Prince Philip made the ultimate ‘romantic gesture’ to his new wife Queen Elizabeth II on their wedding day by giving up a habit she “hated”.
HELLO!’s new special edition, Queen Elizabeth II: A Centenary Tribute, describes how Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark caught the then-Princess Elizabeth’s eye when she was just 13 years old, leading to a remarkable partnership of 73 years until his death on 9 April 2021.
The couple wed in November 1947 in Westminster Abbey in front of 2,000 guests – with Philip emphasising his commitment to his new bride with a very romantic gesture. According to his valet, Philip “suddenly and without difficulty” gave up smoking on that very morning of their wedding, just because it was a habit Elizabeth “hated”.
Elizabeth had opposed cigarettes ever since the health toll it took on her father, King George VI, who was a heavy smoker, leading to his premature death from lung cancer at the age of 56 in 1952.
Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth’s love story
Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth married on 20 November 1947 and were married for 73 years. On the morning of the couple’s wedding day, Philip was made Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich.
© KeystoneElizabeth and Philip on their wedding day in 1947
They had first met when Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret visited the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth to tour the grounds, when Philip was about to start his career in the Royal Navy.
After their wedding, they honeymooned at Broadlands in Hampshire and Birkhall, where they began their life together. Writing to his mother-in-law, Philip sweetly said in a letter: “Cherish Lilibet? I wonder if that word is enough to express what is in me.” Over the years, they welcomed four children: Charles in 1948 and Anne in 1950. Andrew was born in 1960, and Edward in 1964.
The Queen’s commitment and love for her husband was displayed clearly on the night of their 50th wedding anniversary in a speech given at London’s Banqueting House, as she told guests: “He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments, but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years and 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.”
© WPA PoolThe Queen and Prince Philip were married for 73 years (pictured in 2015)
In April 2021, the Queen mourned the death of her beloved husband, on the year they would have celebrated their 74th anniversary. Philip died aged 99 on 9 April, with a socially distanced funeral taking place eight days after his death at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
In her Christmas speech that year, which was to be her final one, the Queen paid a moving tribute to her late husband. “Although it’s a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas can be hard for those who have lost loved ones. This year, especially, I understand why,” she said.
© gettyQueen Elizabeth II talking with Prince Philip at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding
“But for me, in the months since the death of my beloved Philip, I have drawn great comfort from the warmth and affection of the many tributes to his life and work – from around the country, the Commonwealth and the world.”
HELLO!’s new keepsake special issue, celebrating the late Queen’s centenary, is on sale now
The new keepsake issue, Queen Elizabeth II: A Centenary Tribute, is available to buy now, online or on newsstands. The collector’s edition celebrates the late monarch’s remarkable reign with exclusive features and stunning imagery on what would have been her 100th birthday.