No one in the Royal Family or their court approved of Prince Philip when he began romancing the then Princess Elizabeth, royal commentators have revealed. The couple were met with difficult obstacles as their relationship sparked a round of “panic” in much of the establishment. Experts and historians explained why the Duke of Edinburgh caused such backlash in Channel 5 documentary, ‘Prince Philip: The Bachelor Years’.
Narrator James D’Archy told viewers: “Winning Elizabeth’s heart proves relatively easy.
“But winning over her parents and her courtiers is a different matter.”
Historian Professor Kate Williams said: “When everyone realised that Prince Philip was a serious prospect for Princess Elizabeth, there really was panic in the British establishment.
“He was not at all the type they expected.”
READ MORE: Queen snub: Fergie risks fury as Netflix bids to use her martial home
She continued: “There’s a lot of distrust of him in the royal household, in the Royal Family and in the Government.”
Mr D’Arcy explained: “Philip is seen as an outsider, someone who didn’t go to the right schools and doesn’t have any money.
“He is far too outspoken to be a true British gentleman.”
Historian Dr Anna Whitelock also added: “Philip was from a foreign royal family.”
Dr Whitelock told Channel 5: “Certainly some courtiers thought that he really wasn’t appropriate for a royal princess.”
According to biographer Ingrid Seward, nobody approved of him at all.
However Elizabeth “stuck her heels in for the first time in her life” to get “the man she wanted”.
Philip then made some dramatic changes to become a more suitable candidate for the princess’ hand.
This included taking on British nationality and giving up the religion he’d been baptised into.
