HOW PRINCE PHILIP TOOK HARRY ‘UNDER HIS WING’
The old proverb “blood is thicker than water” certainly rings true when it comes to Prince Harry and his grandfather Prince Philip. As Closer went to press, the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, remained in hospital with an infection, with his youngest son, Prince Edward, revealing his condition was “much better” a week after he was first admitted to
King Edward VII Hospital in London. Prince Edward, 56, added, “He’s looking forward to getting out, which is the most positive thing.”
Meanwhile, it’s thought that Prince Harry, 36, is selfisolating in his Los Angeles mansion should he need to return to the UK in the coming days. Royal editor Russell Myers told ITV’s Lorraine, “If he does have to jump on a jet to get back here, if the worst were to happen to Prince Philip, then he wants to be able to do that at a moment’s notice.”
Amid the dramatic fallout of his and wife Meghan’s decision to quit their roles as working royals, Harry reportedly called the
Queen, 94, to ask about his grandfather’s condition – which isn’t surprising given their close bond. The Duke of Edinburgh reportedly
“took him [Harry] under his wing” and played an important role in his and brother Prince William’s lives when their mother, Princess Diana, died in 1997.
Tina Brown, author of The Diana Chronicles, said Philip “was brilliantly effective with his grandsons, offering them gruff tenderness and outdoor activities like stalking and hiking to tire them out” in the wake of the tragedy.
In contrast, Prince Charles, 72, has been portrayed to have a somewhat strained relationship with his father, particularly in Netflix drama The Crown.
But Harry’s bond with Philip appears to be unbreakable. The pair are often spotted sharing jokes at royal events and share a lot in common thanks to their military endeavours. Former royal reporter Phil Dampier explained, “He has taught them [his grandchildren] many things from his own experiences, telling them not to worry about the press too much as ‘it will be tomorrow’s fish and chip paper’. His door is always open if any of his grandchildren want advice.”