Who was Prince Philip: all about the husband of Queen Elizabeth

Prince Philip is the man who, for over 70 years, has been at the side of Queen Elizabeth. Their marriage was not only long-lived, but also seasoned with great love.

Who was Prince Philip

Philip Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Prince of Greece and Denmark, known to most as the Duke of Edinburgh or Prince Philip, was born in Corfu on June 10, 1921.

Grandson of the King of Greece, he renounced the noble titles (and name) of his lineage to marry Elizabeth II of England, thus adopting the surname MountBatten. In addition to the title of Royal Highness, in 1957, he received the recognition of Prince of the United Kingdom. He was also Earl of Merioneth, Baron of Greenwich and Lord High Admiral of the Royal Navy. The latter received it as a gift on his 90th birthday.

The marriage with Elizabeth II

The love for Elizabeth II broke out when the Queen was only 13 years old. It was the year 1939 and, according to court biographers, Philip completely lost his head for her. The engagement was made official in 1946 with a dream ring, with three precious diamonds. The relationship was kept secret until July 1947, when the wedding was publicly announced.

The wedding, celebrated in historic Westminster Abbey, came on November 20, 1947. Broadcast on BBC television and radio, the Royal Wedding was followed in every corner of the globe. From the union between Philip and the Queen of England were born 4 children: Prince Charles of England (heir to the throne) and princes Anne, Andrew and Edward. That between the two royals was a dream marriage, based on mutual respect and great love. Not surprisingly, the wedding was not ‘combined’, so much so that King George VI was not very happy with the sentimental choice of his little daughter.

The life of the Prince

Prince Philip has spent his life at the side of his beloved wife, always trying to calm the waters when the atmosphere at Buckingham Palace became tense. The well-informed claim that he was the one who tried to reason with his son Charles when he chose to leave Lady Diana for Camilla. The Mirror claimed that the man wrote a letter to his daughter-in-law, “I can’t imagine anyone in their right mind would leave you for Camilla. Such a prospect had never entered our heads.” The man, moreover, was the architect of the very strict education of his children. It was Carlo who gave him the most concern. In 2017, after recording 22 thousand outings as the husband of Queen Elizabeth, Philip officially retired from public life. The Prince spent his life devoting himself to many passions: polo, painting and physical activity. The Prince had several health problems: heart disease in 2007, prostate cancer in 2008, an angioplasty in 2011 and a bad accident in 2019 until his death on April 9, 2021.