Many people think that monarchs do not have marriages based on love, fidelity and tenderness. This misconception will immediately seem erroneous if you take a closer look at the life story that Queen Elizabeth of England and Prince Philip, her husband, lived together. Their marriage is so strong that it can turn any idea of devotion upside down.
Acquaintance
Elizabeth and Prince Philip first met when they were still young children. This happened at the wedding of their distant relatives. The marriage was between the Greek Princess Marina, who was Philip’s cousin, and the Danish Prince George, Elizabeth’s uncle. The next meeting took place when the future Queen of Great Britain was barely thirteen, and her husband was eighteen. Both Elizabeth 2 and Prince Philip later said that they fell in love at first sight. They began exchanging romantic letters. From then on, they couldn't think about anyone else.
The young, attractive Elizabeth was always the center of everyone's attention, wherever she was. However, the brilliant cadet at Dartmouth Royal Maritime College, Prince Philip, was immediately able to win the heart of his future wife. Which, however, is not surprising, since this handsome tall blond has never been deprived of attention from the fair sex.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip of Greece: lifelong love
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.
Elizabeth II, full name Elizabeth Alexandra Maria, was born in London on April 21, 1926.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was born on June 10, 1921 in Corfu (Greece.)
The couple, who have never been seen in family public scandals, have already lived together for 68 years in a legal marriage and celebrated the so-called Stone Wedding.
Few people know that Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are not only husband and wife, but also fourth cousins.
Elizabeth and Philip at a dance party. / Photo: airmaxgold.org
Until Philip became Duke of Edinburgh and a subject of Great Britain, he was a Greek prince and bore the title of Prince of Greece and Denmark. Philip is the only son of Prince Andrew of Glücksburg (died 1944, aged 62). Andrew was the son of King George I of Greece (died in 1913. He was 67 years old) and brother of the then reigning King Constantine (died in 1923. He was 54 years old).
Prince Andrew belonged to the Danish house of Glücksburg, which reigned in Greece, and his wife and Philip’s mother, Princess Alice, belonged to the Battenberg family.
Philip is the great-grandson of the Danish king Christian IX, the great-great-grandson of the English Queen Victoria and the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. Note that Elizabeth II is also the great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.
School cricket team
After Constantine's abdication in 1922, Prince Andrew's family was expelled from Greece and settled in Paris (France). In 1928, Philip was sent to live with relatives in London (Great Britain). In the early 30s of the 20th century, he studied at a German school, then in Scotland. At the beginning of the Second World War, the future Duke of Edinburgh studied at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, he was a cadet.
13-year-old Elizabeth II first saw Philip at a family reception in the palace. Then the British princess spoke for the first time with her fourth cousin, who, along with his uncle, was invited to a tea party in the royal family. Philip immediately charmed Elizabeth II. He was tall, blond, smart, slender and educated, so the future queen did not even try to hide her sympathy for him.
Soon after the death of his father, Philip moved to London and his meetings with Elizabeth II became more frequent. The time had come and the young man needed to go to the front, from where he constantly wrote letters to Elizabeth.
In 1946, 26-year-old Philip proposed to 21-year-old Elizabeth II to marry him, which the princess accepted with joy and, without consulting her parents, gave her consent. King George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, mother of Elizabeth II, were counting on a better and more successful “match” for their princess.
One of the official “before wedding” photos of Elizabeth and Philip, August 19, 1947
Despite this, Elizabeth II's parents still blessed the marriage. Prince Philip's wedding to the future Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II took place on November 20, 1947. The ceremony was crowded and luxurious. Before tens of thousands of compatriots, the princess appeared in an ivory-colored satin wedding dress, embroidered with crystal and pearls, and her head was adorned with a diamond tiara and a five-meter veil, carried by two pages.
A year after the wedding, Elizabeth II gave birth to Philip's son, Prince Charles, Duke of Edinburgh; two years later, in 1950, Princess Anne was born, and in 1960, Prince Andrew, Duke of York; in 1964, the youngest son of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh was born. – Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.
Elizabeth II and Philip led an active social life - they attended horse races, social events, and dances. In 1948, Philip needed to go to serve in Malta, and his wife followed him.
Soon the couple went on vacation to Kenya, but while there, Elizabeth II learned that her father, King George VI, had died. On the day of her father's death, February 6, 1952, 25-year-old Elizabeth was proclaimed queen.
The coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II took place in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. Prince Philip was the first to take the oath and oath of allegiance to Her Majesty:
I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will become your vassal in sickness and in health, and will serve you faithfully, with honor and respect, until my death. May God help me."
Biography
Philip Mountbatten was born on June 10, 1921 in the family of the legal representative of the Danish royal family of Glücksburg, Prince Andrew. His mother Alice Battenberg was the niece of the last Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. The birthplace of the future Duke of Edinburgh was the beautiful Greek island of Corfu.
The family of Andrei and Alisa had five children. A year after the birth of Philip, the Glucksburgs had to leave their homeland due to the persecution that began there. As a result, after the move, Alice and her children settled in the French capital, and the head of the family, Andrei, headed to Monte Carlo.
Philip's mother took her divorce very hard, because she lost not only her husband, but also her title and property. As a result, her mind became clouded. The youngest of all the children was Philip. Relatives from distant England were forced to take him home. In the early thirties, the boy was sent to receive an education.
Military career
At first, Prince Philip studied at a very ordinary school in one of the Scottish cities. He then attended the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth after the outbreak of the Second World War. After graduating, he received the rank of midshipman. From that time until the accession of his future wife Elizabeth II to the throne, his life was inextricably linked with the fleet. During World War II, Prince Philip of Greece, with the rank of lieutenant, participated in many operations on the Western Front. As a naval aviator, he distinguished himself in the air battle with the British Navy for the liberation of Sicily in 1943, often accompanying the famous polar sea convoys of the Anglo-Americans helping the Soviet Union. The brave Prince Philip rose to the rank of senior lieutenant. Throughout the war he corresponded with Lilibet, as the future Queen of England was called at home.
Surprise from Prince Philip
This year, Elizabeth II's birthday was a little different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The royal family refused the gala event in order to comply with the self-isolation regime and celebrate the holiday in a narrow family circle.
Despite the circumstances, Prince Philip managed to present his wife with a traditional gift - a bouquet of beautiful flowers. According to royal expert and editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine Ingrid Seward, the Queen prefers white flowers. She especially likes lilies of the valley.
Marriage
It must be said that Elizabeth’s parents did not take the relationship that began between the young people particularly seriously. Moreover, they did not approve of them, although they did not tell their daughter about it. The parents hoped that Lilibet would eventually stop communicating with the young officer - a representative of the Danish royal family. But that did not happen. Elizabeth remained adamant: she categorically refused to consider other suitors. And this is not surprising, because Prince Philip was incredibly handsome in his youth, so the girl was very much in love with him. In 1946, the young officer paid an official visit to King George VI. During the meeting, Prince Philip asked permission to marry his daughter. It must be said that the crowned lady liked him, so he gave his consent.
Wedding
To make his marriage to Elizabeth appear politically correct, Philip was forced to renounce his titles as Prince of Denmark and Prince of Greece. In addition, he had to accept English citizenship and change his paternal surname to his maternal grandfather's surname - Mountbatten. Just a week before the wedding, which took place on November 20, 1947 in Westminster Abbey, Philip was granted the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
The wedding was incredibly magnificent. The bride looked truly gorgeous. Elizabeth wore a satin-brocade dress, richly decorated with a huge amount of pearls and crystal beads. All of her British titled relatives were invited to the wedding ceremony on the bride's side, while only his mother was present on the groom's side. For the sake of his wife, Prince Philip, having renounced Orthodoxy, converted to Protestantism.
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.
Article on the topic
Royal oath. How Elizabeth II dedicated her life to serving the Motherland 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 early years of their 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
Personal life
Two years after the wedding, the young officer was sent to serve on the island of Malta. The couple settled here in a cozy estate. According to the recollections of Philip and Elizabeth, the years in Malta were the happiest period in their life together. Here they had two children - Charles and Anna. Being away from Buckingham Palace with its traditions and protocol, Elizabeth felt like an ordinary woman who was happy and enjoying life with her family and close friends.
In his youth, Philip and his wife often visited entertainment venues. Young people loved to dance and have fun. When King George VI died on February 6, 1952, the couple were traveling in Kenya. Philip was the first to hear the news and reported the sad news to Elizabeth. The family urgently went home.
Exactly one year later, the ceremony of Elizabeth’s accession to the throne took place. This event was broadcast on central English television for the first time. Philip was declared Prince Consort. He was obliged to accompany his crowned wife to all events and official visits. In addition to jointly conducting public affairs with Elizabeth, Prince Philip also performed the duties of the father of his family. It was he who supervised the education of his children and resolved everyday issues. The prince was no less active in the public life of Great Britain. He was the first to produce his own series of programs on science issues on British television. Prince Philip created many charitable foundations; he actively helped sports schools, mainly supporting equestrian sports.
Children of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip
Elizabeth II and Prince Philip have four children. Their first child, heir to the throne Prince Charles, was born exactly one year after the wedding.
A couple of years later, in 1950, Princess Anne was born.
Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II with their son Charles and daughter Anne
After this, Elizabeth II ascended the throne and became fully immersed in royal duties.
However, she and Philip always wanted more children. Therefore, in 1960, their third child was born - the now disgraced Prince Andrew.
Four years later, Prince Edward was born.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip with their children Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward
Interesting Facts
Like another representative of the European royal family, Prince Philip (Sweden), who married a TV star for love, the Duke of Edinburgh is happily married. However, his namesake lost his crown as a result of his marriage. Prince Carl Philip gave way to her sister.
Today, Elizabeth and her husband are happy grandparents. In 2020, Prince Philip was awarded the title of longest-living descendant of Queen Victoria herself. After all, that year he turned nine and a half decades old. In 2020, the royal couple celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. This became another record in the entire history of the Windsor dynasty. Today, Philip and Elizabeth live secludedly on their Sandringham estate, located in Norfolk. At the same time, they periodically appear in Buckingham Palace and in their family castles in both England and Scotland. The couple's favorite hobby is horse breeding. From time to time, Prince Philip paints pictures. Of all sports, the Duke of Edinburgh prefers equestrian sports. According to him, this is what helped him maintain his royal posture until such an old age.
