In 2017, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary, making it the longest royal wedding in UK history. Today we are going to look at how the royal couple have managed to maintain this love and affection over all these years.
For that reason, we have decided to look back at 10 facts and anecdotes about the marriage between Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip that show us the true power of royal love.
10.Their marriage is based on love.
In 1934, Elisabeth, then eight years old, attended the wedding of Philip’s cousin. It was there that she met her future husband, five years her senior. Five years later, just before the Second World War, Elisabeth saw Philip again, this time at the age of 18, and immediately fell in love with him. From that moment on (Elisabeth was only 13 years old at the time), she never stopped thinking about him.
During the Second World War, while Philip was serving as an officer in the Royal Navy, the two lovers exchanged several letters with each other. In 1946, when Philip returned, he asked Elizabeth to marry him, and she immediately answered “yes”. But the couple had to keep their engagement a secret until Elizabeth’s 21st birthday, and it wasn’t until July 9, 1947 that their engagement was officially announced. The couple were finally married on November 20 of the same year.Pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, alors que Philip servait comme officier dans la Royal Navy, les deux amoureux ont échangé plusieurs lettres entre eux. En 1946, quand Philip est revenu, il a demandé Élisabeth en mariage, et elle a immédiatement répondu “oui”. Mais le couple a dû maintenir leurs fiançailles secrètes jusqu’au 21e anniversaire d’Élisabeth, et ce n’est que le 9 juillet 1947 que leurs fiançailles ont officiellement été annoncées. Le couple s’est finalement marié le 20 novembre de la même année.
9. They each made sacrifices.
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In order to be able to marry Elizabeth, Philip had to make many sacrifices. First of all, he had to renounce all his previous titles. Second, he had to become a naturalized British citizen, because at the time, Elizabeth’s parents were not happy about her German family background. In fact, none of his German family members, including Philip’s three sisters, were allowed to attend their wedding.
The morning of the wedding, Philip quit smoking. He knew how sad Elisabeth was because of her father’s addiction to cigarettes, so he suddenly stopped, without the slightest hesitation.
8. They have always supported each other.
“The Queen wears the crown, but her husband wears the panties. He is the power behind the throne, unshakeable, and unfailingly supportive,” writes Gyles Brandreth in his book Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Royal Marriage.
Philip’s support was truly essential to the Queen’s success. Elizabeth II admitted this in her speech at their golden wedding in 1997, saying, “He is someone who does not easily accept compliments. He’s just been my strength all these years.”
7. They have common interests.
Elisabeth and Philip enjoy collections of animal art, picnics in the Scottish countryside, and barbecues. The couple always know how to occupy their free time, enjoying each other’s presence.
6. They have a great sense of humor.
The Duke of Edinburgh is known to be a funny man. And with his incredible sense of humour, he’s been making the Queen laugh for 70 years. In 2017, during her annual Christmas address, Elizabeth II pointed out that her husband had recently retired from public appearances, but she said his “unique sense of humour will remain with her for a long time to come.”
Philip even gave his wife a funny nickname: sausage (“the sausage”). The origin of this nickname is the following: the queen does not have a naturally smiling face, and since she has to meet and greet thousands of people at various receptions and events, she often looks grumpy. At one of these official celebrations in Sydney, Philip said to his wife, “Don’t look so sad, Sausage.”
5. They’re in separate rooms.
In England, high society has always been separate, and the Queen and her husband are no exception. In 1949, the couple moved to Clarence House, near Buckingham Palace, where they each have their own room.
Lady Pamela Hicks, Prince Philip’s cousin, tried to explain this custom: “You don’t want to be bothered by the snoring or the footsteps of someone walking around your room. But when you feel like it, you can share it. It’s nice to have a choice.”
4. They talk to each other all the time.
No matter how much time they spend apart, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip never stop communicating by any means possible. For example, during the Second World War, when Philip was serving in the British Army, they wrote to each other frequently.
And to this day, ever since the Duke retired and began leading a quiet life at Wood Farm on their Sandringham estate, the couple continue to talk to each other on the phone every day.
3. The importance is tolerance.
As Philip said in a toast to his wife on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary, “The main lesson we learned is that tolerance is the only essential ingredient in any happy marriage. It may not be so important when things are going well, but it becomes vital when things get tough.” He thus congratulated his wife for her great tolerance.
2. They appreciate the gifts they give each other.
Among all her personal belongings, the Queen is particularly fond of her Beetle brooch, the one her husband gave her in 1966. She wears it very often. She was even seen wearing it during her speech on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of her first Christmas television message. She chose this jewel which has great sentimental value for her. By wearing it, Queen Elizabeth II silently pays tribute to Prince Philip.
1. They never regret their decisions.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip have been together for 73 years, and even after so long, they both believe that their choice was the right one.
In 1972, the Queen even said in her Silver Wedding Speech: “If I were asked what I think of family life after 25 years of marriage, I can answer with as much simplicity and conviction as I am for it.”
Do you know other examples of eternal love between two people? Leave a message in the comments below, and feel free to share this article with the people around you!