Prince Philip And Prince Charles Had A Close But Complicated Relationship Through The Years

Apr 19, 2021

On Friday, April 9, 2021, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, passed away at the age of 99 years old. Philip's passing ends his reign as the longest-serving royal spouse, having served alongside Queen Elizabeth II for 65 years and having been married to the monarch for 73 years in total.

Philip's funeral on April 17, 2021, was a quiet affair with only 30 people in attendance due to the coronavirus restrictions. The guestlist of 30 people only comprised of the closest royal family members, including Philip and Elizabeth's four children. 

The oldest, Prince Charles, is next in line to the throne. During his father's funeral, Charles was visibly emotional and reportedly even shed a few tears according to NZ Herald. Charles and his father had a good relationship throughout his life, but like most parent-child relationships, there were also complications.

While the men shared similar interests, their personalities were quite different. Charles was a sensitive man according to reports, and this did not always sit well with Philip, who was more of a practical person. From a young age, Charles was different from his father in character. 

Elizabeth and Philip were not ordinary parents and did not have an ordinary life. To be figureheads of a nation as well as a Commonwealth meant that duty and work had to come before family. Former Press Secretary to the queen, Dickie Arbiter, said that Elizabeth and Philip "were always good parents, as much as they were allowed to be, but duty was expected of them," according to ITV.

About the family, Arbiter added, "They were expected to be away representing the Queen, representing the UK so they didn't lead the sort of lives that we lead when it comes to families - the work comes first." 

The summer months in Balmoral, Aberdeenshire was where the family could truly achieve some sort of normalcy when they were away from the public gaze. Elizabeth often filmed videos of her family, where Philip could be seen playing with his children as everyone relaxed. In these times, it was clear that the queen and Philip truly loved their kids. "They were wonderful with the children, I mean they played every game like every parent does. What I saw, he was always there," Prince Philip's cousin, Lady Butter told iTV. 

However, the differences started forming when Charles went to Gordonstoun's, the same school where his father went but Charles' character was not the same as his father.

While Charles "desperately" wanted to please his father, do the right thing and earn his praise, royal Biographer Penny Junor said that "the Duke was a particular sort of man, he was an alpha-male, he wanted a son in his own image."

There were times when Philip could reduce Charles to tears with his words due to this difference in their personalities, but this was never done out of malice. As per ABC News Australia, Philip's cousin Patricia said in the book "Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life" that, "It is quite untrue that he didn't care. He was trying to help Charles develop character in his life, knowing the life he had to lead."

Junor also added that "Their interests were very similar, they were both artists, they were both fascinated by wildlife, the Navy and young people."

Charles' accolades and achievements through his teenage years and young adulthood were certainly a point of pride for Philip. Like his father, Charles qualified as a pilot, and to Philip's delight, Charles joined the Navy and reached the same rank as his father when he was made Commander of a Minesweeper in 1976. However, things were not always smooth, and Charles still wanted to win his father's approval.  

Charles' decision to marry Diana was apparently prompted by his need to make Philip happy. Junor said that when Philip wrote to Charles to "make up his mind about Diana," Charles "received it either as an ultimatum. He wanted to please his father and he wanted to do what he was told." While there was some respite to their tense relationship at this time, the eventual failure of Charles' marriage despite the Duke's effort to keep them together led to cold shoulders from both sides.  

At their worst point, the two men only communicated through their private secretaries. However, Charles' marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles became a positive influence on the father-son relationship.

"Camilla has helped him and has helped to bridge a gap, because she really knows how to get on with people, she knows about family," said Junor. 

Arbiter also added about Charles, "He does adore his parents; he always has adored his parents and it was only in the latter years that they started getting closer."

Like many complicated father-son relationships, this one ended well for both sides, and Charles is sure to remember Philip as the man who dearly loved his family. 

We are sure that Charles misses his dear father. What do you think of their relationship over the years? Have you had a similarly complicated but loving relationship with someone in your family? Tell us about it, and be sure to tell others about this royal relationship that are persevered despite difficult times.