Philip husband of Elizabeth 2. The love story of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip
Children's question: “What is the name of the queen’s husband?” does not always have an obvious answer: “King!”
The man who has occupied a seat next to Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain for decades does not wear a royal crown. At the same time, the queen meekly endures her husband’s rather rude jokes. Once, irritated by criticism of his driving style, Elizabeth’s husband dropped the queen off in the middle of the road, driving off alone.
Duke of Edinburgh (future Prince Philip), 1948. Photo: www.globallookpress.com
Despite such antics, Elizabeth always emphasized that her husband was her main support in life.
Prince Philip, now the Duke of Edinburgh, was born on June 10, 1921 on the Greek island of Corfu into the family Prince Andrew. On the Greek throne at that moment was King Constantine, the nephew of the newborn, who replaced Philip’s grandfather, who was killed by an anarchist George I.
Philip was only a year old when representatives of the ruling Glucksburg dynasty in Greece were expelled from the country. The little prince's family settled in Paris, but a rift began between the parents. Philip was sent to London at the age of six, entrusting his upbringing and education to the care of his relatives there.
The passion of the heir to the throne
Philip's relatives were so scattered throughout Europe that during World War II they found themselves in countries at war with each other.
In 1939, Philip began his studies at the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth. Once the educational institution was visited by King George VI and his daughters Elizabeth And Margaret. The girls paid attention to the tall, handsome cadet. Philip was their relative, but rather distant - a fourth cousin. Margaret soon noticed that Elizabeth somehow remembered Philip too often, suspecting that her sister had fallen in love. And so it turned out - the heir to the British crown lost her head because of a Greek prince expelled from his own homeland.Parents were calm about the correspondence between Philip and Elizabeth - the girl was only 14 years old, and they believed that the hobby would pass.
After completing his training, Philip became a midshipman in the British Navy, serving throughout the Second World War, ending it with the rank of first lieutenant. He took part in military operations, in particular in providing sea cover for the British-American troops that landed in Sicily in the summer of 1943.
After the war, it became obvious that the romance between Elizabeth and Philip not only did not end, but turned into a serious relationship. In 1946, Philip asked the king for permission to marry the heir to the throne.
Wedding of Elizabeth II and Philip of Edinburgh. Photo: www.globallookpress.com
For the sake of marriage, the groom changed his faith
Consent was given, but first Philip had to renounce the titles “Prince of Greece” and “Prince of Denmark” given to him at birth, and also accept British citizenship. In addition, for the sake of marriage, Philip converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, and also took the surname Mountbatten (Mountbatten) (an anglicized version of his mother's surname - Battenberg).
In exchange for his previous titles, the groom received from his future father-in-law the titles of Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron of Greenwich.
On November 20, 1947, the marriage of Elizabeth and Philip took place. According to the terms of the marriage, Philip, upon his wife’s accession to the throne, was to become a prince consort, that is, the queen’s husband, who had no rights to power. Although de facto Prince Consort, Philip never formally accepted him.After marriage, Philip continued to serve in the navy, and his wife performed the duties of an exemplary officer's wife. In the first years of marriage, the couple had two children: Charles and Anna.
This life suited both of them, but it could not last long. Elizabeth, as heir to the throne, needed to participate in official ceremonies and events. In 1951, Philip completed his service with the rank of lieutenant commander. A year later he was promoted to commander, and then only official ranks were awarded to him.
With newborn Princess Anne, 1950. Photo: www.globallookpress.com
Eternal companion
Philip's life finally changed in 1952, when, after the death of George VI, Elizabeth became Queen of Great Britain. From then on, he became his wife’s companion, whom he was obliged to accompany at all events and on foreign trips.
Philip was actively involved in charity work, being a patron of about 800 different organizations. Over the years, he headed the World Wildlife Fund and the International Equestrian Federation. Horses have been one of Philip's lifelong hobbies. In addition, yachts and firearms are considered the weakness of Elizabeth’s husband.
Accompanying his wife, Philip visited dozens of countries, and a year he participated in more than 350 events and ceremonies. The prince reduced this intensity only after he turned 90 in 2011.
At the very beginning of the article, we mentioned the story of how an angry husband kicked the queen out of the car. Philip is indeed very different in character from his wife. A difficult childhood and service in the navy affected his character. Elizabeth's husband can be straightforward to the point of tactlessness and loves crude humor. Journalists found out that in his youth Philip called his wife “sausage”, and then found another “compliment” for her - “my cabbage”.
The always balanced and calm queen is sometimes enraged by her husband with hints of her extremely advanced age (Philip himself seems to live by the principle “my years are my wealth”).
On a walk with Prince Charles and Princess Anne, 1951. Photo: www.globallookpress.com
Deity of the Vanuatu archipelago
Perhaps for Philip initially this was a kind of defensive reaction to his status - brought up in conservative traditions, he felt awkward in the role of a wingman with his wife taking the throne. Elizabeth, realizing this, tried all her life not to hurt her husband’s pride.
Once at a reception, one of the guests, rather tactlessly, began to complain that his wife received her doctorate, having achieved more in life than he had. Philip, looking carefully at his interlocutor, remarked: “You know, we have similar problems in our family.”
However, it’s a shame for the Duke of Edinburgh to complain. Few people in the world manage to become a recognized reincarnation of a powerful spirit, and the inhabitants of one of the islands of the Vanuatu archipelago perceived Philip this way. It is not known exactly where the cult came from, but the fact is that Elizabeth’s husband is perceived by local residents as a deity.What Philip cannot stand is quarrels and scandals in the family. When the eldest son Charles was at odds with Princess Diana, the Duke of Edinburgh tried to reason with one or the other, but was unsuccessful.
After Diana's death, it was Philip who took it upon himself to help his grandchildren William And Harry who lost their mother. The grandfather turned out to be a good psychologist and managed to help the guys get through the most difficult days.
Princess Diana with Princes Harry and William. Photo: www.globallookpress.com
“Dukes happened to marry chorus girls. Some even married American women.”
Political correctness is definitely not one of the Duke of Edinburgh's benefactors. During his life, he made a lot of tactless and careless statements. It seems that this is precisely why the British love him.
Who else, going on a visit to China, could tell British students studying in this country: “Don’t stay here too long, otherwise your eyes will become narrow.”
Philip, a member of the family of the last Russian emperor, said in 1967: “I would really like to visit Russia, although the bastards killed half of my family there.” And six years after that, he became the first member of the British royal family to visit the USSR.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of Edinburgh. Photo: www.globallookpress.com
Exactly thirty years after the words about the “bastards,” Philip “delighted” the German audience by addressing the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl with the words: “Dear Reich Chancellor!” It should be said that the last Reich Chancellor of Germany was Adolf Gitler.
Three years later, the Duke of Edinburgh “took a tour” of the Americans: “Many people think that we have a rigid class system, but dukes have also happened to marry chorus girls. Some even married American women.”
To the President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo, who came to the meeting in a national costume, Philip said: “It looks like you are ready to go to bed!” Well, what can you do if the president’s outfit seemed like pajamas to the husband of Elizabeth II.
It is too late for the Duke of Edinburgh to change the habits and manners acquired over 95 years of life. However, neither the Queen nor the whole of Great Britain have caused protest for a long time. This Greek guy from the island of Corfu has long become closer and dearer to the British than some of the indigenous inhabitants of Foggy Albion.
If all goes well, then in less than a year and a half, Philip and Elizabeth will celebrate the 70th anniversary of their marriage. On this occasion, the Duke of Edinburgh will definitely make one of his signature jokes about his wife. Well, whoever, he definitely has the right to do this.
© www.globallookpress.com / Queen Elizabeth with Princess Elizabeth. 1926
© www.globallookpress.com / Elizabeth in 1929.
© www.globallookpress.com / Queen Elizabeth with Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose. 1933
© www.globallookpress.com / Queen Elizabeth with Princess Elizabeth. 1937
© www.globallookpress.com / Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose. 1927
© www.globallookpress.com / Elizabeth in 1955.
© www.globallookpress.com / Queen Elizabeth with her family. 1951
© www.globallookpress.com / The Queen in 1954.
© flickr.com
© www.globallookpress.com
© www.globallookpress.com
© flickr.com / Lee Haywood
© flickr.com / BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives
© flickr.com / June 13, 1970.
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Just imagine: 70 years hand in hand, she and he, Elizabeth and Philip, the queen and her devoted husband. We decided to remember how the story of one of the longest-lasting marriages in the history of the royal family developed.
Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Phillip, 1 December 1958Little Elizabeth did not even think about the throne: her uncle was supposed to become king, her place in line for the throne was completely hopeless, and therefore the future ruler hardly suspected of imminent changes in her destiny. But Edward VIII unexpectedly abandoned the crown for the sake of love for a troubled American woman, and Elizabeth’s father was at the helm; the girl at that time was only ten years old; at a very young age, Princess Lilibet (as her family called her) turned into Crown Princess Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth, it must be said, was distinguished by an iron character from childhood, so, despite the plans of her crowned parents, the future ruler of Great Britain was sure that she would marry a farmer. Or better yet: for a farmer and horse breeder, Elizabeth had a passion for horses and horse riding from an early age, so having the owner of a dozen stables as a husband would be very useful. True, Lilibet later abandoned the tempting idea because she fell in love with a sailor cadet, which, by the way, in the opinion of the royal family was little better than a farmer.
Philip, Prince of Greece and Denmark, was born in 1921 on the island of Corfu into a royal family that had lost power. His grandfather, King George I of Greece, was killed in 1913, his uncle was dethroned, and his father, having fallen into severe depression after losing all his regalia, fled Greece in disgrace, taking his entire family with him. Later, Philip's parents separated - Prince Andrew settled in Monte Carlo, where he enthusiastically squandered the family fortune, his ex-wife and children moved to Paris, where she soon lost her mind due to all the troubles that befell the family. After the sad event, Philip’s father took him in, sent the boy to a closed school so that he would not interfere with his daddy’s fun and practically forgot about him. A few years later, Philip independently, without a penny in his pocket, reached England, where his relatives sheltered him. Yes, Elizabeth’s parents definitely did not want such a betrothed for their daughter. And although the groom’s closest relatives more than once hinted to the Queen Mother and King George about a possible wedding, they only brushed it off; they had better options. But Elizabeth, having once seen the prince, could not think about anyone else, so her parents’ plans did not bother her at all. At all the events where the poor prince and the crown princess had the opportunity to meet, Elizabeth followed Philip, and it seems, despite the hopes of her parents, she was not going to deviate from her intended goal.
Elizabeth's future husband graduated from his studies in 1940 with the rank of midshipman. In order to enlist in the British Navy, he is forced to renounce all his titles and become Prince Mountbatten. Already in the status of a British military man, Philip went to the front, from where he wrote the most tender and passionate letters to his Lilibet; his parents, however, were still adamant. There is an opinion that even during the war, taking advantage of the absence of his son, the terminally ill Prince Andrew asked George VI for consent to the marriage between Philip and Elizabeth, but immediately received a categorical refusal. Firstly, by that time the groom’s family had become completely impoverished, and secondly, what seemed a much bigger problem - during the war, almost all of Philip’s family ended up on the side of the Nazis - his sisters Margarita, Theodora and Sofia married Nazi officers. Such a relationship could tarnish the reputation of the British monarchy. Neither Elizabeth nor Philip knew anything about such a maneuver; the lovers were simply waiting for a meeting after a long separation. By the way, Elizabeth herself wanted to go to the front, but her father strictly forbade the girl to do this - the crown princess had to be left safe and sound.
Upon returning home, Philip first went to his beloved. During the hostilities, other contenders for the hand of the future queen melted into thin air, some got married, others simply chose to continue their search. There was no one left except Philip. It was impossible to go any further. Fans of the English royal family say that Elizabeth, unable to wait any longer, proposed to Philip herself, just like her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, did - her genes make themselves felt. The parents, although they were not completely satisfied, still agreed to the marriage; Elizabeth’s stubbornness was indestructible.
The engagement was announced in July 1947. The wedding was planned for November of the same year. According to tradition, the wedding took place in Westminster Abbey. If the bride was represented by the entire British court, then the groom was allowed to invite only his mother to the celebration, who for many years had been teetering on the edge of reality and non-existence. As expected, the bride was accompanied to the altar by her father. She wore an ivory satin dress embroidered with thousands of pearl and crystal beads. It took court designer Sir Norman Harnell several months to create it. However, this royal family is honored by rich outfits with incredibly long trains - just remember Princess Diana.
After the wedding, the newlyweds led an active social life, went to races, attended social events, and even from time to time appeared on dance floors, where representatives of not high society were found. It was then that the first rumors arose about the prince’s free character. Tired of constant surveillance - a secretary followed on the heels of Philip, who in fact was called upon to guard the honor of the queen, and the prince at the same time, the journalists did not give a moment of rest - Lilibet increasingly showed an iron character, insisting on her own, making decisions without consulting with her husband, in short, she was preparing in full force to become a queen not only in the country, but also in her own family. The romantic prince increasingly spent time away from his young wife, and, judging by the assurances of experts, even fell in love with singer Pat Kirkwood. True, the couple never got to bed, despite everything, Philip was devoted to his queen, probably, sometimes he just needed to forget that his fate was to always be the shadow of his crowned wife.
The conversations stopped after Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Charles. Then the couple left together for Malta, where Philip was sent on duty. Everything calmed down, perhaps it was then that the strong, strong-willed, unbending Crown Princess Elizabeth truly felt like a wife and mother. She cooked on her own, invited the wives of Philip’s colleagues to visit, gossiped and played with little Charles. Harmony and happiness collapsed in one second - King George VI of England died. Philip was the first to know about his death. At this time, he and Elizabeth were touring Kenya, and he knew that this news would be a real shock for his wife. Philip has always been his wife’s main support. And he became the first who, traditionally bowing his knee, took an oath of allegiance to his queen: “I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, become your lifelong vassal and lowest servant; I promise to serve you faithfully and die for you, no matter what happens. May God help me!”
After Elizabeth ascended the throne, a serious dispute broke out at court. After the death of George VI, Philip's uncle, Dickie, raised the issue that the ruling house should henceforth be the House of Mountbatten, and not Windwell - this statement was met with hostility by Queen Mother Elizabeth. The Queen was at a loss; on the advice of the wise Prime Minister Winston Churchill, she refused to take her husband’s surname, but seeing how upset Philip was about this, she herself fell into despair.
In the spring of 1959, the Queen became pregnant again. This time she decided to reconsider her surname, changing it to Mountbatten. She wanted to please her husband, whom she continued to love immensely. The result of a long discussion was that Charles and Anne would remain Windsors, while the rest of the heirs would bear the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. So, in February 1960, the second son of the royal couple, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was born. Elizabeth, as a sign of her devotion to her husband, named the boy in honor of Philip's father Andrei. After such a turn, Philip got rid of his complexes and found something he liked - he began to engage in charity work. His focus was on sports, youth and education issues.
Always remaining one step behind his wife in public life, Philip still achieved the right to have the first vote in the family. He dealt with issues of children's education and everyday problems - in this Elizabeth could completely rely on her husband. By the way, it was Philip who once insisted on Charles’s marriage. Despite resistance from his son, Philip literally stopped all disputes with one movement of his hand: Charles had to leave his mistress Camilla and marry a decent girl. You and I know very well how it all ended. Actually, since the time of Princess Diana, the relationship between father and son has changed dramatically. Several times Charles even publicly accused his father of numerous infidelities, but Philip remained calm.
After Charles's divorce from Diana, the Queen officially announced that Prince Charles had lost his right to the throne and William was declared heir to the throne. Years after Charles's marriage to Camilla, Elizabeth announced that her son could still "take responsibility for the monarchy." Today, Elizabeth again doubted her son’s abilities. Many years later, correspondence between Philip and Diana was unexpectedly published, from which it became obvious that the prince treated Spencer as his own daughter. He knew very well how difficult it was to feel like you belonged in the royal family, especially if you were not welcome there. Diana wrote long emotional letters to her father-in-law. Philip responded with short notes, copies of which he kept. Diana called him “Pa” - like her father. The queen and her husband had a cool relationship with their own children - the offspring were more disappointing than pleasing, perhaps that is why the crowned couple adores their grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren.
Today the royal house is calm. The Queen spends a lot of time on her estate, where she walks arm in arm with her beloved husband, trains dogs, raises horses, and does not like it when her and Philip’s privacy is violated.
On May 4, representatives of Buckingham Palace made an official statement that the husband of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will stop fulfilling official obligations and will retire in the fall of 2017.
Prince Philip, 95, has always led a fairly quiet life, although his reputation has been tarnished by the fact that the Queen's husband is not very careful in his statements and has a strange sense of humor. As a young sailor cadet serving in the Royal Navy, and having no chance of a high position in society, he was able to win the heart of the heir to the British throne and throughout his life remained a support for the longest-reigning queen in the world.
The future husband of the Queen of Great Britain was born in Corfu on June 10, 1921, and at birth had the title of Prince of Greece and Denmark. He was the only son of the Greek Prince Andrew. His mother, Princess Alice, belonged to the Battenberg family and was the niece of the Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.
Due to political instability in Greece, the family left the country when Philip was 18 months old and moved to France.
In Paris, the prince studied at an American school. His parents separated, Prince Andrew went to Monte Carlo, where he began to squander the rest of his fortune. And his ex-wife and children remained in Paris, but soon lost her mind due to all the hardships that befell the family. After this sad event, Philip’s father took him in, sent the boy to a closed school and practically forgot about him.
In 1939, the Prince became a cadet in the Royal Navy.
Philip always loved sports. He is pictured playing cricket, July 1947.
Prince Philip completed his naval service in 1951 with the rank of lieutenant commander (captain 3rd rank). In 1952, he was awarded the rank of commander (captain 2nd rank).
Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip met as children at a wedding in 1934. In July 1947, the couple announced their engagement. By the way, they are each other’s fourth cousins.
To marry the heiress, Philip changed his surname to Mountbatten, became a British subject and renounced the titles “Prince of Greece” and “Prince of Denmark”. The couple married on November 20, 1947 at Westminster Abbey.
The newlyweds spent their honeymoon in Hampshire.
Over the next few years the couple lived in Malta, where the Royal Navy was stationed. Their first son, Prince Charles, was born there in 1949. In 1950, Princess Anne was born.
The couple at Clarence House, the residence of the British monarchs, August 1951.
At the age of 25, after the death of her father, King George VI, Elizabeth becomes queen. Philip leaves the fleet.
The prince always had interests outside of his royal duties. In 1953 he received his pilot's license. In the photo, the prince controls a Boeing 757 during a demonstration flight near Seattle.
The third child, Prince Andrew, was born in 1960. The last child, Edward, was born in 1964.
Little Prince Andrew travels with his father for Christmas, 1964.
Elizabeth and Philip have eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Prince William and Philip have a close relationship.
Since Elizabeth took the throne, Prince Philip has dedicated his life to royal duties.
The couple during the royal tour of Canada in 1951.
King Salman Center for Hawk Breeding, Bahrain, 1979.
Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands, 1982.
Abu Dhabi, 2010.
Over the past year, Prince Philip attended one hundred official events, which is far more than all the young members of the royal family attended.
Philip sits with Her Majesty as she makes a speech in Parliament.
Celebrating the Queen's 90th birthday.
Being the center of public attention all the time is tiring, and even such self-possessed people lose patience. In 2015, Prince Philip was caught on camera telling a photographer: “Just take the damn photo already.”
At the funeral of Princess Diana, 1997.
Philip is also known for his irreverent and even offensive sense of humor. For example, the Duke asked the Australian aborigines: “Are you still throwing spears at each other?”
He is a patron of about 800 organizations. In 1964-1986 he was president of the International Equestrian Federation, in 1981-1996 - of the World Wildlife Fund. In 1973, he was the first member of the British royal family to visit the USSR.
Philip was born on June 10, 1921 in the family of Prince Andrew, who was the legal representative of the Danish royal family of Glücksburg. Philip's mother Alice Battenberg was the niece of the last Empress of Russia. The birthplace of the Greek heir was the island of Corfu. The family raised five children. A year after the birth of Philip, the Glucksburgs were forced to leave their homeland due to the outbreak of persecution.
As a result of the move, the mother and children remained in the French capital, and Andrei went to live in Monte Carlo. Alice was having a hard time with the divorce, the loss of property and titles. Her mind went blank. The younger Philip was forced to be taken in by relatives from England. In the early 30s, the boy was educated in schools in Germany and Scotland.
With the outbreak of the Second World War, the prince entered the Royal Naval College, which was located in Darmouth, and after graduating he became a midshipman. Brave Philip spent the entire war as an officer in the British navy. He distinguished himself in military operations on the Western Front and showed courage during the liberation of Sicily in 1943. During this time, Philip rose to the rank of senior lieutenant.
Family
Philip met Princess Elizabeth, the youngest daughter of King George VI, when he was 18, and Lilibet, as the girl was affectionately called at home, was only 13 years old. The young, handsome blond immediately fell into the girl’s heart. Throughout the war, Philip and Elizabeth corresponded. Despite the fact that the princess's parents were not serious about their daughter's choice, hoping that the girl would soon change her mind, Elizabeth remained adamant; she was not going to consider other suitors. And in 1946, a young officer visited King George VI on an official visit. Philip asked the hand and heart of the daughter of the crowned person, to which he received consent.
In order for the marriage to look politically correct, Philip had to renounce the titles of Prince of Denmark and Greece, accept English citizenship and change his paternal surname to the surname of his maternal grandfather - Mountbatten. A few days before the wedding ceremony, which took place on November 20, 1947 in Westminster Abbey, Philip was granted the title of Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron of Greenwich.
At the magnificent wedding, Elizabeth looked magnificent. She wore a dress made of satin and brocade, decorated with crystal beads and a large number of pearls. On the bride's side, all British titled relatives were present at the wedding ceremony; on the groom's side, one mother was invited. For the sake of his wife, Philip renounced Orthodoxy and converted to Protestantism.
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Two years after the wedding, Prince Philip was sent for military service to the island of Malta, where the couple settled in a cozy estate. According to the recollections of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, this was the happiest time in their lives. During these years, their two eldest children were born - son Charles and daughter Anna. Away from Buckingham Palace, Elizabeth managed to feel like an ordinary happy woman who enjoys being with her family and close friends. In his youth, Philip and his wife often visited public entertainment venues - young people really liked to dance.
Coronation
On February 6, 1952, King George VI died. Prince Philip was the first to hear this news and told his wife about it. They were traveling around Kenya at the time. The family of the future queen urgently went home. A year later, the enthronement ceremony took place, which for the first time in history was attended by television journalists, and the event was broadcast live on central television in Great Britain.
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Philip was declared prince consort, who was obliged to accompany the crowned wife during all her visits and events. On the advice of the prime minister, Elizabeth left her father’s surname in order to resolve all political differences within the royal court.
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In addition to the responsibilities of jointly conducting public affairs, Philip also took on the responsibilities of the father of the family. He supervised the studies of his children and dealt with everyday problems. The prince showed himself no less active in the public life of the country. He was the first on British television to produce his own series of programs dedicated to science. Philip created charitable foundations, actively helped in organizing sports schools and sections, and supported equestrian sports.
Royal dynasty
The royal couple had four children: three sons Charles, Andrew and Edward and a daughter Anne. Philip was always actively involved in the personal lives of his children. It was he who insisted that Charles marry her at one time, and despite the further gap between his son and daughter-in-law, Philip always took her side. After the divorce, the prince contributed to the reconciliation of the spouses, which, unfortunately, did not occur. And after, the husband of Elizabeth II took his grandchildren, the children of Prince Charles, under his wing.
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Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are happy grandparents. Despite the fact that all four children had unsuccessful first marriages, each of them has two children. First of all, the famous heirs of the queen's eldest son are the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Wales. The other grandchildren are Peter Phillips, Zara Phillips, Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie of York, Lady Louise Windsor, James, Viscount Severn.
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The queen also has great-grandchildren: Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge (William's children), Savannah Phillips, Isla Elizabeth Phillips, Mia Grace Tindall.
Prince Philip today
In 2016, the prince received the title of the longest-living descendant of Queen Victoria; this year he turned 95 years old. In 2017, the royal couple will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary, and this will become another record in the history of the Windsor dynasty and the personal biography of the spouses.
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Now Philip and Elizabeth live in seclusion on their Sandringham estate in Norfolk, periodically appearing in Buckingham Palace and in family castles in Scotland and England. They practice their favorite hobby - horse breeding, and from time to time the prince paints pictures. Among sports, Philip prefers horseback riding, which helps maintain his royal posture into old age.