runner Jim Peters entered the stadium 17 minutes ahead of his nearest pursuer, only to collapse repeatedly in the 28 degree heat, leading to disqualification when he was helped to his feet.

Peters was taken to hospital and never fully recovered. His most treasured possession was a medal given to him by Prince Philip "as a token of admiration for a most gallant marathon runner". 

The official report of those Games highlighted the fact that Prince Philip visited the Athletes' Village and "dined informally cafeteria style with as many of the athletes as possible".

At the 1966 Games in Kingston, Jamaica, a 15-year-old Princess Anne and a 17-year-old Prince Charles accompanied their father, and Anne enjoyed the post-Games party when she danced with the 4ft 10in weightlifter Precious McKenzie.

Once more, informality was to the fore.

After the friendliest Games of all, Christchurch 1974, a letter signed "Philip" was sent to the organisers from Buckingham Palace.

He told hem: "The City of Christchurch deserves the warmest thanks and congratulations from everyone who had any part in the Commonwealth Games.

"The Games have never been happier or more successful.

"Judging by the friendly atmosphere in the Village, at the competitions and during the social events, I am sure that all competitors, officials and spectators went home with a better idea of what the Commonwealth means, and with a better understanding of their Commonwealth partners."

Dame Louise Martin, the CGF President, said Prince Philip "will be forever remembered for a lifetime of dedicated service to the Commonwealth".