The Duke of Edinburgh: The World’s Leading Achievement Award

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, founded by His Royal Highness in September 1956, is the world’s leading youth achievement award. More than eight million people worldwide, including more than six million in the UK, have participated in the programme since its inception. Now up and running in more than 140 countries, it helps transform the lives of the millions of young people who take part.

The late Prince Phillip launched the programme to challenge people aged between 14 and 24 to attain recognised standards of achievement.

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The endeavours centre on a wide variety of useful active interests such as serving their community, experiencing adventure and developing and learning outside the classroom.

The Duke of Edinburgh once said of the award, “It’s what I like to describe as a do-it-yourself growing up kit.”

Why did HRH launch the award?

In 1954, the Duke of Edinburgh began considering the idea of a national programme to support the development of young people. It had been suggested by his former headmaster at Gordonstoun, Kurt Hahn.

In the years after World War II, there were growing concerns about boys’ development because of the gap between leaving school at age 15 and starting National Service at 18. Hahn believed young people had courage, strength and compassion that should be supported and challenged. He wished to devise a programme to develop these qualities to benefit not only the young people themselves but also the communities where they lived.

Prince Philip was inspired by the Moray Badge, which launched in 1937 at Gordonstoun. It was the forerunner of the Outward Bound scheme. He designed the Duke of Edinburgh Award around four sections: Pursuits and Projects, Rescue and Public Service Training, Expedition and Fitness. John Hunt, who led the first successful climb of Everest in 1953, administered the new award.

Initially, it was open only to boys aged 14 to 18, leading to a demand for a similar scheme for girls. This was launched in 1959. The same year, the Duke of Edinburgh Award became a charitable trust. The upper age limit was later increased to 24.

The Awards have always been open to young people from all walks of life. It aims to make them challenge themselves to achieve their goals.

What kind of activities are involved?

Participants can take part in a wide range of activities that involve helping the environment or the community; getting fitter; developing new skills; training for and completing an expedition and for the Gold Award, working on a residential activity with a team. The Expedition section has numerous different challenges including on foot, by bicycle, boat, canoe or kayak, on horseback, or by wheelchair.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme has been granted a Natural England Camping Exemption Certificate in England and Wales. This means participants can camp on land without a site licence in order to complete their challenge, offering a camping experience to more people than ever before. A number of campsites solely accommodate Duke of Edinburgh groups. In Scotland, there isn’t a requirement to hold a licence.

Activities can include planning a route and creating a signpost guide, creating a photo guide of the Countryside Code, researching the provision and quality of cycle paths, producing a nature guide of your route for future visitors, planning and completing a challenging expedition route while making a video diary, and many more.

Which celebrities have taken part?

A number of celebrities have completed their Duke of Edinburgh Award and have spoken publicly of its value. They include gold medal-winning Olympic middle-distance runner Dame Kelly Holmes, television presenter Alice Beer, world-renowned explorer Levison Wood and British naturalist Steve Backshall. Members of the royal family have also completed their awards including HRH The Earl of Wessex and HRH The Duchess of Cambridge.

Following Prince Philip’s death in 2021, people wondered what would happen to his awards scheme. The charity released a statement saying they would continue to celebrate HRH’s legacy, carrying on with his good work in years to come.

Prince Edward has taken on the responsibilities relating to the awards. He is currently an award trustee and chairman of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. Prince Edward has visited Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire to meet young people taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh International Award.

He has paid tribute to his late father, describing how Prince Philip was the architect of not only the UK award but also of the scheme’s expansion to other countries all over the world.