Philip at 99
The Queen’s rock in tumultuous times
THROUGH more than 70 years of often turbulent and farreaching change, he has been the unwavering constant for Her Majesty the Queen.
Almost certainly wearing a jacket and tie or naval uniform, and always two paces behind his wife, the Duke of Edinburgh was once lovingly described by the monarch as her “strength and stay”.
Today, as he celebrates his 99th birthday, they will no doubt reflect on times past as they have lunch together at Windsor Castle.
The couple have been staying at the Queen’s favourite residence with a reduced household of around 20 staff, dubbed Operation HMS Bubble, throughout the coronavirus outbreak. To mark his birthday, Buckingham Palace has released a commemorative photo of the couple taken last week at the castle in Berkshire.
The duke, in a military Household Division tie and double-breasted jacket, stood beside the head of state wearing an Angela Kelly dress with the Cullinan V diamond brooch first worn by Queen Mary. Philip has spent much of his retirement at his cottage, Wood Farm, on the Sandringham estate, more than
100 miles away from the Queen, 94, who was usually at Buckingham Palace or Windsor.
But they took the decision to reunite for the duration of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Sources have often remarked that the success of the Queen and Philip’s marriage has been put down to their differing personalities.
Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said: “This must be the longest they’ve been under the same roof for many years, I would say.
“Perhaps it’s always been a case of absence makes the heart grow fonder. They would go through periods of not seeing much of each other, but it’s an opportunity in their later years to reconnect. It is the perfect royal cocooning... “The Queen is much less confrontational so I suppose they are opposites in many ways but clearly the chemistry has worked as they are now in the 73rd year of marriage.” They wed in Westminster Abbey in 1947. Philip, born into the Greek and Danish royal families, gave up a promising military
career to be by the Queen’s side as she was crowned in 1953 aged 27.
The Duke was the family’s disciplinarian while also maintaining many pursuits such as carriage riding which he has still enjoyed in recent years.
Palace sources say the duke is “back to full health” after being in hospital in December for treatment of a “pre-existing condition”.
He spends his days reading and painting after stepping down from royal duties in 2017.
His children Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward may have dropped in to see him in normal circumstances, but with lockdown measures in place they are understood to be checking in with their father today via video calls.