England’s Queen Elizabeth II was just 13 years old when she was first introduced to 18-year-old British Navy cadet, Philip. Over the next few months, young Elizabeth and Philip stayed in touch through letters during the war period. Once Philip was back after the war in 1946, their love blossomed. While many thought of Philip to be too un-English, Elizabeth stood her ground for him. And so, a formal announcement about them was made in July 1947. This was followed by Philip changing his last name from the German-sounding Battenberg to a more English-sounding Mountbatten, and renouncing his right to Danish and Greek thrones. Finally, on November 20, 1947, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip got married at Westminster Abbey in London, and the ceremony was attended by 2,500 guests. Over the years, Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II and she became the longest-serving British Monarchy with over 70 years of service. In their personal life, the couple had four children together.
On the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary on November 20, 1997, Queen Elizabeth II lovingly thanked her husband, Prince Philip for being her pillar of strength. “He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments, but he has, quiet 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,” the Queen had said.
It was on April 9, 2021, when Prince Philip died at the age of 99, and over a year later Queen Elizabeth II too passed away on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96. Theirs was a marriage of love, respect, and deep understanding that withstood all the ups and downs of life.
Photo: The Royal Family/ Instagram
