The Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh re-visit Broadlands, to mark their Diamond Wedding Anniversary.
Photo: Tim Graham/Getty Images
Prince Philip dedicated his life to serving the queen, which often meant making her laugh in tense situations and encouraging her when she needed it most.
Lady Prudence Penn, Queen Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting, remembers the royal who died in April at the age of 99 as she tells Tatler: "The Duke of Edinburgh was a heaven-sent consort for Her Majesty in every way."
She says: "I loved the way he would boost the queen's ego by telling her how lovely she looked on their way to an engagement. He knew how to bring the best out of a woman, and I am sure his advice and encouragement to her were paramount in their relationship."
When he arrived, I was standing at the top of the steps up to my front door. I said: 'How lovely to see you, sir. I am afraid I cannot curtsy.' He turned round as if to leave and said: 'In that case, perhaps I had better go.' It was the kind of remark for which he was sometimes criticised by people who didn't fully understand his sense of humour.
After lunch he wanted to inspect the scene of the accident and, in his usual practical way, explained to me how I should have handled the situation: 'Never launch yourself off a high wall, turn around to face it holding the top and lower yourself with your hands.' With hindsight, of course, he was right.
-- Lady Prudence Penn recalls a funnier moment with Prince Philip after she'd broken her leg
Of Philip's funeral, Lady Prudence Penn says he always wanted something "lower-key", and because of the Covid crisis, he ended up getting just that.
"You knew where you were with him," she recalls. "He cared not a jot for what people thought of him. He got on with the job."
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
In times of uncertainty you need journalism you can
trust. For only R75 per month, you have access to
a world of in-depth analyses, investigative journalism,
top opinions and a range of features. Journalism
strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today.
