The partnership of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip is an inspiration to the young generation nowadays of how they should value marriage and compatibility. Although sometimes finding true love is pure luck, it takes hard work and what the Duke of Edinburgh calls it "tolerance" to make it work for countless decades.
Prince Philip met the then 13-year old Queen Elizabeth when he was requested to escort her and her sister Margaret on tour in the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. The young Queen fell in love with the dashing naval officer at that time and from then on has been exchanging letters with him.
And in the summer of 1946, Prince Philip asked the King for his daughter's hand in marriage but will have to wait a year later for her 21st birthday. On the morning of the wedding, 20 November 1947, he was made the Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich of Greenwich in the County of London.
Prince Philip gave up a blossoming career in the military and his surname, Mountbatten as he marries the next in line of throne. In the early years of their marriage, there were issues involving contradictions from Queen Elizabeth's grandmother, Queen Mary regarding the use of surnames, but the Duke of Edinburgh held on his composure.
At the very start of Queen Elizabeth's accession to the throne, the Queen announced that the Duke was to have "place, pre-eminence, and precedence" next to her "on all occasions and in all meetings, except where otherwise provided by Act of Parliament."
She also readily gave a royal proclamation that their royal surname will be Mountbatten-Windsor, which was how she gives pride to her husband despite holding the highest position in the British Monarchy.
Now in their 80's, the royal couple is unfortunately not living together, and they rarely see each other now that Prince Philip has resigned from his duties as royal. His retirement includes plenty of time at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate, reading, and painting, away from the pressures of royal engagements.
Despite this unusual arrangement of a husband and wife, the Queen regards her husband as the head of the household. Discreetly, they complimented so much that Prince Philip allowed Queen Elizabeth to rule over the whole country, he is, in fact, her "best supporter," but when the door closes in the Palace, the 93-year old Queen of England knows who's the boss.
According to Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, the couple's long-lasting marriage was not to with their opposing personalities but their "marvellous mutual supportiveness." Prince Philip has always been a modernizer and energetic, with a love of both sport and philosophy; he is a fascinating character while the Queen is conservative by nature and temperamentally resistant to change. But together, they made a great pair of supporting each other, as described by Prince William, his grandfather is her grandmother's "unwavering companion."
