They learned to move through public events with a kind of telepathic choreography. It has bound and leavened them in private, and occasionally sparkles in public. Many factors account for their success, but underlying it all is a shared sense of humour.
During their honeymoon at Birkhall on the royal Balmoral estate in November 1947, Philip set out his ambition for their life together in a letter to his mother-in-law: “to weld the two of us into a new combined existence that will not only be able to withstand the shocks directed at us but will also have a positive existence for the good.”įulfilling such a goal over so many years is an achievement few other couples have matched – and is certainly unequalled in the history of the royal family. Such moments of levity have been an essential ingredient in their 70-year marriage, the anniversary of which is on Monday. Spotting the Queen’s courtier who he hadn’t seen in over a decade, Prince Philip exclaimed, “I see you are being recycled!” As the foundation’s patron, she was due to be briefed by one of her former advisers on plans for its 70th anniversary celebrations.Īt the last minute, the Duke of Edinburgh-only days away from his 96th birthday-joined his wife for the reception and presentation. Late last spring, the Queen arrived at Cumberland Lodge, a royal residence in Windsor Great Park where her father, King George VI, had established an educational foundation to encourage exchanges between people with differing religious and political views.
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