Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II have been married for more than 70 years, but things were not always smooth sailing even in the days before their marriage.
When the Duke of Edinburgh joined the British Royal Family and married the future Queen in 1947, he had to sacrifice his own title, nationality, and religion in exchange for his new royal title and position.
However, according to royal experts, he did not expect that his own children would not take his surname, Mountbatten.
Jenny Bond, a royal expert, spoke in the documentary Before They Were Royal and shared how Prince Philip had hoped his future children with the Queen would take his name but was hurt to learn it would not be allowed.
Queen Elizabeth and other British Government members had reservations about the future royal children taking the name Mountbatten rather than Windsor.
The Queen ultimately decreed that their children would take the name, Windsor. Prince Philip reportedly asked, “What kind of man am I?” and found the situation “very hurtful.”
Dr. Kate Williams, a royal commentator, said he felt he had already given up so much, and it was a “difficult moment” for the Duke of Edinburgh to accept his children would not inherit his name.
The expert explained: “There was a big row about it, but Philip lost the argument, and the Queen’s decreed that her children would be part of the House of Windsor. But during the row, he said, ‘what kind of a man am I? I’m just a bloody amoeba (parasite). It was very, very hurtful to him.”
Royal commentator Dr. Kate Williams added: “I think he really felt that if he gave up his title, his religion, his name, his nationality, then the actual reward would be that he got to be Philip, the house of Mountbatten. Not has that made him feel very excluded, very humiliated, and it was a very difficult moment for him.”
However, while the Queen has made her position as head of state and head of nation quite clear, she has always allowed Prince Philip to maintain his role as head of the family.
According to royal TV host Kate Thornton, there have been “clear distinctions” between the roles, and Prince Philip has had an important role and knows that he is a valuable part of the royal family.
She added that Queen Elizabeth II has ensured this and has made great efforts to prevent her husband from feeling “sidelined.”
