Following the news that the Duke of Edinburgh is to officially retire from public duties at the age of 95, we thought we would take a look back at his many visits to Chester and the surrounding areas.

Prince Philip has been a regular visitor to our city – often accompanying The Queen and occasionally visiting alone.

Our images show him visiting as far back as 1957, when he and the Queen came to Chester to open the city’s former County Hall. At that time, the Queen had only been on the throne for five years, so travelling around the country on official visits would have been fairly new to the couple back then.

Ten years later, and more accustomed to requirements, he was back – this time visiting the Cheshire police HQ where he was pictured chatting to local police officers.

He may have also visited Chester Zoo on this trip too, as a picture of him in the late 1960s shows him getting well acquainted with one of the resident elephants.

In 2004 the Royals attended the wedding of Edward van Cutsem at Chester Cathedral, and in 2012 they came to Chester Zoo to officially open the Diamond Jubilee Quarter.