Young Prince Philip And Prince Harry Look Identical In Royal Photos

Nov 10, 2020

The resemblance is strong within the royal family and there are pictures to prove it. One such photo was shared on social media after the royal photographer Chris Jackson re-discovered an unforgettable photo with quite a lot of heritage behind it. 

While most fans of the royals claim that Prince Harry most closely resembles his late mother, Princess Diana, a royal photograph is demonstrating how much he looks like his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh. Getty’s Royal photographer Chris Jackson recently posted a picture on Instagram comparing two photos of Prince Harry and Prince Phillip. The comparison shows Harry at age 34 compared with a 36-year-old Prince Phillip.

Prince Harry was born on September 15th, 1984 in the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London to his mother, the now Princess Diana, and his father, Prince of Wales Charles. It's no surprise that Harry looks very similar to his grandfather, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip was born June 10th, 1921 in Mon Repos, Corfu, Greece. According to Britannica, Prince Philip served with the Royal Navy during World War II. Prince Philip continued active service in the Royal Navy until Elizabeth's accession to the throne on February 6th, 1952. Until the conclusion of his service, he commanded the frigate Magpie. 

The 1957 vintage picture of the Duke of Edinburgh is even more striking because both royals are wearing their military uniforms. Prince Phillip is all decked out in his Tropical Dress of the Blues and Royals. Military service is something that the royals really take pride in. Prince Philip actively served from 1939 until 1952, while Prince Harry actively served for a total of ten years.

The Duke of Sussex's military duty included two tours in Afghanistan and he was eventually promoted to the rank of Lieutenant with The Household Cavalry, according to the Royal Website. However, Prince Harry's military duties were no longer a part of his responsibilities since he and Meghan left the royal family on March 31st, 2020.

This is the same uniform that Prince Harry wore to open the ANZAC memorial at Hyde Park in Sydney back in 2018. According to The Sun, the memorial paid tribute to thousands of Australians who lost their lives in battle during World War I. While the picture of Prince Phillip may have been colorized, the similarities certainly make you do a double-take. Prince Philip and Prince Harry seem to share the same eyes and nose, probably passed through Prince Harry's father, Prince Charles. Their features are simply uncanny, even though there is an entire generation in between them. 

Jackson said that he found the photo when visiting France while looking at wedding venues. The photographer said that while today's royals pride themselves on being a modern monarchy, pictures like this remind everyone that their heritage is steeped in deep tradition. In an interview with Tatler, Jackson reflected on social media's role in terms of royal photography and his photographer relationship with the royal family in general:

"Instagram and Twitter, as well as other forms of social media, have affected the way we communicate around the world – this change has certainly been embraced by all members of the Royal family and we often see key messages and statements released on social media. I remember being with the Queen as she sent her first ‘tweet’ in 2014 during an exhibition at the Science Museum in London."

Jackson continued:
"Fast forward a few years and the Royal family can now boast tens of millions of followers across all their social accounts, giving the family a great platform to communicate directly with the public. The Royals embrace this amazing power of celebrity and social media..."

Modernity also questions the need for a continuing monarchy, especially considering that the British Monarchy still holds strong importance in the United Kingdom as compared to other European nations that have long moved past a sitting monarch. However, the British Throne continues to be a beacon of identity for the citizens. 

As per the official Royal website, Her Royal Highness "acts as a focus for national identity, unity and pride; gives a sense of stability and continuity; officially recognises success and excellence; and supports the ideal of voluntary service," and the Queen's family supports her in these endeavors. Though she may not be the Head of State that has a parliamentary or executive role, the Queen is in many ways the face of Britain and its long and glorious history. 

With the advent of social media, the Royal family has come more into view than ever before. The Royals' ability to embrace modern forms of communications has given the world a more meaningful look into their lives, which has made the curtain of mystery that once separated the Royals from their citizens more transparent. In many ways, we see that the Royals are more often than not just like us.

Social media also gives us a portal of sorts to see the difference between what used to be and what is, but sometimes we come across the similarities that travel through time. 

Today, the Royal family certainly has a lot of photos that show how times have changed, but it's always cool to see a resemblance as uncanny as this one!

Royals watchers are giddy about the new side-by-side comparison. If you missed the two amazing shots, now is your chance to check them out. It will be fun to watch Prince Harry's new bundle of joy grow up to see if he also resembles his father and great-grandfather.

After you have viewed these photos, be sure to spread the family love to everyone else that you know!