Prince Philip used to ‘flirt’ with the Queen and make her giggle with ‘inappropriate’ jokes at formal events, royal biographer claims as he analyses footage from their 1947 engagement
- Duke of Edinburgh, who died last week at 99, and Queen had ‘instant attraction’
- Became secretly engaged in 1946, King George VI gave permission in April 1947
- Robert Jobson says Prince Philip was always making the Queen giggle with jokes
Prince Philip knew he wanted to marry the Queen from the age of 18 and used to frequently flirt with her and make her giggle, a royal expert has claimed.
The Duke of Edinburgh, who died aged 99 at Windsor Castle on Friday, met Princess Elizabeth when she was just 13 years old at the wedding of his cousin, Princess Marina of Greece, and wrote to him throughout her teens.
They became secretly engaged in 1946, and her father King George VI gave them permission to wed in April 1947.
Looking back at footage of the couple together on the day they publicly announced their intention to marry on July 9 of that year, royal author Robert Jobson observed how Philip always made his wife laugh.
Prince Philip knew he wanted to marry the Queen from the age of 18 and used to frequently flirt with her and make her giggle, a royal expert has claimed (pictured together in July 1947)
Looking back at footage of the couple together on the day they publicly announced their intention to marry on July 9 of that year, royal author Robert Jobson observed how Philip always made his wife laugh
‘All the time he is saying things that are clearly inappropriate and she giggles,’ he tells True Royalty TV’s The Royal Beat.
‘She is trying to behave herself and be all formal and then he says something, and her shoulders go up. And she is just laughing. He makes her giggle all the time, he is flirting with her all the time.’
Explaining how Prince Philip had always thought he would marry the future Queen, Jobson told the programme: ‘When Philip got onto his first [Royal Navy] ship, he told the captain then that he was going to marry Princess Elizabeth, when he was 18.
‘That is the weird thing, he wasn’t in love with her then, but he was pretty clear about it. When did he fall in love with her? When he told Mountbatten to stop interfering.’
Explaining how Prince Philip had always thought he would marry the future Queen, Jobson told the programme: ‘When Philip got onto his first [Royal Navy] ship, he told the captain then that he was going to marry Princess Elizabeth, when he was 18’ (pictured together in July 1947)
He claimed there was a ‘clear attraction’ between the pair when they went up to Balmoral, and Philip proposed ‘in secret’ during a walk around the grounds.
‘I don’t think he even sought permission from the King,’ Jobson added. ‘I think he asked him afterwards.’
Ingrid Seward, biographer and Editor-in-Chief of Majesty Magazine said: ‘One day we will know but none of us know that now.
‘The King said, “That is fine, but she is too young, and we will keep the engagement secret until we are ready”.’
The couple married at Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947 and their wedding – the first royal festivity since the end of the Second World War – was celebrated across the country.
Jobson claimed there was a ‘clear attraction’ between the pair when they went up to Balmoral, and Philip proposed ‘in secret’ during a walk around the grounds (pictured: the Queen and Philip more recently)
Yesterday it was reported that all senior members of the Royal Family will wear mourning dress at Prince Philip’s funeral on Saturday, an unprecedented about-turn and last minute decision approved by the Queen.
No royals will wear military uniform in order to present a united family front, after courtiers were racked by concern that Prince Harry, who was forced to give up his honorary military titles after he acrimoniously quit royal duties and moved to the US, would be the only senior royal not in uniform.
It is believed to be only the second time in more than a century that members of the Royal Family have not worn uniform to the funeral of a monarch or their spouse.
It will, however, be seen as a significant public olive branch to Harry in the wake of his and Meghan’s devastating interview with Oprah Winfrey last month, in which they criticised members of his immediate family and accused the institution of racism.
Buckingham Palace last night declined to comment, but the Mail understands the decision will be officially announced today.
The latest episode of the Royal Beat is available to watch now on True Royalty TV.
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