Princess Elizabeth had another reason to celebrate on VE Day – Germany’s capitulation meant that she would soon be reunited with her handsome cousin, Prince Philip of Greece. Having maintained a regular correspondence during the intervening six years since their fateful encounter, the pair had grown very close. When Philip, who had served with distinction on the Royal Navy battleship HMS Valiant, began visiting Elizabeth during his shore leave, it became obvious to all concerned that the pair had fallen in love. Indeed, by the time the Princess had turned eighteen in 1944, the couple had been romantically linked for over a year.
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh (1951)
Unfortunately, the path to true love did not run as smoothly as they hoped. George VI, playing the role of overprotective father, strongly disapproved of the relationship. Although fond of Philip, he thought Elizabeth was far too young to get seriously involved with any man, while her mother would have preferred suitors to be of a more home-grown variety. Philip’s uncle, George of Greece, made an appeal to George VI in 1944, to consider Philip as a potential husband for his eldest daughter, but it came as no surprise that the King was quick to rebuff the idea: ‘She is too young for that now’, he said, ‘P. better not think any more about it for the present.’
Certainly, the odds were stacked against Philip from the outset. With his parents exiled from Greece due to ongoing political unrest, Philip’s childhood had been spent traipsing around Europe, where he was reduced to living off the charity of his many relatives until he joined the Navy as a teenager. By the time the war ended in 1945, the 25-year-old’s prospects had scarcely improved – impoverished and practically homeless, he was hardly suitable husband material for a future queen. But the usually obedient Elizabeth was prepared to go against her parents’ wishes in this case – when in 1946, Philip took the unusual step of proposing without her father’s prior consent, she immediately accepted. Recalling the event later, she has been quoted as saying, ‘It was wonderful, magical. I just threw my arms round his neck and kissed him as he held me to him, my feet off the ground.’
Coat of Arms of Philip Mountbatten (1947–49)
When Elizabeth finally plucked up the courage to break the news to her father a little time later, she was amazed to discover that George VI already seemed to be reconciled to the idea. Aware that Philip had already begun the process of gaining British citizenship (which required him to relinquish his Greek royal titles), as well as adopting his mother’s Anglicized surname of ‘Mountbatten’ (in place of his paternal family name of, wait for it, Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg), the King realized that the young naval officer was serious about the prospect of marrying his daughter. And so, George VI agreed to give his blessing, with just one condition – that they postpone any official pronouncement until the Royal Family returned from a ten-week visit to South Africa. This trip, he hoped, would provide sufficient breathing space for Elizabeth to contemplate her decision before an official announcement.
Predictably, Princess Elizabeth, who is never easily averted from her purpose, did not change her mind. Thus, on 10 July 1947, almost a year after she accepted Philip’s proposal, Buckingham Palace released the following statement to the Press:
‘It is with the greatest pleasure that the King and Queen announce the betrothal of their dearly beloved daughter the Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten RN.’ Elizabeth had finally got her prince.
A Royal Wedding
In a marked departure from their protracted courtship, the wedding of Princess Elizabeth to Philip Mountbatten, which was set to take place in Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947, was arranged comparatively quickly. With a mere four months to organize the biggest royal event since the coronation of George VI, preparations were undertaken at break-neck speed. Although greatly aided by senior members of her family and an army of Palace officials, Elizabeth took an active interest in all the wedding plans. Like any bride-to-be, there was one aspect of the preparations which particularly interested her – the wedding gown.
Being a creature of habit, Elizabeth chose the famed couturier Sir Norman Hartnell, a favourite among royal women, to design her dress. And, it proved to be a wise choice – the exquisite ivory-silk gown Hartnell created, embellished as it was with over 10,000 pearls and crystals, was indeed a dress fit for a princess.
As the wedding approached, Elizabeth had bigger issues to contend with – namely considerable public disapproval of the event. Indeed, quite unlike her father’s coronation, which was welcomed by the vast majority of the British public, this particular royal occasion was somewhat more divisive. Although the war had ended two years previously, Britain was still suffering the economic after-effects. Austerity remained the order of the day, with rationing of food and clothing still in force, while a severe shortage of fuel and a looming financial crisis meant that Britain’s prospects would not be improving any time soon. It is hardly unsurprising then, that in the run up to the big day, some people viewed Elizabeth’s wedding as an unnecessarily extravagant affair.
Thankfully, by 20 November, the majority of the population seemed to have abandoned their misgivings, preferring instead to adopt the attitude of Winston Churchill, who viewed the occasion as ‘a flash of colour on the hard road we have to travel.’ Thousands lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the bride as she made her way to the Abbey, while millions crowded around their wireless sets to hear the service, which was being broadcast live by BBC Radio.
For Elizabeth, the morning of the wedding was rather stressful. The preparations were beset with a number of near-disasters, not least of which was a broken tiara and a missing bridal bouquet. Ever the professional, when she left the Palace in a gilded stage coach at 11.15 a.m. sharp, she was the picture of calm serenity. The ceremony was attended by 2,000 guests, with the notable exception being David, the bride’s recalcitrant uncle, who had become something of a pariah in royal circles since his abdication. After the ceremony, Elizabeth and her new husband, the recently styled Duke of Edinburgh, returned to Buckingham Palace for a sumptuous wedding breakfast, before leaving for their honeymoon.
Then, three months later, the couple gave the country yet another reason to celebrate – Elizabeth was pregnant with her first child.