Facts about Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh – Tatler

Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, prior to his marriage to Princess Elizabeth, saluting as he resumes his attendance at the Royal Naval Officers School at Kingsmoor, Hawthorn, 1947

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1.Philip was born on 10 June 1921 as Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark 2.He was born on the island of Corfu, at the palatial villa of Mon Repos3.It was the summer retreat of the Greek royal family 4.At the time of his birth, he was sixth in line to the Greek throne 5.His parents were Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg6.He was the couples only son and fifth child, with four older sisters, Margarita, Theodora, Cecilie, and Sophie 7.Despite being born in Greece, he doesnt speak the language, but does understand some of it 8.Instead, he has said he considered himself Danish9.He is trilingual, speaking English, French and German10.His family were exiled from Greece when he was a child after his uncle, King Constantine, was forced to abdicate following the Greco-Turkish War. As a general in the army, his own father, Prince Andrew, was accused of treason and exile, forcing the family to flee 11.They first lived in Paris, staying at the home of his very wealthy aunt, Princess George of Greece and Denmark, who was known for her patronage of Sigmund Freud and psychoanalysis12.Later Philip was sent to live with his relatives in Britain, while his father settled in Monaco and his mother was institutionalised in an asylum in Switzerland 13.He lived with his maternal grandmother, Victoria Mountbatten, Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven, at Kensington Palace and with his uncle, George Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven, at Lynden Manor in Bray, Berkshire14.He was first sent to Cheam School, before being sent to a school in Germany owned by the family of his brother-in-law. Its founder, a Jewish educator named Kurt Hahn, left Germany amidst the rise in anti-semitism and Nazism, setting up Gordonstoun in Scotland, where the prince followed him

Prince Philip of Greece dressed for the Gordonstoun School's production of 'MacBeth', in Scotland, 1935

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15.Philips teenage years were marred by tragedy. His sister Cecilie was killed along with his nephews in a plane crash, and his uncle and guardian Lord Milford Haven died of bone marrow cancer not long afterwards 16.Upon finishing school, he joined the Royal Navy and graduated from Dartmouth as the best cade in his year17.His sisters had all married German princes - a source of much difficulty as the world went to war with Hitler 18.Philip served with the British forces in WWII - fighting against his brother-in-laws Prince Christoph of Hesse and Berthold, Margrave of Baden, who served on the German side 19.The Duke's first naval appointment, aged 18, was as a midshipman to HMS RAMILLIES, which escorted the first contingents of the Allied Expeditionary Force from Australia to Egypt20.He was awarded the Greek War Cross of Valour for his bravery during the War 21.He was present in Tokyo Bay for the Japanese surrender on 2nd September 1945

Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, on the occasion of their engagement at Buckingham Palace in London, 1947

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22.He met the then Princess Elizabeth in 1939, after being asked by his uncle Lord Mountbatten and the Queen Mother to escort Elizabeth and her sister Princess Maragret during a visit to the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth 23.Philip and the Queen are third cousins - both descendants of Queen Victoria24.Elizabeth fell in love with the dashing naval officer with the two beginning to correspond when she was 13 25.He was linked to several women in his youth, before becoming official with Elizabeth 26.The most well-known of these was Olsa Benning a Canadian debutante, who worked at Bletchley Park 27.She was the goddaughter of Lord Mountbatten, Philips uncle, but it was his other goddaughter Sarah Baring who played matchmaker 28.Oslas daughter said of the relationship, I do know that he was her first love. She never told me about him for years. She just said: 'I fell in love with a naval officer.29.In 1946, when Elizabeth was 20, Philip wrote to the King to ask for her hand in marriage30.The engagement was postponed until after her 21st birthday31.Philip abandoned his Greek and Danish titles in favour of the more Anglicised Mountbatten 32.Before his wedding day, he became a naturalised British citizen33.He was considered to be something of a pin-up at the time, with several of the Queens Coronation Maids of Honour commenting on how handsome he was in their memories of the event 34.He was married to Princess Elizabeth at Westminster Cathedral on 20 November 1947 35.Their marriage is the longest running royal marriage in history 36.The wedding was broadcast on the radio and listened to by 200 million people 37.His sisters and their husbands were not invited to the wedding due to the ill feeling towards Germans at the time 38.His mother did attend - despite now living as a nun in Greece

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh on their wedding day in 1947

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39.On his wedding day, he was made High Royal Highness and was given the titles the Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich of Greenwich in the County of London by the King 40.The married couples first home was at Clarence House, but they also spent a year living abroad in Malta, renting Villa Guardamangia, while Philip was serving with the navy there41.Together, he and the Queen have four children: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward 42.Their first two children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, were born before Elizabeth became Queen in 1953, while Prince Andrew and Prince Edward were born a decade later during her reign 43.It was Philip who broke the news to Elizabeth that her father had died and she was now the Queen44.The couple were on a Commonwealth Tour in Kenya at the time 45.Upon the Queens ascension to the throne, there were question marks over whether she would remain as the House of Windsor, or possibly change the name due to her marriage. Philip reportedly advocated for House of Edinburgh, after his ducal title, but after further conversations with the likes of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the Queen announced that the House of Windsor would continue

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh poses for a portrait at home in Buckingham Palace, 1958

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46.The fact that his wife and children were not given his surname was said to have troubled the Duke, who reportedly said, I am nothing but a bloody amoeba. I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children47.In 1956, Philip founded the Duke of Edinburgh Award with his old school master, Kurt Hahn to give children, a sense of responsibility to themselves and their communities 48.He became the first royal to cross the Antarctic Circle in 1957, while touring the globe on the HMY Britannia

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh wave at the crowds from the balcony at Buckingham Palace after the Queen's Coronation in 1953

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49.He was made a Prince in 1957 50.He has been a patron of over 800 organisations, including the World Wildlife Fun, the British Heart Foundation and the International Equestrian Foundation, reflecting his interests in sport and the environment 51.Like his sons and grandsons, Prince Philip was a keen polo player, playing until 1971

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, playing polo at Windsor Park, 1967

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52.He was also instrumental in carriage driving becoming a sport, even helping to write the early rule book53.Hes also known for his love of boats and being a keen yachtsman (no surprise as he was in the Royal Navy), frequently attending Cowes Week with the Queen in the past54.He is trained to fly numerous aircraft55.In 1953, he was presented with Royal Air Force wings56.He gained his helicopter wings in 195657.And his pilot license in 1959

The Duke of Edinburgh disembarks from a Harvard Trainer aircraft after a flight, at RAF White Waltham, Berkshire, where he has been training for his 'wings' in 1953

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58. By his 70th birthday had clocked up 5,150 flying hours 59.The Duke's final flight was on 11th August 1997 from Carlisle to Islay60.Aside from sporting pursuits, the Duke also has an arty side, and has collected numerous artworks - including several contemporary cartoons - which hang at the royal residences including Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Balmoral 61.Hes also had a go at painting himself and is said to have a bold, colourful style62.There are several books featuring forewards written by him, mostly on the subject of the Navy and British fauna and flora 63.He has also written several books, mostly about environmental, technological, equestrian and animal subjects64.He is also reportedly quite the foodie - and has been known to take over dinner preparations 65.Writing in Dinner at Buckingham Palace, former royal footman Charles Oliver revealed: The Prince is also adept at producing quick, light supper snacks, which he and the Queen often enjoy after they have dismissed the servants for the night. Dishes include scrambled eggs and smoked haddock, mushrooms sauted in butter with bacon, Scotch woodcock (scrambled eggs with anchovies on toast) with mushrooms, and omelette with bacon.66.His favourite dishes include spicy food as well as salmon coulibiac67.In terms of a tipple of choice, hes a plain beer man - none of the fancy stuff

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh refreshes himself with a beer during a carriage driving event, 1980

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68.He is said to have muttered, Get me a beer. I don't care what kind it is. Just get me a beer! when he was offered fine wine by former Italian Prime Minister Giuliano Amato while dining in Rome69.There is a religious sect in a jungle village in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu that worships Prince Philip as a God 70.The origins of the religion appear to be in a myth about the son of a mountain spirit with pale skin venturing across the seas to look for a powerful woman to marry - when they saw pictures of Philip with the Queen, they believed it was him 71.The islanders hold portraits of the Duke and celebrate his birthday every year with feasts72.He has been given various honours and titles throughout his life, including Admiral of the Sea Cadet Corps, Colonel-in-Chief of the British Army Cadet Force, and Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Air Training Corps, Admiral of the Fleet, Captain General Royal Marines, Field Marshal, and Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, Lord High Admiral and finally Knight Grand Cross (GCVO) of the Royal Victorian Order73.This last means that he is the first British national since his uncle Earl Mountbatten of Burma to be entitled to wear the breast stars of four orders of chivalry in the United Kingdom

The Queen and Prince Philip arriving for an official tour of Papua New Guinea, 1982

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74.Throughout his time undertaking engagements for the Queen, he has become known for his many gaffes, often saying things that are deemed politically incorrect 75.He famously said of this tendency in 1960: Dontopedalogy is the science of opening your mouth and putting your foot in it, a science which I have practised for a good many years76.He was the first member of the British Royal Family to be interviewed on television in May 196177.He was instrumental in the restoration of Windsor Castle after it suffered a fire in 1992, and served as Chairman of the Restoration Committee 78.In 1993 his DNA was used to help identify the remains of the Romanov family - Tsar Nicholas II and his wife and children - who were murdered in 1918 79.He is related to the Romanovs on both his mother and fathers side of the family. He is a direct descendant of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia via his paternal grandmother Grand Duchess Olga Constantinovna of Russia and his maternal grandmother, Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, was a sister of Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Emperor Nicholas II80.It has been said that Philip was instrumental in Prince Charles proposing to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, after asking pressuring him to make a decision on their relationship once and for all81.After Dianas death in 1997, it was Philip who is said to have persuaded her sons Prince William and Prince Harry to walk behind her coffin, saying, If you don't walk, I think you'll regret it later. If I walk, will you walk with me? 82.He joined Charles, William, Harry and Dianas brother, Earl Spencer, walking in the procession behind the coffin 83.It has been rumoured that he dislikes Sarah, Duchess of York, the ex-wife of his son, Prince Andrew, due to the embarrassment he thinks she caused the Royal Family 84.Philip is the oldest ever male member of the British royal family, and the third longest-lived following Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother85.He is the longest serving Consort86.He accompanied the Queen on all 251 of her overseas tours

Prince Philip with his wife, Elizabeth II and his children in Buckingham Palace 1972.Left to right: Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Edward and Prince Charles

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87.During the 2012 Diamond Jubilee, the Queen acknowledged the effect that their relationship had had on her, saying Philip had been her constant strength and guide88.He retired from his royal duties on 2nd August 2017 aged 96 89.The last public event he was seen at was Lady Gabriella Windsors wedding in May 2019 90.During the Coronavirus outbreak in 2020, he made a rare public statement thanking key workers 91.He has eight grandchildren - Prince William, Prince Harry, Zara Phillips, Peter Phillips, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn - who he reportedly dotes on 92.He also has eight great-grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, Mia Tindall, Lena Tindall, Savannah Phillips and Isla Phillips 93.Philip has been portrayed many times on the big screen, with actors including Matt Smith, Tobias Menzies, Christopher Lee and Stewart Cromwell playing him

Matt Smith playing Prince Philip in The Crown

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94.He is reportedly a fan of The Royle Family - according to one of its stars, Ricky Tomlinson, who was tipped off by the Queen 95.He has an official colour - Edinburgh Green - which his staff wear and that lines his private cars 96.He also has his own official standard, which showcases his Danish, Greek and English heritage as well as his Dukedom of Edinburgh97.It features lions and hearts for Denmark, a white cross on blue for Greece, two black pales on white for the Mountbattens and finally the coat of arms of Edinburgh 98.He is a Freeman of Acapulco; Belfast; Bridgetown, Barbados; Cardiff; Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania; Edinburgh; Glasgow; Guadalajara; London; Los Angeles; Melbourne; Nairobi99.There are frequent rumours about his death, which, so far, have proven to be false

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Facts about Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh - Tatler

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