More On:

prince philip

A blanket on his lap, the sun on his face, the Queen at his side: last days of Prince Philip

Inside the many homes Queen Elizabeth & Prince Philip shared over the years

Princess Anne, Prince Edward pay tribute to dad Prince Philip

Death of Prince Philip will be met with ‘ritual wailing’ on island where he’s a ‘god’

As British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reminded the world in a press conference outside 10 Downing Street as the news broke, the nation hadn’t just lost a public figure, the royal family have lost “a devoted husband and a proud and loving father.”

For his death marks the end of a true romance. Since she first set eyes on him as a 13-year-old, the Queen “never looked at anyone else,” wrote Elizabeth’s cousin Margaret Rhodes in her memoir, “The Final Curtsey.”

And she is reported to have told her father, King George VI, pretty much that — her heart could never belong to anyone except the charming, handsome Greek hero who sailed into her life and swept her off her feet. Their engagement announcement stated that her father had “gladly” given his consent. King or not, I don’t think he had any other option.

She was — and remained, those who know her report — a woman in love.
Philip was extraordinary for what he did do — he was one of my home country’s last surviving World War II veterans — but more extraordinary for what he didn’t.

As viewers of “The Crown” know, he gave up a lot to ensure the Queen could do her job well and be at her best. He was not exactly a first-wave feminist, but ultimately accepted that Elizabeth was Queen Bee and her opinion would always matter more than his.

Still, it is rumored that he was the one person who could tell her exactly what he thought — and she’d actually listen. On their Golden Wedding Anniversary, her Majesty said the country owed her husband a greater debt that he would ever claim or we shall ever know, her message relaying a clear message: a lot of what the modern monarchy is today is because of him.

He was her sidekick, her handbag-holder, definitely her second-in-command … a tricky spot for a military man who’d led battles and been born a prince. “I am the world’s most experienced plaque-unveiler,” he once joked when discussing his less important role compared to his wife.

As a British person, I feel sad that some Americans’ reaction to our hardworking monarch’s sad news will be, “Oh, what will Meghan think? Will there be drama when Harry flies back for the funeral?” There will not be drama. The Queen has never done drama, and won’t start now at age 94, God bless her!

Spectators will also likely wonder if this sad event will persuade the Queen to step down sooner and hand over the heavy crown that her beloved Philip helped her bear for so long. “She’s lost the captain of her ship,” remarked Princess Diana’s butler Paul Burrell on hearing the news.

I not only doubt she will retire, I despise the idea. Britain’s never needed her more. Even before losing her husband of 74 years, the reality of COVID — plus Harry and Meghan sharing their truths with Oprah — has been brutal on her and her subjects.

In times of crisis, we Brits look to the Queen to reassure us that we’ll get through it in one piece. Having her face and message of hope blasted high into the London sky in Piccadilly Circus during the first lockdown brought many of us to tears, and then gave us a sense of resilience and optimism. Outsiders see her as a figurehead, but in many British hearts she is so much more.

This news isn’t a tragedy — Philip had lived a very long and lucky life — and it isn’t a soap opera; for that reason, I hope Harry looks after his Gran privately, not sharing every thought and feeling with Gayle King. It’s a shame. And for me, and most Brits, it’s a stark warning that we are reaching the end of an era. With Philip gone, the Queen will seem frailer, and the day all monarchists dread is closing in — the day we are no longer new Elizabethans, and we will have a new king.

Londoner Sarah Ivens is the founding editor-in-chief of OK! magazine in the US and a bestselling author of books including “Forest Therapy” and “A Modern Girl’s Guide to Etiquette.” She currently lives in Austin, Texas.

Share this article:

Source: Read Full Article