Review: A Very Sympathetic Look at Royalty in _Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Royal Marriage_

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Over the years, I've followed the ups and down of England's monarchy, from the glory days of Diana, to the divorces and mudslinging, through all of the turbulence that happens when celebrity -- willing or not -- meets head on with tabloid journalism. The United Kingdom's House of Windsor has been rich fodder for newspapers ever since the times of Queen Elizabeth II's ancestors, and there have always been rumors and suggestions of scandal and abuse. In among the host of books written by former courtiers and staff, this is a breath of fresh air, written by a friend of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, and with if not exactly the help, at least some co-operation from the principals involved. The author, Gyles Brandreth, tries to be fair and impartial towards his topic, and manages to be respectful without fawning, and has the good sense to know when to back off of a topic. Brandreth starts out his story in typical fashion, exploring the childhoods of both Elizabeth II, and her consort, Philip. While Elizabeth's has been covered in great detail in the several biographies that are around, I found that I knew very little about Philip's. Unlike Elizabeth, who grew up in a secure, loving family that was stable and rooted, Philip had a bad time of it -- at less than a year old, he was banished with his family from Greece, and had to cope with the breakup his parent's marriage soon afterwards. His four elder sisters married within a year of each other, and Philip was soon in a cycle of boarding and military schools. That much is well known about him -- but what don't know is that his mother, Princess Alice, suffered from a mental breakdown, and spent a long time recovering before she was able to achieve stability again. His father, Prince Andrew, retreated to the south of France with his mistress, and essentially gave up. As a result, Philip grew up self-reliant and stoic, and using a black humor to make things a bit bearable for himself. For a career, he entered the Royal Navy, and made quite a name for himself in World War Two. Philip and Elizabeth met when he was eighteen and a naval cadet, and she just thirteen. After that, Elizabeth knew just who she wanted to be with for the rest of her life. They both had to wait through a war, and a long engagement, but when they married, it was a smashing success. Britain and the world fell in love with their fairytale princess, and were overjoyed when a son was born that would ensure the succession. If there were rumors, no one paid them much mind, and when Elizabeth found herself Queen in 1952, Philip was at loose ends. Unlike other princely consorts to England's queens, he really didn't have any sort of job to do -- politics forced him into giving up his naval career, and while he became an accomplished pilot, he turned his energies and mind to charitable and scientific work. And of course, providing a stable, loving home for his wife. Before I read this book, I had always thought of the Duke of Edinburgh as a rather handsome idiot -- always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, bullying his sons, and probably envious of his wife, and probably a philanderer to boot. I couldn't be more wrong. Brandreth takes a close look at Philip's life, and his marriage, and tries to set some of the record straight. He took the time to talk to the women that the Duke has been rumored to be with -- and manages to tone down the idea that he has been unfaithful to his wife. Sure, the Duke likes young, pretty women who are intellegent to share his enthusiasm for carriage-driving -- but does he sleep with them? Seems not, in fact, unless duty takes him away, it's said that he and the Queen share the same bed. He may be tough on his sons, but he's not a brute either, and the book reveals some of the hard truths of trying to be a celebrity and a parent. Lastly, there's that bit with the Duke's tendency to firmly plant his foot into his mouth. Seems that a great many of the comments were taken out of context and never, ever meant to reach the public. And royalties are human, after all, I doubt that any of us has never something that we've regretted later -- the Duke has the disadvantage of having some press weasel putting it into print within moments. One thing that struck me about this story is that the author is very firm on the subject of loyalty that is expected of those who are the staff to the Queen and Duke. Discretion is the word of the day, and those who have betrayed that trust -- various nannies, butlers and others have made a tidy sum out of tattling about what goes on in private -- have also been firmly shown the door. It was also enlightening to find out some of the things that went on in the entire mess with Princess Diana; it seems that Prince Philip did everything he could to help both his son and Diana keep that marriage going, and was quite supportive in trying to help Diana cope. By the end of the book, I had found that my perceptions had changed, and while the story does get repetitious in spots -- Brandreth tends to use the same stories over and over again, the new insights make this worth it. There are extensive notes and annotations throughout, with appendices that go into the Duke's interests -- I never knew that he has written quite a few books on horsemanship and ornithology! -- and the various royal duties and his charities. Another intriguing touch is the psychological look that Brandreth takes at both the Queen and the Duke, and the conclusions that he draws from his observations. There are three inserts of black and white photographs, many of them from private sources. One of the most touching is a series that were take of Queen Elizabeth II and her daughter, Anne, as an infant. There are also several photographs that show the Duke in his role as a military man, and should dispell any idea that he is some fop. For those of you who have wondered what's really going on in England's Royal family this is a must read. The author manages to keep the tone from getting salacious, and while most of the attention is kept on Prince Philip, it does create a sympathetic view of two lives that are being spent in a very public fishbowl. Happily recommended. Other books by Gyles Brandreth: Charles & Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Royal Marriage Gyles Brandreth 2005; W.W. Norton, New York & London ISBN 0-393-06113-2