Yes, Philip leaves a legacy of service, but for the Netflix generation, The Crown made him human too

Netflix’s royal juggernaut painted a complex portrait of the late prince. As an on-screen character, his representation was often unflattering and harsh, but infinitely human; flaws and all.

Over four series (so far), wiewers are shown snippets of Philip’s childhood exile, his ‘outsider’ status during his courtship with Elizabeth, his mother Princess Alice’s mental-health struggles and his devastation at losing his sister Cecile in a plane crash in 1937.

All of these events inform a character study of a man considered Queen Elizabeth’s ‘rock’ for most of her life.

Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s love story is colourful and non-traditional. They first met at the Duke of Kent’s wedding in 1934 and later became pen pals. In a letter written to Princess Elizabeth circa 1946, the prince declared his “complete and unreserved” love for her.⁣ They would go on to have a 74-year marriage, the longest marriage in royal history.

By the time The Crown debuted in 2016, most viewers, lured in by the glittering tiaras seen in modern-day coverage of Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, likely knew little about the queen’s husband. However, Elizabeth and Philip’s relationship is considered a memorable love story not only for its sheer length, but that Elizabeth fought to marry her choice of husband, a still-unusual request in 1947, even for a future monarch.

“One of Elizabeth’s greatest achievements is being allowed to marry the love of her life. Like any marriage, it would undertake endless recalibration and navigation and re-negotiation,” The Crown’s executive producer Suzanne Mackie has said. In the show, Matt Smith brings Philip to life; documenting his transition from ‘Philip the Greek’ and enacting imagined conversations between the pair about her decision not to bestow him the title of ‘king consort’ after she ascended the throne and his supposed upset at her request for him to kneel before her during her coronation in 1953. Show writer Peter Morgan created a vivid picture of the early years of their marriage as a young Elizabeth prioritised her duty as monarch while he adjusted to a life in which he would always be the support act.

But, despite the at-times unflattering suggestions, there was an enduring sense of love between the two. 

In the early seasons, tensions and tender moments are shared between Claire Foy’s Elizabeth and Smith’s Philip as they navigate life as newlyweds to the backdrop of Elizabeth’s new role and the complicated power dynamics behind palace doors.

Fans of the show will remember the scene in series one in which, during the couple’s honeymoon tour of Australia, Philip waits for a photo opportunity with a koala bear, with a film crew on hand, when Elizabeth emerges, chasing him with a tennis racket and screaming at him.
. The scene, an entertaining display of both Smith and Foy’s acting chops, was met with controversy by British viewers enraged by the suggestion that he be portrayed as anything but devoted to queen and country.

In later seasons, when Tobias Menzies takes over the role, Philip is older and softer, but most importantly, steadfastly committed to his wife.

It’s a testament to that commitment that the British monarch spoke rarely about their relationship
, though in 1997, while celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, Queen Elizabeth paid tribute to her husband, honouring his contribution, which she said often went unnoticed.

“He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years. I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know,” she said.

Netflix and the production company behind The Crown have issued a statement saying they are “deeply saddened” by news of his death. With filming set to resume in July, one wonders what creative direction they will take in the later years of his life.