Prince Philip Thought It Was ‘Silly’ For Prince Charles to ‘Risk Everything’ for Camilla Parker Bowles
For more than seven decades, Prince Philip has lovingly supported Queen Elizabeth as her husband while also serving the crown. Before he retired in 2017, the Duke of Edinburgh was a hard-working royal. He also grew close to Princess Diana when she joined the royal family. According to a new book, he did not approve of Prince Charles’ affair with Camilla Parker Bowles.
Prince Philip related to Princess Diana’s struggles over marrying into the royal family
Royal biographer Ingrid Seward’s upcoming book is titled Prince Philip Revealed: A Man of His Century. According to Express, she gave a preview to royal fans in a recent Mail On Sunday article.
The book gives royal fans the chance to read the full story of Prince Philip’s “remarkable life and achievements.” Seward writes that Prince Philip related to Princess Diana like no one else could because he knew the difficulties of marrying into the royal family.
Philip and Diana became close – she called him “Pa” – and exchanged “highly personal” correspondence when Prince Charles was having an affair with Camilla. The duke wanted to help Diana because her “increasingly erratic behavior” was threatening the monarchy’s image.
“Few outside royal circles are aware of how hard he worked – in a series of remarkable, poignant letters that belie his irascible image – to help Diana during the breakdown of her marriage to Charles,” Seward writes.
The Duke of Edinburgh faced his own infidelity accusations early in his marriage
Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth will celebrate their 73rd wedding anniversary in November. Just five years into their marriage, King George VI suddenly passed and Elizabeth ascended to the throne.
Numerous reports have claimed this was not an easy time in their marriage. According to Express, Prince Philip faced accusations of adultery not long after Elizabeth became queen. Royal expert Gyles Brandreth investigated the allegations and spoke to Prince Philip’s first Private Secretary, Mike Parker.
Parker told Brandreth that Philip was “completely in love” with Elizabeth when they wed in 1947. After reports claimed that Philip was secretly meeting with a woman in a West End apartment, Parker says the duke was very angry and deeply hurt.
Queen Elizabeth decided to break royal protocol and issue a statement of denial. Parker says that Philip has been “100 percent faithful to the queen. No ifs, no buts. Take it from me, I know.”
Prince Philip disapproved of Charles’ affair with Camilla
Brandreth says that Prince Philip “disapproved” of his son’s affair during his marriage to Princess Diana. Seward echoes that sentiment in her book. She says that Philip wrote to Diana and told her that Charles was “silly to risk everything with Camilla.”
Seward added, “‘He continued: ‘We never dreamed he might feel like leaving you for her. I cannot imagine anyone in their right mind leaving you for Camilla. Such a prospect never entered our heads.”
When Diana wrote him back in June 1992, she began with “Dearest Pa.” She told Philip she was pleased to receive his letter and to read that he was anxious to help. Diana said she was grateful for Philip’s honesty in his “heartfelt letter.”
Prince Charles and Princess Diana finalized their divorce in 1996. One year before she died in a car accident in Paris. Charles and Camilla married on April 9, 2005.
Prince Philip Revealed: A Man of His Century hits bookstores on October 1.
