Who Exactly Is Prince Philip, The British Soldier Who Married Queen Elizabeth

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth

JAKARTA - Shocking news coming from the United Kingdom. Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II died at Windsor Castle on Friday morning local time. Here is a biography of the prince who had a career in the British military.

Prince Philip was born on the Greek island of Corfu on June 10, 1921. His father was Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, son of George I, king of Greece who had ruled since March 1863.

King George himself was the son of Christian IX, King of Denmark. From this lineage, Prince Philip is the Prince of Greece as well as the Prince of Denmark. While his mother was Princess Victoria Alice. He was the daughter of Princess Victoria Alberta, the daughter of Princess Alice Maud, the daughter of Victoria, Queen of Great Britain.

Little Philip lived when Greece was in turmoil. On 22 September 1922, Philip's older brother, King Constantine I, was forced to abdicate and the new military government detained Prince Andrew, Philip's father, along with others.

Then in December 1922, as quoted by The Times, revolutionary forces exiled Andrew and his family from Greece for life. Until then the British navy evacuated Andrew and his family, and little Philip was taken to bed. They later lived in Paris and settled in a house rented for them by Princess Marie Bonaparte. He was the great-grandson of Prince Lucien Bonaparte, brother of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

Philip first attended an American school in Paris. School manager Donald MacJannet, stated that Philip was an intelligent and humble child.

In 1928, she continued her education in the United Kingdom and lived with her maternal grandmother, Princess Victoria Alberta, at Kensington Palace, and her uncle, Prince George Mountbatten in Berkshire. Then in 1939, as World War II raged, the Duke of Edinburgh completed his education at Gordonstoun in Scotland, and joined the British Navy.

Military career

Philip joined the British army with his two brothers-in-law, Prince Christop and Berthold. They're against the Germans.

While Philip himself participated in the Battle of Crete. In October 1942, Philip became a lieutenant on HMS Wallace at the age of 21. This made him one of the youngest lieutenants in the navy.

His career in the military continued. Until September 2, 1945, Prince Philip appeared in Tokyo Bay, when the Empire of Japan withdrew. He then retired after 13 years of service in 1952.

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Marrying the Queen of England

While a lieutenant on HMS Wallace, Philip and Elizabeth's young daughter were already in letters. Even on several occasions he was invited to visit the British Royal Family.

As quoted by the BBC, the relationship between the two developed in postwar peace despite opposition from some royal families. Some have argued Prince Philip is 'rude and disrespectful.'

But the princess fell in love and in the summer of 1946, Philip asked the King to be allowed to marry his daughter. The ride wasn't smooth. Before the engagement was announced, the prince needed new citizenship as well as a surname.

Prince Philip renounced his Greek title, became a British citizen, and took the surname from his mother's line, Mounbatten. The day before the wedding ceremony, King George VI conferred the title of His Majesty Philip and on the morning of the wedding he was crowned Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron of Greenwich.

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