Members of the public have been recalling meeting the Duke of Edinburgh after his death at the age of 99.

Prince Philip died last Friday, April 9 at Windsor Castle. He was the longest serving royal consort.

Inventor Dr John C Taylor OBE of Strix, best known for his invention of the 360 degree cordless kettle connector, first met the Prince in 1995 when he was invited to Buckingham Palace to attend a celebratory event to mark the award for the company’s first Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

He recalled: ’The Queen took her time to speak to us at length and we were struck by her interest in the first export award ever given to a business based in the Isle of Man.’

Dr Taylor is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, helping fund the Taylor Centre within their London headquarters. The Duke of Edinburgh worked tirelessly to support the academy in particular and the engineering and technology industries in general.

’He was an approachable, very friendly character with a wonderful sense of humour. We certainly gelled and what’s remarkable is that he remembered me at every event, saying enthusiastically: "You’re the kettle man!"

’The Duke of Edinburgh had an enormously positive impact on everyone fortunate enough to meet him.’

He added: ’My condolences go to Her Majesty the Queen and all members of the Royal Family.’

Mark Gorry met the Prince in 1979, when he and the Queen visited for the Tynwald Millennium in 1979.

Local school children were requested to greet them at the airport, including Mark.

He said: ’I represented Victoria Road primary school and presented Her Majesty with a "crosh cuirn" of rowan twigs and sheep’s wool to ward off evil spirits, while Joanna Corlett from Ballasalla primary presented a silver fern to keep off the "evil-eye".

’On the practice run the day before I was a bit nervous and kept putting my hands in my pockets, so my mum sewed them up that night in case I tried it on the day.’