Tribute to His Royal Highness The Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh at Heart of Steel

We’ve recognised the lifelong contributions of our Royal Patron, The Prince Philip HRH Duke of Edinburgh, by engraving his name on the Heart of Steel sculpture in Sheffield.

The Duke of Edinburgh received a special name engravement on the 2.4-metre monument located in Meadowhall Shopping Centre on 13 May as part of a collection of tributes to honour his contributions to our work.

Prince Philip served as our Royal Patron since it was founded in 1961 and held this role until he died in April 2021, aged 99.

His support over six decades helped to shine a light on the vital need to fund research into heart and circulatory disease and he was a constant presence as we made significant progress in helping to save and improve the lives of millions of people with heart conditions.

The Duke was a passionate supporter for our work, notably advocating for the creation of nine of our funded centres of excellence in the 1970s and opening a cutting-edge medical research centre at the University of Edinburgh in 2010.

More recently, Prince Philip hosted our Annual Reception in 2015, thanking 250 of its supporters and volunteers for their tireless work, and a celebratory dinner event at St James’ Palace to celebrate his 55 years as our Patron.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, our Chief Executive, who attended the unveiling of the engravement at the Heart of Steel, said: “The Duke of Edinburgh was a lifelong servant to countless charities and good causes, and it’s been touching to hear the richly deserved tributes to his work and a privilege to attend the Service of Thanksgiving.

“As our Patron, we will be forever grateful for the unique contribution he made to the British Heart Foundation by supporting fundraising events and advocating for our lifesaving heart research. Many of our colleagues and volunteers have fond memories of meeting the Duke and he will always be an important part of our lifesaving history.

“Our hope is that this engraving on the Heart of Steel, alongside the names of so many other families and loved ones is a reminder of the deep and lasting connection the Duke of Edinburgh will always have with the British Heart Foundation.”

The Heart of Steel is an iconic sculpture that will eventually be included inside a 32-metre Steel Man, a future landmark which will overlook Sheffield.

The Heart of Steel recently raised a milestone £1.5 million for our life saving research into heart and circulatory diseases.

Jo Boyhan is one of the thousands of people with an affiliation with the Heart of Steel. The names of her father, Terence Tasker, and half-brother, Tony Tasker, whom both sadly died from heart and circulatory conditions, are engraved on the sculpture.

In 2016, following the sudden death of her half-brother at the age 31, Jo and her family were invited for genetic testing to screen for any faulty genes that could cause potentially fatal heart conditions.

The screening revealed Jo had Brugada Syndrome, a rare heart condition that affects the electrical messages which control the heart rate due to a chemical imbalance. It can be dangerous if it is not managed properly.

Jo said: “After my dad and half-brother died both died at a young age, my family were invited to genetic screening where I found out I have Brugada Syndrome. I was worried that my children might also be affected.

“Thankfully, my sons and daughter are all clear, as our family has had to deal with the suffering that heart and circulatory diseases can cause. My dad and half-brother were both wonderful men; we all miss them so much.

“I’m touched to be here on this special day to help commemorate the Duke of Edinburgh. Seeing my family members’ names engraved alongside his on the Heart of Steel is a precious reminder. The Heart of Steel is a beautiful way to celebrate a loved one’s life and helps their memory and legacy live on.

“It is incredible to hear that the Heart of Steel has raised an incredible £1.5 million for the British Heart Foundation research. My family hope this will help lead medical breakthroughs that will prevent other families from going through the heartbreak we have been through.”

Members of the public are free to visit the Heart of Steel and are able to add a name engravement for just £20, with all funds raised helping power our life saving research into heart and circulatory diseases.