Prince Philip: Consort to the Queen

Generally when I write these biographical sketches, I start with the childhood and go from there. Since this is the article about the Queen and what impact Prince Philip has on her life I can't do that. For as we all know, after several installments poor Queen Mary hasn't even made it to the altar! So here is the 'Reader's Digest' version of Prince Philip's early life touching on only the facts that I believe have strongly affected his character.

1. He was born to his mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, granddaughter to Queen Victoria, and Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, younger brother to the King, on 10 June 1921.
2. His family was on the throne less than 50 years when his father was being used as a scapegoat for the removal of the Danish Monarchs in Greece.
3. His Mother's cousin, George V of England, sent in a diplomatic squad to rescue the family. They were now royals with no throne.
4. Philip's parents separated under the strain and he spent his childhood rootless being schooled wherever his more generous relatives would send him. France, England, Germany and Scotland.
5. His maternal grandfather, Prince Louis of Battenberg a naturalized citizen, was an Admiral of the Fleet and First Sea Lord until anti-German sentiment caused George V to change the British Royal Family's name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor in 1917 along with changing the Battenberg branch of the family to Mountbatten. The newly created Marquess of Milford Haven was relieved of his command for the same reason. Philip's four elder sisters all married Germans two of whom worked for Hitler.
6. Philip left Gourdonstoun School in Scotland to enter the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth in 1939.

Hopefully, this brief overview will help you to understand that Prince Philip and his family were suffering on all fronts. The Greeks had exiled his paternal family and the English had done their best to anglicize his maternal side. He was rootless in that he never had a real home until he married the then Princess Elizabeth and they moved into Clarence House. He learned young that he had to work hard and make his own opportunities. This he did very well - especially at Gourdonstoun where his athletic prowess was used to its fullest. He was Head of the School and Captain of Hockey and Cricket before being accepted at the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth where he also earned recognition for his leadership skills. It was at Dartmouth that Princess Elizabeth first set eyes on her future husband.

It was August 1939 when the 13-year-old Princess Elizabeth visited Dartmouth with her family. Prince Philip was the 18-year-old cadet that was assigned to escort them. (It is claimed that Lord Louis Mountbatten, Philip's Uncle who was known to have dynastic tendencies, made this arrangement.) It was an especially poignant visit as it was her father's alma mater and war was imminent. Described by Nanny Crawford as, "a fair haired boy, rather like a Viking, with a sharp face and piercing blue eyes…" she claims Philip showed off and Elizabeth was enamored. They two wrote to each other frequently during the war that followed and Philip often spent his leave time with the Royal Family. Philip's service record was exemplary and he quickly qualified as Sub-Lieutenant and rapidly rose through the ranks making First Lieutenant (second in command) by the time he was 21. His ship was in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese signed the surrender 2nd September 1945.

During these years Prince Philip and Elizabeth had fallen in love. It is said that this man who was confident enough to bypass protocol by walking across the dance floor and asking her to dance rather than ask a courtier who would then ask her for him impressed the Princess. He was also not afraid to disagree with her, which was an experience she had never had for everyone always agreed with the future monarch. He must have been impressed with her devotion to duty; her bright mind and her tight knit family. They decided to marry and went to seek the King's permission. The King did not feel his daughter was old enough to make such and important decision and further wanted to keep the family unit whole as long as possible. The Courtiers didn't think that the people would accept him as a suitable mate due to his German connections. After all they had just been through a second terrible war with Germany in only one generation. The King took the family on a tour of Africa to distract his daughter.

Princess Elizabeth was determined to marry Philip so the palace spin-doctors began their work. Philip renounced his titles of Prince of Greece and Denmark, changed his name to Philip Mountbatten and became a naturalized citizen. The couple married on 20 November 1947. Princess Elizabeth gave birth to their first child, Prince Charles, on 12 November 1948 and their second child, Anne, on 15 August 1950. These were very happy times for the couple. They naturally fell into the traditional spousal roles with Elizabeth participating the naval wife activities with much gusto and Philip at his wife's side for all her 'official' duties. Philip's military career continued to soar and the couple hoped they would have many years to enjoy the groove they so naturally settled into. It was not to be.

On January 6, 1952, King George VI died in his sleep leaving Princess Elizabeth the Duchess of Edinburgh the new monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The young couple had a big adjustment to make. At the age of 30 Philip had to give up the naval career he so loved in order to support his wife in her fulltime duties. At 25 Elizabeth had to take on a mantle of responsibility that seems overwhelming. Philip was highly criticized as he tried to find a purposeful way to be useful in his new role. He was a very social man, who as other men of the day will tell you, found it hard to give up his fun with the 'guys' just because he'd married. He was often seen in groups that contained his whispered lovers - women such as Merle Oberon and Christine Keeler. There were rumors of a marital rift as Philip traveled the world alone on the Royal Yacht Britannica. It seems the adjustment was difficult for both of them, but I believe they were each patient and understanding about the entire situation. At the height of the rumors Queen Elizabeth gave birth to Prince Andrew and then to Prince Edward. The children were a further solidification of their commitment to family.

Prince Philip did not struggle for long. Though he is known for many of the gaffs that he has made during his wife's nearly 50 years on the throne, he is also known for being a 'doer'. He represents over 800 organizations while attending all of the Queen's 'official' functions as well. He is involved with industry, the environment and all things animal. He was the first President of the World Wildlife Fund-UK and is now its President Emeritus. He works with young people and supports interfaith and interdenominational dialogue co-founding St. George's House, a forum for discussion. He continues to rule the roost in their personal lives that he balances with his duty to his wife and his country. He worked hard to modernize the monarchy by providing photo opportunities and holding press conferences. Though never making him a co-ruler, she has bestowed many honors and awards upon even restoring his birth title of Prince making him Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh.

On their 50th wedding anniversary he gave his spouse a lovely compliment by saying that she possessed the quality of tolerance in abundance. She said 'He is not a person who takes easily to compliments, but he has quite frankly been my strength and stay.' These statements say much about a relationship that has withstood the test of time.

All the best,