The enduring love story of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, began not with a grand ball, but with a childhood encounter. Their fairytale romance started when a young Princess Elizabeth, then just eight years old, first met Philip in 1934.
A Budding Romance Against the Odds
While they were too young for a relationship at their first meeting, fate intervened five years later in Dartmouth in 1939. According to the Queen's nanny, Marion Crawford, the 13-year-old princess 'never took her eyes off' the dashing 18-year-old Philip Mountbatten, and sparks flew. This rekindled connection blossomed into a deep affection that survived the tumult of the Second World War, leading to a joyous engagement in July 1947.
The announcement was a beacon of hope for a nation wearied by conflict. In a London still scarred by bombs, the news provided a welcome ray of light. The public, increasingly fatigued by post-war austerity, eagerly turned its attention to the glitz and glamour of the upcoming royal wedding.
The Morning of the Nuptials: Drama and Devotion
The wedding was set for November 20, 1947, at Westminster Abbey. In a powerful sign of his commitment, Prince Philip made a significant personal sacrifice on his wedding day. Despite smoking being a 'family habit' encouraged by the keenly smoking Queen Mary, Philip gave up the addiction overnight at his bride's request.
As detailed by royal biographer Gyles Brandreth, Princess Elizabeth had seen the detrimental effect smoking had on her father, King George VI, and did not want her husband to smoke. The King, a habitual smoker, would later die from lung cancer. Philip, however, was 'disciplined enough to be able to do so overnight,' according to his valet.
His last moments as a single man were spent at his bachelor party at the Dorchester Hotel, where he was photographed enjoying final cigars with his naval friends. Yet, on the morning of the wedding, he swapped cigarettes for a gin and tonic to calm his nerves, never to smoke again.
The day was not without its dramas for the 21-year-old bride. After a fitting for her iconic Norman Hartnell gown—a creation that used 300 ration coupons and cost £1,200—several issues arose. Her bouquet was temporarily misplaced, Queen Mary's gifted tiara snapped as it was placed on her head, and most critically, her pearl necklace, a gift from her parents, was left at St James's Palace.
Her private secretary, Jack Colville, embarked on a frantic, half-mile dash to retrieve the pearls, successfully returning them with moments to spare after a comical encounter with King Haakon VII of Norway.
A Nation United in Celebration
Despite the morning's chaos, the ceremony was a historic and dazzling display. The Princess, accompanied by her father, King George VI, arrived at the Abbey where 200 million people listened via BBC Radio broadcast. She became the tenth royal to marry there, exchanging vows and a ring made from Welsh gold.
Following the ceremony, the newlyweds travelled to Buckingham Palace and appeared on the balcony to a roaring crowd of 100,000 well-wishers. Their wedding breakfast for 150 guests featured an 11-course meal and an enormous 9-foot, 900-pound cake, which Philip cut with his naval sword.
As they departed for their honeymoon in an open carriage, showered with rose petals by the Queen Mother, the Queen's corgi, Susan, peeked out from a rug on her lap. This joyous day marked the beginning of a 73-year marriage that produced four children and became the steadfast heart of the modern British monarchy, a testament to a promise Philip kept until his death in 2021.
