Queen and Prince Philip anniversary: A look back at the royal romance after 72 years
THE QUEEN and Prince Philip are celebrating their 72nd wedding anniversary today. Here is a look back at their enduring marriage in adorable pictures.
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Queen Elizabeth II tied the knot with Prince Philip on November 20, 1947, when she was still just a princess. Princess Elizabeth defied the odds and married her true love despite grumblings from senior courtiers about the bankrupt Greek Prince’s suitability as a match. Their Westminster Abbey wedding was the start of a pairing that has spanned more seven decades, this is a look back at their sweetest moments.
On their 70th wedding anniversary, the Queen described Philip and her “strength and stay” and paid homage to the invaluable support he has provided her throughout her reign.
However, their romance began long before Elizabeth ascended the throne.
Elizabeth was smitten with Philip from the age of 13 when as a young naval cadet he was charged with showing the princess and her sister Margaret around during a visit to the Royal Naval College.
They kept up a correspondence throughout the war when Philip was serving in the Royal Navy.
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He was a frequent guest of the Royal Family at Windsor during which time his and Elizabeth’s relationship blossomed.
They finally announced their engagement in 1947, a year after Philip popped the questioned.
While the Queen and Philip’s lasting romance is the stuff of fairy tales, the Windsors were not all taken by Lillibet’s choice of husband to begin with.
Prince Philip was a royal in his own right and was born a Prince of Greece and Denmark.
But his family were exiled from Greece when he was just a baby.
This meant on Philip’s wedding day the Prince barely had a cent to his name and many believed Elizabeth deserved a wealthier match.
However, Elizabeth stuck to her guns and wed the man of her dreams.
While Prince Philip initially struggled to find his feet within the Royal Family he became a vital support to the Crown.
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One of the biggest affronts he first faced as the Queen’s husband was being unable to pass on his German surname to his children.
At the time giving them the name “Mountbatten” was advised against as it had unpopular German connotations after the Second World War.
According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, it was a move that left him emasculated.
In her book, My Husband and I: The Inside Story of 70 Years of the Royal Marriage, Seward described Philip’s reaction to the news he would not be able to pass his surname on to his children.
He said: ”I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his children.
“I’m nothing but a bloody amoeba.”
However, the energetic Duke got used to coming second after his wife and carried out his royal role with patience and flair.
Prince Philip, 98, retired from royal duty in 2017 after decades of dedication to the Crown.
He applied his enthusiasm to his royal role with gusto and masterminded a string of successful ventures including the famous Duke of Edinburgh award scheme.
While Prince Philip spends most of his retirement at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate he still provides vital moral support to his wife.
They were last seen out in public together at Lady Gabriella Windsor’s wedding at St George’s Chapel in May.
The Queen and Philip’s marriage remains the rock at the centre of the Royal Family.
Their romance has weathered the ups and downs of royal life and endured the massive societal shifts to have taken place over the last 72 years.