Prince Philip: The penniless exile who became Elizabeth II’s ‘strength and stay’

Driven and outspoken Prince Philip was never naturally suited to the role of public subordinate. In the first of a series ahead of the celebrations to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday, Royal Editor Robert Jobson examines the man who turns 95 on Friday and has occupied a unique place in the history of our modern monarchy
Longest-serving consort: Prince Philip
Getty Images
Robert Jobson6 June 2016

Never just a figurehead, always a driving force, the Duke of Edinburgh has relished every challenge in his remarkable life. Naturally robust, earthy and at heart a true egalitarian, he is half of one of the most celebrated and enduring partnerships of modern times.

The longest serving consort to a British monarch in history, his support for his wife and sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II, has been unwavering.

Those who know him well say one of his most used phrases is “Get on with it”, and through thick and thin that is exactly what he has done.

The Queen rarely expresses emotion in public but on November 20, 1997, at a lunch at Banqueting House, she made a notable exception. It was her golden wedding anniversary and before 300 guests she spoke of Philip’s love and companionship.

Philip with the Queen at the Coronation in 1953 
PA

“He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments,” she said, “but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.”

There was a joke, too, about his tendency to express his views “in a forthright manner”.

A quiet romantic, Philip presented the Queen with an engraved “E and P” diamond and ruby bracelet to mark their fifth wedding anniversary and continues to romance her with presents. They still take afternoon tea together every day. Their marriage, much like her reign, is a triumph of honesty, stability and continuity. He has been her closest confidant and compass.

When he does overstep the mark, however, he knows when to get back in line. Once, at Balmoral, he woke her up in the early hours after having a heated argument with a royal protection officer when he insisted he went out alone as he was on holiday. The protection officer rightly refused.

 Philip as a young boy after his family fled to Paris With the Queen at the Coronation in 1953 
PA

“Philip,” the Queen said, leaning out of her bedroom window, “What on earth is the matter?” At that point the Duke relented, instructed the officer to get in the car and drove off quickly.

Philip’s life story from penniless foreigner to the sovereign’s longest serving consort (in April 2009 he surpassed the record of 57 years and 70 days set by Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III) is a remarkable one. His childhood was far from conventional.

A great grandson of Queen Victoria, he was born a Greek prince at the family’s villa Mon Repos, Corfu, on June 10, 1921. The son of a prince of Greece and Denmark, his paternal family was of Danish descent as Andrea (Greek for Andrew) was the grandson of King Christian IX of Denmark. His mother was Princess Alice of Battenberg, eldest child of Prince Louis of Battenberg and sister of Earl Mountbatten of Burma.

When his mother Alice went into labour the doctor took her to the dining room table, which he deemed the most suitable place in the house to give birth. The baby was registered in nearby Corfu Town under the name of Philippos, Greek for Philip. At birth he was sixth in line to the Greek throne.

He might have expected a life of privilege and wealth. But he was born into volatile times. His father, a major-general in the Greek army, had left for war before his son was born.

The Greek campaign in Asia Minor was a disaster and the nation’s royal family would pay the price. Philip’s father was made a scapegoat by Greece’s revolutionary colonels and narrowly escaped the death sentence.

They were forced to flee their country. Andrew, Alice, their four daughters and 18-month-old son, with no money and no travel documents, finally settled in Paris, courtesy of Prince George of Greece, his elder brother.

It took its toll. His mother suffered a nervous breakdown and Andrew lived a nomadic playboy lifestyle, only seeing his son in school holidays. Philip was just nine when his mother was sectioned to a psychiatric clinic on Lake Constance. From then on, he went from pillar to post, left in the care of Alice’s family. Philip said in an interview years later: “I just had to get on with it. You do. One does.”

Philip’s guardian for the next seven years was Georgie, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven, who become a great mentor to his nephew, inspiring Philip’s lifelong love of design and invention. Boarding school — Cheam, Surrey — offered him some stability.

Philip went to Germany for the weddings of his sisters three times in a year. He briefly joined his brother-in-law’s school at Salem, despite the fact that it was being taken over with Nazi doctrine as Hitler’s power and influence rose in Germany.

Philip was relieved to return to the UK, this time to Gordonstoun, Scotland. Its founder Kurt Hahn, a German émigré, developed a testing regime there. Competing at your own level to achieve something for yourself was its ethos. It was to stay with Philip, a star pupil at the school, all his life.

While he was at Gordonstoun, Georgie Milford Haven died of bone marrow cancer, leaving his younger brother Dickie Mountbatten, to take charge of Philip. It was Mountbatten who was to change Philip’s life for ever, guiding him to pursue a career in the Royal Navy, a decision that would lead to a fateful meeting with Princess Elizabeth.

It was at the wedding of Philip’s cousin, Princess Marina of Greece, to the Duke of Kent, Elizabeth’s uncle, in 1934 that the future queen first met her third cousin, Philip.

Five years later their paths crossed again, this time on a visit to Dartmouth Naval College aboard the royal yacht.

Elizabeth and her sister Margaret were assigned the dashing naval cadet Philip Mountbatten to look after them. He took her off to play croquet and to the tennis courts to have what she described as “some real fun jumping over the nets”.

The next day Philip and fellow cadets joined the royal party for tea and Elizabeth’s eyes followed him everywhere. Her father the King had hardly noticed him until it was time to leave.

As they sailed off, a few cadets set off in small craft after the royal yacht. The princess was captivated as she watched Philip through her binoculars. The King spotted him and said: “The young fool. He must go back!” He had made a lasting impression on the young princess. To her he was far from a fool.

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