Why Queen Elizabeth Said She "Owed" Prince Philip a "Debt Greater Than He Would Ever Claim," Per One Royal Author
"He is someone who doesn't take easily to compliments..."
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's marriage was a cornerstone of the monarch's 70-year reign. After tying the knot in November 1947, Elizabeth and Philip remained together until the prince's death in April 2021. And according to one royal biographer, Queen Elizabeth believed she owed a huge "debt" to her husband.
In his book The Queen: 70 Chapters in the Life of Queen Elizabeth II, author Ian Lloyd shared, "Neither of them was ever comfortable wearing their hearts on their sleeves but on the day they celebrated their Golden Wedding in November 1997, The Queen paid a rare public tribute to her husband."
Per Lloyd, Elizabeth said of her husband, "He is someone who doesn't take easily to compliments but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know."
"He is someone who doesn't take easily to compliments but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years."
Lloyd also noted that, when Prince Philip turned 90, Queen Elizabeth honored her husband in a more concrete way—by giving him "the title of Lord High Admiral, a position only ever held by the sovereign."
As the royal biographer explained, "For the man who had given up his own promising career to help support her for the rest of his life, it was a touching gesture and one that apparently moved him close to tears."
"...his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know."
It's safe to say that Queen Elizabeth most definitely appreciated Prince Philip's support, particularly as he was by her side throughout her impressive reign.
