Seven decades have passed since Prince Philip wrote to Queen Elizabeth II to say that he had “fallen in love entirely and unreservedly” with her. The couple remained together through marriage, childbirth, successes, and hardships of all kinds until the Duke of Edinburgh’s death in April 2021.
Elizabeth first encountered Philip in 1934 while attending the wedding of Princess Marina and Prince George. Elizabeth was only eight years old at the time. When they were 13 and 18, respectively, and both enrolled at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth five years later, they reconnected. Following their second encounter, they both realized they were in love with one another and started writing to one another.
In November of that year, after having announced their engagement in July, they were wed at Westminster Abbey in London. Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward would be their four future offspring. Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward are their names.
“He is someone who does not take lightly to compliments but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years,” the monarch said in a speech marking her golden wedding anniversary in 1997. “And I, as well as his entire family, as well as this country and many other countries, owe him a debt that is larger than he would ever claim, or that we shall ever know,” she added.
Following that, Elizabeth and Philip went on to become the British royal family’s longest-married pair in history. In their interactions, the queen has never failed to acknowledge his position as the patriarch of the family, according to Christopher Warwick, an authority on royal matters, as quoted in Vanity Fair in May 2020. “[Their relationship] has endured the test of time primarily because they love one another very dearly.”
“It’s a very symbiotic relationship and a very firm partnership, starting, of course, with these early meetings, this early correspondence — which became a friendship, which became attachment, which ultimately became love,” the British historian continued.
For his part, Philip talked about the elements that, in his view, aided in the growth of a close bond between the two of them. He reflected on the fact that they had been married for half a century and remarked, “I think the most significant lesson that we have acquired is that tolerance is the one fundamental ingredient of any happy marriage.” He made this observation in 1997 while they were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. When things are going well, it might not be as important as when things are going badly, but when things going badly, it is very crucial. You may take it from me that the queen tends towards tolerance in excess.
The pair celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary in November 2020, but three months later, Philip was admitted to King Edward VII’s Hospital as a “precautionary measure” after feeling unwell. Philip disclosed the information because he was worried about his health. He was released from the hospital precisely one month later, after “treatment for an infection and a successful procedure for a preexisting condition,” making this his longest hospital stay to date.
Then the announcement that the duke had died at age 99 in April 2021. The Queen joined her beloved husband after a year and a few months after.
The two lovers left a print of true love on the shores of the earth.
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This post was previously published on MEDIUM.COM.
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