Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - Bayan barin Gordonstoun a farkon 1939, Philip ya kammala wani lokaci a matsayin ɗan takara a Kwalejin Royal Naval, Dartmouth, sannan ya koma Girka, yana zaune tare da mahaifiyarsa a Athens na wata ɗaya a tsakiyar 1939. A umurnin Sarkin Girka, George II (ɗan uwansa na farko), ya koma Biritaniya a watan Satumba don ci gaba da horar da Royal Navy. Ya kammala karatunsa daga Dartmouth a shekara mai zuwa a matsayin mafi kyawun ɗalibi a cikin karatunsa. A lokacin Yaƙin Duniya na Biyu, ya ci gaba da yin aiki a cikin sojojin Burtaniya, yayin da 'yan uwansa biyu, Yarima Christoph na Hesse da Berthold, Margrave na Baden, suka yi yaƙi a bangaren Jamus. An nada Philip a matsayin mai kula da jirgin ruwa a Janairu 1940. Ya shafe watanni hudu a kan jirgin ruwa, yana kare jiragen ruwa na Rundunar Sojan Australiya a cikin Tekun Indiya, sannan ya biyo bayan gajeren lokaci a kan, a kan, da kuma a Ceylon na Birtaniya. Bayan mamayewar Girka da Italiya
a watan Oktoba na 1940, an canja shi daga Tekun Indiya zuwa jirgin ruwa a cikin Jirgin Ruwa na Bahar Rum.