Which royal is worshipped in tanna

British media delighted in quoting him over the decades, but to some of t he people of Yaohnanen, a village in the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu , Prince Philip was much more than Queen Elizabeth II's husband: They worshipped him as a god and even have based a religion on him.

Followers of the Prince Philip Movement, which started in the s, believed that the prince was born to fulfill an ancient prophecy: that the son of an ancient mountain spirit would one day take the form of a pale-skinned man, travel abroad, marry a powerful lady, and eventually return to the island.

They soon came to believe that Prince Philip was this person—which made the royal's visit to Vanuatu an especially seismic event. Chief Jack Naiva, a respected warrior in the culture, greeted the royal yacht and caught sight of Philip on board.

Philip, who had a reputation for putting his foot in his mouth when talking about other cultures, maintained a respectful year relationship with the group. He sent several letters and photographs of himself to villagers over the years, who have mailed him many traditional gifts in return. In , Yapa and four other men from Ikunala village, were flown to the UK for the Channel 4 reality television series Meet the Natives.

They had an off-screen meeting with the Duke at Windsor Castle, presented him gifts and asked when he would come back to Tanna. For more stories like this, check our news page. Poppy Logo. FB house promo. Sign Up for News Updates. The movement is based in the villages of Yakel and Yaohnanen. Hopes that Prince Philip would one day return had already been dampened in , when he stepped down from royal duties.

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