Prince Philip Biography

On June 10, 1921, Prince Philip was born on the Greek island of Corfu. Philip and his family were expelled from their own land as members of Greek and Danish nobility when he was a child, and the lad spent the rest of his life in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Before Queen Elizabeth II's ascent to the British throne in 1952, Philip married her. Prince Charles, the heir presumptive to the throne, as well as Anne, Andrew, and Edward, are among their offspring. For more than six decades, Philip was the British royal consort.

Prince Philip Information

Tenure: 6 February 1952 – 9 April 2021

Born: Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark; 10 June 1921

Died: 9 April 2021 (philip mountbatten age 99)

Burial: 17 April 2021

Spouse: Elizabeth II ​(m. 1947)​

House: Glücksburg (until 1947); Mountbatten (from 1947)

Father: Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark

Mother: Princess Alice of Battenberg

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Early Life

King Constantine I of Greece, Philip's uncle, was compelled to quit the throne on September 22, 1922. The military government detained Prince Andrew, and a revolutionary court expelled him from Greece for the remainder of his life in December. Philip's family immigrated to France, settling in the Saint-Cloud district of Paris. Philip's mother was finally committed to a psychiatric facility, whereas his father moved to the south of France, keeping only sporadic touch with the entire family.

Before being moved to the Cheam School in the United Kingdom, Philip completed the MacJannet American School. In during 1930s, he transferred to a school in Germany, subsequently back to Scotland's Gordonstoun School, which was built by Jewish headmaster Kurt Hahn after the Nazi party rose to power. Almost all Philip's relatives, notably his sisters that married into German aristocratic circles, stayed in Germany.

Philip went on to the Royal Naval College following graduating in 1939, where he excelled. He participated in the British Navy during World War II, whereas in-law family members fought on the opposing conflict’s Axis side.

Mother, prince philip siblings and Family Tree

Prince Philip, Earl of Merioneth, Duke of Edinburgh, and Baron Greenwich, also recognised as Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, has been the only son of Princess Alice of Battenberg and Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark.  Cecilie, Sophie, Margarita, and Theodora were his four older sisters.

Philip Mountbatten has family relationships to England, although not being British. His maternal grandfather, Prince Louis of Battenberg, passed away in London shortly after his birth. During World War I, Louis became a naturalised British citizen after renouncing his German honors and adopting the surname Mountbatten. As a descendant of Queen Victoria, Philip had also been linked to the British royal family.

Marriage to Queen Elizabeth II

The Royal Naval College was visited by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (Queen Mother Elizabeth) in 1939. King Philip uk accompanied his two little philip mountbatten children, named Elizabeth and Margaret, through Queen Victoria, who would have been distant cousins of Philip's. During the trip, Elizabeth, who was 13 at the time, got a crush on Philip. Elizabeth and Philip began writing letters to each other, that they would do for the next many years.

After purportedly proposing to Elizabeth first, Philip sought King George for his daughter's hand in marriage in the summer of 1946. The king agreed on the condition that any official engagement be postponed until Elizabeth turned 21. To prepare for the declaration, Philip gave up his Greek and Danish royal titles, acquired his mother's surname Mountbatten, converted to Anglicanism, and became a British subject.

On July 10, 1947, Philip and Elizabeth confirmed their relationship and engagement to the public. On November 20, 1947, they married at Westminster Abbey in a ceremony that was aired live across the world on radio. Philip was made Earl of Merioneth, Duke of Edinburgh, and Baron Greenwich on the morning of the wedding.

Charles, Andrew, Anne, and Edward were his four children with Elizabeth. Their oldest child, Prince Charles, is the heir presumptive to the throne. On February 6, 1952, King George expired, leaving Elizabeth as his heir. While travelling in Kenya, Philip and Elizabeth learned of his death. The topic of the royal house's title arose with Elizabeth's accession to the throne. Elizabeth declared that the monarchy will remain to be recognized as the House of Windsor, a title initially adopted by her grandfather George V, on the recommendation of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Official Activities and Family Affairs

Philip was the queen's consort for over six decades, accompanying her on official responsibilities and public appearances all around the world. He also contributed to the work of a number of organisations, with a preference for those concerned with athletics, environment, and education. In the mid-1950s, Philip established the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which focused on youth success. He was a polo player until 1971, and he also engaged in carriage and boat racing, as well as oil painting, piloting aeroplanes, and art collecting.

Philip was noted for his outspoken temperament and inflammatory words, although mainly avoiding personal troubles. In 2011, the Daily Mirror posted a series of "90 legendary gaffes" ascribed to Philip over the years in honour of his 90th birthday. Philip interjected himself into personal connections within his family, which often resulted in conflict. He put a lot of pressure on his son Charles to marry or divorce Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. Philip and the queen allegedly attempted for reconciliation after their subsequent marriage became problematic.

When Princess Diana died in a vehicle accident in 1997, Philip attended her funeral, participating in the procession alongside his grandsons William and Harry. Mohamed Al-Fayed accused Philip of becoming a racist that engineered the vehicle accident that killed Mohamed's son, Dodi Fayed, and Diana months later. However, an official investigation found no proof of collusion, and the disaster was considered an accident.

Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren:

Prince William, Peter Phillips, Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice, Zara Tindall, Lady Louise Windsor, Princess Eugenie, and James, Viscount Severn are Prince Philip's eight grandchildren. Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, and Archie were among his ten great-grandchildren.

Health Issues

Philip had exploratory abdominal surgery in early June 2013, just days before his 92nd birthday, after earlier dealing with maladies including a clogged coronary artery and a bladder infection. After spending more than a week in the London Clinic, he was launched on June 17. For his decades of royal service, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott knighted Philip in the Order of Australia in early 2015. Philip, the longest-serving royal consort in British history, declared in May 2017 that he would retire from development and progress and the engagements of the public in the summer. He was admitted to the hospital again a month later with an illness, but had been claimed to be in "excellent spirits."

Philip was taken to King Edward VII Hospital in London for hip replacement surgery in April 2018, after missing the regular Maundy and Easter ceremonies. The operation went well, and the prince was released from the hospital after eight days.

Philip was taken to a London hospital in February 2021 as a "precautionary measure" after feeling unwell. He was transported to St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London two weeks later, "where doctors will keep treating him for an infection, and also conduct tests and surveillance for a pre-existing heart issue," according to the hospital. On March 3, he had a "successful" operation for his cardiac problem.

Death

Philip died at Windsor Castle on the morning of April 9, 2021. He was 99 years old at the time. On Saturday, April 17, he was laid to rest at St. George's Chapel in Windsor. Due to COVID-19, only 30 members of the royal family were there, who remained socially separated and wore masks. 

Philip's casket had been taken to the church in the back of a custom Land Rover, rather than a typical hearse, as he requested. His nautical cap, a sword given to him by his father-in-law, a flag signifying his Greek and Danish origins, and flowers chosen by the queen were placed on top of the casket, along with a letter she allegedly signed with her nickname, "Lilibet." In the half-mile parade from Windsor Castle to St. George's Chapel, members of the royal family, notably King Philip's children and a few of his grandsons, walked behind the Land Rover.