Prince Philip: How The Crown told his fascinating story so beautifully

At the age of 99, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, passed away peacefully at Windsor Castle on April 9, 2021. A much-beloved figure—known affectionally as the grandfather to a nation— he really was Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘rock.’

Despite the occasional controversial quote, he was a constant companion to the woman who is the longest-reigning monarch in history. Much love and support from the nation – and around the world – has outpoured since his passing.

Born on the Greek island of Corfu, Prince Philip lived quite a life and saw almost a century of history. Not only did he live through that history, but he saw it up close on the world stage. So often seen in the background of the queen’s story, whenever Philip’s narrative emerged, it proved utterly fascinating.

In the wake of his passing, much has been written about his life, including being born a Greek and Danish royal, but also his family’s exile from Greece, his difficult father leaving the family for another woman, his mother’s institutionalization, his sisters being married to Nazis, his beloved sister Cecile dying in a plane crash alongside her entire family (while giving birth to her last child while the plane went down!), fighting in World War II, and his treasured time in the Royal Navy.

Much of this narrative was featured on The Crown, the popular Netflix series that aims to retell the story of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. As such, it has mostly focused on the queen herself, though it recently concluded a sensational season where three groundbreaking women sparkled (Emma Corrin’s Diana and Gillian Anderson’s Margaret Thatcher in addition to the obvious, Olivia Coleman’s Queen Elizabeth).

The episodes that have put Philip’s story center stage have stood out as some of the series’ best. Having terrific actors such as Matt Smith and Tobias Menzies play the Duke of Edinburgh at various pivotal points in his life helps, of course.

There are three episodes of The Crown in particular that highlight what an intriguing figure Philip was.

The Crown season 2, episode 9: “Paterfamilias”

“Paterfamilias” is a particularly difficult chapter to watch. It tells the story of Philip’s experiences during his days at Gordonstoun in Scotland, a tough boarding school where the young prince learned to thrive in adversity. The episode juxtaposes Philip’s experience with Prince Charles’s, illustrating their marked differences and reactions to difficulty, brilliantly directed by Stephen Daldry.

It’s a hard knocks type of education that’s mean to “make a man out of you.” Suffice it to say, it’s not for everyone, certainly least of all sensitive Charles, who referred to the school as “a prison.” Understandably, Charles was coming from a life of privilege, compared to Philip who came to embrace it as a refuge from his own broken family and unstable circumstances. When you talk about someone being in the thick of history, this one episode really shows that.

During his time at Gordonstoun, his beloved sister Cecile (married to a Nazi) goes into labor while traveling with her family by plane, which crashes along with everyone on board (including the newborn, horribly). When Philip attends her funeral, he walks through the streets where his Greek/Dutch/German family is surrounded by Nazi-saluting bystanders watching the funeral procession (chilling), and then is berated publicly by his bitter father, who blames Philip for the death of his favorite child. The harrowing scenes (especially his sister going into labor, holding the baby while the plane is going down) give you a glimpse of what shaped his strength of character that defined him for the rest of his life. That strength would later inspire him to join the Navy, fight the Nazis (despite his family’s sympathetic leanings towards them), and help win some fearless victories in WWII.

https://youtu.be/UtOxx9hudfQ

The Crown season 3, episode 4: “Bubbikins”

“Bubbikins” (Philip’s nickname) is one of the best episodes of the entire series, which tells the story of Philip’s mother, the admirable Princess Alice (Jane Lapotaire), who comes to live at Buckingham Palace after political upheaval in Greece.

A local journalist (Merlin’s Colin Morgan!) interviews Princess Alice (or, rather Sister Alice, since she has since become a nun) at the behest of Princess Anne (an event which was most likely manufactured for the show). What we’re treated to is riveting television as Sister/Princess Alice tells the story of her life, starting with being exiled from Greece, her husband leaving her, and her subsequent institutionalization where she was treated by Sigmund Freud (“he was not a very nice man”). This treatment included electroshock therapy and the premature onset of menopause.

It is a remarkable story about a resilient woman who survived much turmoil, escaped the asylum, and in turn, thrived after finding religion and becoming a source of strength at the nunnery where she worked and lived. By the end of “Bubbikins,” Prince Philip gains a renewed appreciation for his mother’s strength of will, culminating in a sense of understanding between the two. It is abundantly clear by the end of the chapter that Prince Philip’s strength of will derives directly from his mother.

The Crown season 3, episode 7: “Moondust”

“Moondust” is a fun episode that illustrates a mid-life crisis of Philip’s. He misses some of the excitement of his Royal Navy days and yearns for a connection of spirits with Neil Armstrong and his fellow astronauts, who had just landed on the moon in 1969.

While visiting Buckingham Palace during their tour, Philip manages to secure a much-sought-after, private interview with the astronauts (which also likely didn’t happen in real life).

While the interview doesn’t provide the desired profound outcome, Philip ends up joining a men’s church group, where he finds greater purpose at this stage in his life. Although perhaps less profound than “Paterfamilias” and “Bubbikins,” “Moondust” is a fun chapter in Prince Philip’s storyline, brought to life charmingly by Menzies, who really shines in this delightful piece.

Thanks to The Crown (and these marvelous episodes), a whole generation of viewers have gotten to know Prince Philip in modern times.

There are two more seasons left, with esteemed actor Jonathon Prince taking on the role, alongside Imelda Staunton as the elder Queen Elizabeth in seasons 5 and 6.