The amazing love story of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. All his life behind the back of the Queen of Great Britain - Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Philip husband of Elizabeth 2 betrayals
Staying married for seventy years is a major achievement in itself. Not to mention the fact that this marriage has been the center of attention of all the world's tabloids since its first day. And it’s not surprising, because this is the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
By being by each other's side for many decades, this couple showed the world how far true love can go. However, no marriage is easy, especially one that lasts so long and is under the microscope, and this British royal couple is definitely no exception.
Being the Queen of Great Britain is not easy, and being the queen's husband is perhaps even more difficult. Over the years, unpleasant rumors have repeatedly spread that the marriage of the queen and the prince is in jeopardy. Some things turned out to be groundless, but some facts were true. So let's take a closer look at these amazing and strange facts about the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Prince Philip.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are related
Some may not know that the Queen and the Prince are actually distant relatives. Being third cousins, these two lovebirds met as children. According to the Times newspaper, Elizabeth fell in love with Philip at first sight.
While Elizabeth grew up in a wealthy family and adhered to royal manners, Philip had a completely opposite life experience. The same Times claims that Philip grew up and was raised like a commoner. He washed dishes, lit boilers and played bowls with a team of local bar guests.
Elizabeth's parents did not approve of their daughter's choice
Initially, King George VI spoke out categorically against his daughter's choice. The king was concerned about the opinion of the public, who had a negative attitude towards the fact that his beloved British princess was going to marry a Greek prince.
However, the king was repelled not only by the Greek origin of his future son-in-law. According to the Times newspaper, the British sovereign was irritated by Philip's loud, boisterous laughter and his rude, uncouth manners.
But, despite the obstacles, the opinions of her parents and public opinion, Elizabeth was able to marry the man she loved and chose as her husband. The future Queen of Great Britain and her chosen one got married when Elizabeth turned 21.
Philip had to sacrifice a lot for the marriage
In order to marry Elizabeth, Philip had to make significant changes in his life.
First of all, he had to become a naturalized British citizen. Due to the political situation in Europe, Elizabeth's parents were not happy with Philip's German family. None of his German relatives were allowed to come to the wedding. Philip's three sisters could not come to his wedding only because they were married to Germans.
On top of this, the King did not want to officially announce his daughter's engagement until she was 21, so Princess Elizabeth and Philip had to keep their relationship a secret for some time.
Elizabeth used ration coupons to make her wedding dress
When we imagine a royal wedding, words like glamorous, elegant and extravagant come to mind. However, in the case of the wedding of Elizabeth and Philip, the celebration was completely different.
Britain was still recovering from World War II when the couple got married. Because of this, the future queen used her ration coupons to purchase materials for her wedding dress. According to some publishers, the British government gave Elizabeth additional coupons (200 pieces) for the dress.
The dress turned out incredibly beautiful, with a long train and embroidered with Elizabeth’s family pearls.
The couple always had two combined bedrooms
After their wedding, Elizabeth and Philip behaved like any other married couple, except that they belonged to the British royal family.
When the couple moved into Clarence House in 1949, their quarters were different in that the couple had separate bedrooms, each with their own, but adjacent to each other.
This turned out to be extremely practical. As the royal couple's cousin Lady Pamela Mountbatten told Vanity Fair, sharing bedrooms was to the taste of both newlyweds. No one is bothered by snoring and tossing around in bed. No one is stopping newlyweds from sleeping together, but if they want a restful sleep, they have that opportunity.
Philip was not crowned with Elizabeth
When Elizabeth officially received the title of Queen of Great Britain, her husband did not receive a new title. In fact, Philip remained Duke of Edinburgh for some time after Elizabeth's coronation in 1953.
According to the BBC, he dedicated himself to her at the ceremony with the words: “I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, am your vassal and servant for life; I promise to serve you faithfully and die for you.”
It was not until 1957 that Philip officially received the title of prince. At the time, there were many rumors that the title was granted to Philip to appease the wayward prince and ease tension in the royal marriage. However, there was no confirmation of these rumors.
There are suspicions that Philip was not always faithful to the queen
With such a famous and constantly discussed marriage, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were simply bound to appear in the pages of the tabloids. Among the news and rumors about the royal marriage, there were also those that mentioned Prince Philip’s alleged repeated infidelities. Even among fans of the royal couple, there is an opinion that perhaps Philip was not always faithful to his queen.
Rumors were repeatedly spread that the prince allegedly had a secret apartment in west London, in which he allegedly met with an unknown woman. The prince's romantic involvement with anyone was never proven, and rumors of his adultery remained rumors, although they continued to appear for a long time.
The couple does not hold hands in public
For so many years spent together under the gaze of a curious public, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were always there for each other. However, they never hold each other's hands while they are in public. This, of course, does not mean that they do not love each other. There are reasons for this.
The fact is that the couple are characterized by the stoic values of their generation, and they fit perfectly with the tradition of the British royal family not to show their “weaknesses” in public. Princess Diana, who was so loved by the public precisely for her openness, began to slowly break this tradition. The younger generation of the royal family is not shy about showing signs of attention in public. However, the Queen and Prince Philip behave extremely modestly. In addition, both monarchs consider themselves more pragmatists than romantics.
Despite the lack of demonstrative signs of attention, Elizabeth and Philip are quite a spectacular couple, not only in their youth, but also today. Besides that, they are a great team. Even though Elizabeth wears the crown in the family, Philip is still an important component of her power. He is a co-author of the successful reign of Elizabeth II and her main adviser and ally. Elizabeth herself calls her husband a born leader and ruler, since the prince is very insightful, reliable and is ready to provide the necessary help and support at any time.
Recently, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and her husband, Prince Philip, celebrated their 70th anniversary of marriage, a platinum wedding. How did their love story begin and how did this couple manage to save their marriage?
Distant poor relative
The first meeting of the future spouses happened when both were just children. Elizabeth and Philip often saw each other at receptions, as their families are close. This is not a figure of speech: indeed, Elizabeth and Philip are relatives, they have the same great-grandmother and great-grandfather, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. However, this was not what confused Elizabeth’s parents when Philip proposed to their daughter, and she, without asking the opinion of her father and mother, agreed.
Firstly, and this is the most important “but”, the future possible son-in-law was poor. You could say he was a beggar, for which we must say thanks to his father, Prince Andrew, who squandered his entire fortune in a casino. After his death in 1944, Philip inherited cufflinks, a whole closet of suits (albeit first-class ones) and an engraved ring. Elizabeth’s husband has been wearing this ring ever since, almost never taking it off. Philip's mother, by the way, also had no time for her son: she first developed clouding of mind, then she sought solace in religion, founding a monastery in Athens.
In general, Elizabeth got her fiancé from a dysfunctional family. Other points that embarrassed the family of the future queen were Philip's strange sense of humor, not a very good reputation at court (his sisters married German aristocrats who served Hitler), and excessive masculine charm. The last quality in the format of, so to speak, family life promised a headache, or, more simply, betrayal.
From friendship to love
However, Elizabeth did not care about all this. She fell in love with Philip at the age of 13 and literally did not take her eyes off her when they met, so much so that those around her felt uncomfortable for her. Philip himself, who was already 18 at the time, did not, of course, like the distant girl relative. However, they began to have friendly relations, they wrote letters to each other while the prince was serving in the navy, and then, returning home, he attended a performance with the participation of Elizabeth and... disappeared. The princess was already 17 and pretty.
It was 1943, and even the royal throne had no time for weddings. But time took its course, and three years later Philip finally asked for Elizabeth’s hand. Although, as already mentioned, this was a formality, because the princess herself said “yes” and did not intend to deviate from her decision. The only thing that the parents were able to “bargain” from their wayward daughter was a wedding on her 21st birthday, not earlier. Obviously, they thought that within a year Elizabeth would meet someone else and change her mind. I didn’t meet and didn’t change my mind.
Common great-grandmother's tiara
On November 20, 1947, the couple got married in Westminster Abbey. The ceremony - for the first time in history - was shown on TV. However, even without a television broadcast, this became an event: a huge crowd of onlookers gathered at the abbey, who carefully watched the bride’s entrance into the church. Elizabeth was accompanied to the altar by her father. She wore a satin dress embroidered with thousands of pearl and crystal beads. Court designer Norman Hartnell spent three months working on the outfit. The bride's head was decorated with a tiara, which was given to her by her mother. Initially, the tiara belonged to Queen Victoria - the same one who was the great-grandmother of both the groom and the bride.
Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip
I'm not taking his last name
After the wedding, family life began. For the first six months, the newlyweds had a lot of fun at social events, and then it became clear that Elizabeth was pregnant, and an intermission was taken. On November 14, 1948, the couple's first child, Charles Philip, was born. Then the family moved to Malta, where Philip served, and there Elizabeth discovered that she was happy to just be a wife. She liked it, but circumstances intervened. In 1952, her father, King George VI, died, and Elizabeth became queen from princess.
Here the first serious test of marriage's strength happened. One of Philip's relatives said that their clan, the Mountbatten clan, and not the Windsors, should become the ruling house of Britain. Elizabeth responded with a sharp refusal and did not take her husband’s last name, which hurt him greatly, even though he got off with jokes. Coldness began in the relationship, especially since the queen spent a lot of time on business. The problems were solved with the help of charity, in which Philip found himself.
One step behind
Sixty years have passed since then, and the couple are still together. How did they do it? According to secular experts, the point is the ability to find a compromise. Philip gives his wife the opportunity to do her work and manage (albeit formally) the empire and is always one step behind her. Moreover, all decisions within the family are the prerogative of the prince consort, and here Elizabeth is the most classic wife who obeys her husband and does not contradict him. Perhaps this balance between the tough queen mother and the husband's wife is what allowed Elizabeth to be who she is?
Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip.
The Queen loves who she should, not who she wants. This historical axiom was refuted by Elizabeth the Second, having lived in a happy marriage with her husband Philip for 70 years. In a marriage that serves as a model of family relationships, human devotion and feminine wisdom.
At first sight
Childhood photographs of Princess Lilibet.
Princess Lilibet, as her family called her, was distinguished by her perseverance and iron character from childhood. She absolutely loved horses and was an excellent rider. Often the girl declared that she would marry only a horse farmer, because she could not imagine her life without her beloved animals. But later she made a different choice, falling in love with a sailor cadet, which in the opinion of the royal family was little better than a farmer.
Elizabeth and Philip at a dance party.
A tall and slender blond, a cadet from the Royal Naval College won the princess's heart at first sight. /
They met at a family party. Few people know that Philip is Elizabeth's fourth cousin. Lilibet was then 13 years old, and Philip was 18. Tall and slender, blond, a cadet at the Royal Naval College won the princess's heart at first sight. And, as it turned out, for life. Philip, Prince of Greece and Denmark, was born on the island of Corfu into a royal family that had lost power.
Prince Philip.
His grandfather was killed in 1913, his uncle was dethroned, and his father, after losing all his regalia, fled Greece with his family in disgrace. Philip's parents later separated. Prince Andrew moved to Monte Carlo, where he continued to squander the remains of the family fortune, and his ex-wife and children settled in Paris, where she soon lost her mind due to all the misfortunes that befell the family. After this sad event, Philip was taken in by his father, sent the boy to a closed school and practically forgot about him.
On the wedding day.
Welcoming subjects
A few years later, Philip independently reached England, where his relatives sheltered him. The only thing he inherited from his father was a signet ring. Of course, Elizabeth’s parents did not think about such a betrothed for their daughter. But the girl didn’t even want to hear about anyone else. In the first years of the war, Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, who served in the navy, did not see each other, however, correspondence did not stop.
This is love.
A photograph of a loved one is firmly established on the bedside table of the future queen. Her parents did not lose hope that a more worthy candidate would match their daughter, but the girl was adamant. Soon, Elizabeth's parents began to realize that their daughter had a truly deep feeling for Philip, and shortly before the wedding, King George VI awarded his future son-in-law the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
Happy parents.
Ten years later, Elizabeth, then already queen, will ordain her husband as a prince. Historians of the English royal family say that Elizabeth herself proposed to Philip, just like her great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, once did. There are no fortresses in the world that a real woman cannot conquer! As a result, on November 20, 1947, Philip, having renounced his Greek and Danish titles, converted from Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, accepted British citizenship and took the surname of his maternal grandfather Mountbatten, married Princess Elizabeth.
In the shadow of the crowned wife
Royal couple with children.
The wedding, as expected by tradition, took place in Westminster Abbey. By royal standards it was a modest celebration. While on the bride’s side the entire royal court was present, on the groom’s side there was only the mother, who had long been in a state of prostration. Despite this sad fact, the wedding was bright and very beautiful. The bride's dress was made by court designer Norman Hartnell, inspired by Sandro Botticelli's painting "Spring".
Looking into the distance
“I discovered a painting by Botticelli in the museum, which depicted a girl in ivory silk flowing along her body, strewn with jasmine flowers, asparagus and rosebuds. I recreated all this flora using crystal beads and pearls,” he recalled. Her mother’s precious tiara shone on Elizabeth’s head, and a five-meter veil was carried by two pages. After the wedding, the couple were inseparable and led a social life.
After the wedding, the couple were inseparable.
Soon they had children - Charles and Anna. But in February 1952, when the King of England and Elizabeth’s father, George VI, died of a blood clot in the heart, Philip became the first to bend the knee and swear an oath of allegiance to Elizabeth II as queen: “I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, become your vassal for life and the lowest servant; I promise to serve you faithfully and die for you, no matter what happens. May God help me!
Happy family.
Philip kept his word, becoming a reliable support for his wife and the best adviser in difficult times. But he turned into the shadow of his queen... 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 this turn of events, Philip got rid of the “shadow” complex and began to engage in charity work.
The couple is at home.
The focus of his attention was on issues of education, youth and sports. In public life, Philip always remained one step behind his wife, but in the family he still achieved the right to have the first vote. Sometimes, like many women, the queen enjoys feeling weak and defenseless, and her husband gives her this opportunity.
Grandfather is a rock
Attention! We're being filmed!
For the Queen's 90th birthday, a wonderful film was made about the royal couple. Elizabeth and Philip consider family a life priority. According to her children and grandchildren, the secret of the queen’s family happiness lies in an important decision that she made at one time: if she, as a monarch, leads the country, then Philip will unconditionally lead the family. In all important family matters, the Duke of Edinburgh has the final say.
Three generations of monarchs.
On this occasion, the granddaughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Princess Eugenie of York, said: “Grandfather is incredible. He is strong and reliable. He was and remains a rock for all of us.” Today, the Queen spends a lot of time at her estate, training horses and dogs. In the evenings, she walks arm in arm with her beloved husband, and does not like it when her and Philip’s privacy is disturbed. Time puts everything in its place, and then you understand that the reward of life is not in the crown at all, but in the quiet feminine happiness of being loved...
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip in the throne room. / Photo: cluebits.com
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.
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, it 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.