PRINCE Philip will live on in the memory of many Dumbarton locals, with the Duke of Edinburgh visiting the area back in 1953 and 1965 alongside the Queen.

Tributes poured in after the Duke's passing on April 9, and we took a trip back down memory lane to uncover photographs from the Queen and Prince Philip's visit to the Vale of Leven Hospital, and a video of the Royal pair visiting Dumbarton Castle in the early 50s.

The Duke was the longest-serving consort in British history, having been married to the Queen for more than 70 years.

He dedicated decades of his life to royal duty, serving the nation at the monarch’s side before officially retiring from public engagements in the summer of 2017. 

In 1953, a Royal trip was made to Dumbarton Castle by train, where the Queen and the Duke were met by 5,000 children at Dumbarton East station.

The Queen visited an industrial estate, talked with workers and planted a Scots pine in the grounds, before visiting the castle.

She was the first monach to arrive in Dumbarton since Queen Victoria in 1847.

And back in 2015, Gordon Robertson from Aberdeenshire was browsing through an antiques store in Blairgowrie in Perthshire when he stumbled across a box of fifty 35mm slides and decided to buy them instead of leaving them to gather dust in the shop.

On opening up the box, the 58-year-old was shocked to discover the slides featured dozens of nurses and what appeared to be the Queen on a visit to Vale of Leven Hospital.

Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter:

Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter:

The Queen visited west Dunbartonshire with the Duke of Edinburgh on June 28, 1965 to open the new £800,000 county buildings.

Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter:

Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter:

After disembarking from the Royal Yacht Britannia, Her Majesty and the Duke visited the Singer Factory, Dumbarton Municipal Chambers and Dumbarton Common before leaving for the county council offices.

In the afternoon they cruised around Loch Lomond on the Maid of the Loch paddle steamer, before visiting Vale of Leven hospital and Helensburgh Municipal Chambers.

Earlier this year Prince Philip underwent a successful heart operation before returning to Windsor Castle.

He was born on June 10, 1921 on the Greek island of Corfu, and died peacefully on April 9, 2021.