Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth Met as Kids and Fell in Love Soon After
Published April 12 2021, 4:01 p.m. ET
When you think of one of the well-known couples in the world you probably envision Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, or Dixie D'Amelio and Noah Beck. But Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II were together for many decades before his death in April 2021.
Because the couple was together for so long, it's hard to picture one without the other. But how did they actually meet? It turns out that their love story is almost as long as their lives, but Elizabeth's family didn't want them to be together at first. However, Prince Philip was able to win them over by just being himself.
How did Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth meet?
Even though the couple was been together for so long, it reportedly took them years of being together to get married. According to The Independent, Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth met as kids back in 1934 at 13 years old and 8 years old respectively.
They were guests at Princess Marina's wedding to Prince George, The Duke of Kent. They met again in 1939 at Dartmouth Royal Naval College, and it looks like that's where their romance began.
Elizabeth’s governess, Marion Crawford, released a memoir called The Little Princesses in which she wrote that Elizabeth was attracted to Philip's "Viking" looks and that seeing him made her blush. She also wrote that he was similarly smitten with her.
When Philip served in World War II, the two sent letters back and forth until he was able to go home. Then the two got engaged and announced that they would be married in 1947. Just a few months later on Nov. 20, they married at Westminster Abbey.
The royal family didn't like Prince Philip at first.
Unfortunately, Prince Philip passed away in April 2021, but he and Queen Elizabeth spent more than 70 years together. Their love not only stood the test of time but also withstood the initial disapproval of Elizabeth's family.
According to USA Today, they didn't like that Philip was a foreigner. He's originally from Corfu, Greece while Elizabeth was born in London. But he won them over with his skills. The article says he was good-looking and had athletic skills, among other things that won over the family.
Together, Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth had four kids: Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Anne, Princess Royal, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. The couple also has a few grandchildren, including Prince William and Prince Harry. The two also have more than half a dozen great-grandchildren and another one on the way. It's safe to say that Prince Philip's legacy lives on.