The Queen and Prince Philip were married for more than 73 years and were frequently kept apart by their royal duties, but they remained devoted to each other, according to royal expert Hugo Vickers
The Queen and her husband aboard Britannia(Image: Tim Graham, Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
The late Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip were frequently separated by their royal duties throughout their marriage, which spanned more than 73 years. The monarch took her responsibilities overseeing affairs of state extremely seriously, regularly putting in 16-hour days, including up to four hours of dedicated, solitary paperwork daily. This was in addition to an enormous number of public engagements, meetings, and briefings.
Despite this demanding schedule, the royal couple remained utterly devoted to one another, according to historian Hugo Vickers. Speaking about his biography of the Queen on the Talking Royals podcast, Hugo described a touching private moment that he believes revealed a great deal about their enduring love for each other.
“The wonderful thing was that when they were together, they were in complete unison,” he said.
“I was lucky to see them together privately a few times. I also remember that fascinating Russian state visit when the Queen pretty much wrapped President Yeltsin around her little finger, so he put on a special march past on the quayside at Saint Petersburg before Britannia sailed away and kissed her hand and he’d met a new friend he’d never see again.
“But what I saw as Britannia began to sail away was Queen and Prince Philip on an upper deck. When he looked to the left, they were completely in unison. And they didn’t do that for me to tell you that today.”
The couple were married for more than 73 years(Image: Getty)
Prince Philip officially stepped down from public duties at the start of August 2017, intending to spend his twilight years in quiet retreat at Wood Farm, on the Sandringham Estate.
Until recently, his disgraced son Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had been temporarily housed there following his humiliating eviction from Royal Lodge. He has since settled into his new permanent residence, Marsh Farm, reports the Express.
Her Majesty believed that at the age of 96, her husband had “done his bit,” according to Hugo. He felt Philip deserved to spend his remaining years enjoying his favourite pastimes of painting and carriage driving.
The royal couple would speak on the phone every day and would naturally come together with the wider family for significant occasions such as Easter and Christmas.
The Prince enjoyed just over three years of retirement at Wood Farm(Image: Getty)
The late Queen would also visit her husband at the cottage whenever her demanding schedule permitted, with the devoted pair enjoying walks together amid the tranquil countryside surroundings.
Hugo explains: “Obviously he wanted to spend his final years in peace at Wood Farm, where he liked being, but the Queen had to scoop him up and bring him down to Windsor for the Covid period. And they ended up spending a long time together.”
He added: “They spent more time together in that last year than consistently together than at any time, probably in the whole of their marriage.
“But as he himself said earlier on in the marriage, when he was in the Navy, it would have been very odd if he had been at home for as long as he was, you know, because he would have been away serving.”