He then spent some time in the retinue of his uncle William the Silent, who called him Flipchen ("Flippy").

Later, he enlisted in the Dutch States Army and in 1585 he became colonel of the infantry.

From Nijmegen Philip started a campaign in Luxembourg, where he engaged the Spanish enemy.

Then, on 2 September 1595, he commanded more than 500 cavalry, in the battle on the Lippe, along with his brothers Louis Gunther and Ernst Casimir.

He was buried on 22 October 1595 in the St Eusebius' Church in Arnhem.