They met in 1934, although it was not until five years later that their affection for each other began. He was 18 at the time, she was only 13. Initially Elizabeth’s father did not see Philip as a man worthy of his daughter’s hand, but their love triumphed. Their marriage lasted 73 years, only to be parted by Prince Philip’s death.
My Viking Prince
Some accounts claim that Prince Philip was the first man Elizabeth met and that she immediately fell in love with him. The encounter that sparked the feeling took place in 1934, when a ship carrying Elizabeth and her parents, King George VI and Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, arrived on the shores of Dartmouth. The 18-year-old Philip, Prince of Greece at the time, was a naval officer who was to show the young Elizabeth around the military school. He quickly caught the eye of the future heir to the throne, who began referring to him as “my Viking prince.” Elizabeth had to wait a little longer for her feelings for Philip to be reciprocated, who at that time was more into the parties with his naval colleagues. As befits teenage love, however, the infatuation continued and was further heated up by letters regularly sent to each other. Yet even then, nothing seemed to foreshadow a lasting relationship and a marriage that could endure for more than 73 years. No one thought they would have a relationship that could only be severed by the death of Prince Philip.
Pretentious, penniless young man
The young officers’ school cadet was not to the liking of George VI, Elizabeth’s father, at the time. Not only were Philip’s close relatives affiliated with the Nazi regime, but also the young man himself raised the king’s doubts. He used to describe Philip as a pretentious, penniless lady’s man, whose attire left a lot to be desired. This was not enough to convince Elizabeth, who was becoming increasingly fond of Phillip. The young couple’s determination paid off and in 1946, Elizabeth and Philip got engaged for the first time. Secretly. Since the prince could not afford an expensive ring with a magnificent diamond, he gave her one with diamonds taken from the family tiara. This only served to strengthen the royal couple’s belief that Philip was the worst thing that could happen to their daughter. Hoping to make young Elizabeth forget her fiancé, they took her on a long journey to Africa, with no avail. Their love survived for more than a few decades, and they were only separated by the death of Prince Philip, who died on April 9, 2021, at the age of 99.
Conditional marriage
In 1947, Philip renounced the title of Greek prince and applied for British citizenship. He also converted to Anglicanism and officially proposed to his beloved. The king authorized the marriage, under one condition: Philip had to wait until Elizabeth turned 21. The wedding ceremony took place on November 20, 1947, being broadcast on BBC radio to over 200 million recipients worldwide. Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward. They were married for 73 years and were only separated by Prince Philip’s death.
Do you want to know more? Check out Queen Elizabeth documentary on True Royalty TV!