Elizabeth & Philip: Love and Duty

This is Westminster Abbey.

70 years ago,

these spectacular surroundings

were the venue for a fairy-tale wedding.

The heir to the throne, Princess Elizabeth,

married her dashing, young, naval officer,

Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten.

It was a love story that captured the imagination of a nation.

The couple symbolised a new beginning for the country

and the hope for a bright, new future.

This was a generation that had made it through

one of the toughest periods in British history.

Out of the horror of war emerged a desire for stability,

for love and family.

70 years on, it's Elizabeth and Philip's platinum anniversary,

which makes them one of the UK's longest-married couples,

but they're not alone in celebrating this remarkable event.

In 1947, Britain was in the grip of a marriage boom.

I told my parents I wanted to get married. I was 19.

They weren't very keen.

They would rather I'd have waited.

"Oh, you're far too young! It'll never ever last!

"You're far too young to think about marriage!"

Over the next seven decades, the royal couple experienced

the same milestones as many others of their generation.

70 years of marriage is an achievement for any couple

but theirs has survived in spite of challenges

few others have had to face.

Every step of their life together has been played out in public...

..in the glare of publicity...

..and in service of the nation.

Through it all, the Queen and her Prince have not only

kept their relationship strong but, together, they kept

the nation strong, steering it through decades of change.

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.

This is a portrait of the platinum couple as they reach

a landmark in their marriage few will ever reach

and a celebration of what has to be one of the greatest

and most enduring love stories of our time.

It's a love affair that has lasted a lifetime

but it's said to have its roots in the briefest of encounters.

On a rainy day in July 1939,

the royal yacht, Victoria and Albert,

sailed into Dartmouth Harbour.

King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and their daughters,

Elizabeth and Margaret, were there to visit the Royal Naval College.

Whilst their parents undertook their official engagements,

a promising young cadet by the name of Philip Mountbatten was

assigned to entertain the two young princesses.

Elizabeth was just 13 years old,

and Philip 18.

I've come to the college because their archives hold

a very special memento of that significant day.

This album contains photographs of that historic meeting.

It's incredible to think that these grainy images are the first time

the couple, who are now so intrinsically linked

together in our minds, were captured together on camera.

It's said this was THE moment that the young princess

fell for that man who would one day become her husband.

Philip was quite the catch.

Tall, good-looking, he excelled at virtually every sport,

and he was top of his class.

Not only that, he was from good, royal stock.

Just like Elizabeth, he was descended from Queen Victoria.

It's no wonder he made quite the impression on the young princess.

Gyles, can you begin by telling me

a little bit about the couple's meeting at Dartmouth?

Prince Philip was told that he had to look after these little girls

because he was their cousin and, so, he did his duty

and looked after them, as a nice boy would do.

He was startlingly good-looking, and amusing,

attractive in every sense, by all accounts.

So, they spent some time together and I think got on well,

but I don't think there was more to it than that.

Elizabeth's interest in Philip would have to remain unrequited

for several years.

But for other couples who are also celebrating

their platinum anniversary this year, the timing was perfect

and they still remember experiencing their first throes of love.

Oh, I thought she was handsome

and I was telling my family

and friends that she was the girl

I was going to marry.

Which horrified me!

Because I fancied another lad in the group -

his friend, actually.

Well, I came into the shop and, sure enough,

immediately I noticed her.

This vision of loveliness

was working behind the counter.

She was absolutely beautiful.

Sort of backed out and I thought, "Eventually, I'll get there,

"I'll go back again, you know, and get myself brave."

-I think it took about the third time you came in.

-Oh, at least!

Then he asked me out.

I think the first time we went out,

we went to the cinema in Malvern, if I remember.

-We did...

-Yes, that's right.

We went to see a Red Skelton film, and it was very funny.

We thoroughly enjoyed our little selves.

So, we stood there all afternoon, chatting,

and I did decide by the end of it,

"Well, he's not so bad after all," like, you know.

I always thought he was a nice, young fella.

-You always knew I was.

-I mean, we'd known...

Yes, well, we'd known each other for years.

I think I fell in love immediately the minute I seen her, actually.

So...

-And we still do. We still do.

-Yes.

But, back then, the course of true love was fraught with difficulty.

The country was entering one of the most tumultuous moments

in its history.

Just months after Elizabeth and Philip first met at Dartmouth,

Britain would be at war.

Philip headed straight into active duty.

At 21, he'd become one of the youngest lieutenants

in the Royal Navy.

Despite the Blitz, the King and Queen stayed in London

throughout the war, earning the respect of the British public.

And when she was 18, Princess Elizabeth joined up with

the Women's Auxiliary Service, but it's said

she always kept the picture of a bearded Philip on her mantelpiece.

I asked Prince Philip about their courtship once.

You can imagine the response I got.

But what he did say was that really it evolved over a period of time.

There wasn't any sudden moment. They just spent more time together.

When he was on leave during the Second World War,

he would go to Windsor.

And, gradually, it sort of developed into the relationship.

In 1945, there was victory in Europe and the nation celebrated.

Behind the scenes, the Princess and her Prince

were finally able to spend more time together

and their relationship blossomed.

In 1946, Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten

was invited to spend the summer with the family

at their Scottish holiday retreat, Balmoral.

It's said that that was where Philip proposed

and the young Princess Elizabeth accepted without hesitation.

Afterwards, Philip wrote a letter to her mother, Queen Elizabeth.

"To have fallen in love completely and unreservedly makes all

"one's personal and even the world's troubles seem small and petty."

But the King and Queen felt Elizabeth was still too young

to marry, and they urged the couple to wait.

Any official announcement would be a little way off,

but, for some, the secret was already out of the bag.

I am about to meet one of the very few people outside royal circles

to know of Philip's intention to marry the young Princess Elizabeth.

Commander Keith "Scratch" Evans was secretary to Philip's captain

and he remembers the lieutenant coming in with a special request.

So, Commander Evans, can you take me back to that particular day,

as it turns out rather an important day, what do you remember?

We all knew, I think, at the time, that Lieutenant Mountbatten,

as he was then, and Princess Elizabeth were friendly people,

and they had been for some time and...

..it came to the point where he felt he should propose marriage to her.

He was obliged to get his captain's permission for special leave.

And Captain Biggs said, "Get him down to your office

"and we'll have a glass of gin together."

Well, we had two glasses of gin together,

and then he said, "We'd better let that young man out,"

and off he went, and, after that,

I wrote him a note congratulating him, and...

..he wrote back. I have the note here.

"My dear Scratch.

"It was most kind of you to write that note of congratulations.

"Thank you very much indeed.

"I hope you're having a pleasant leave.

"Yours, Philip."

That's a lovely thing to have, isn't it? That's a special thing to have.

As far as I was concerned, he was just another person.

He would be in the local pub playing skittles with other people.

So, once it was known that he had this association with

the young Princess Elizabeth, did it change the way he was treated?

Did it change the atmosphere around him?

I think people were proud

that they'd actually served with this man.

Yes, I have great admiration for him,

although he is junior to me as a lieutenant.

Elizabeth and Philip weren't the only couple

looking to settle down together.

The post-war years saw more people for wanting to tie the knot

at younger ages than ever before.

-When was it we got engaged?

-I don't know, it was...

-Oh, after the war, in 1945.

-Yeah.

It was a nice, clear, warmish night.

I said to Amy, I said,

"What would you think about it if we got married?"

I think people had had enough of war.

They wanted to live a peaceful life.

I told my parents I wanted to get married. I was 19.

They weren't very keen. They would rather I'd have waited.

My family were delighted I was marrying her.

They thought she was wonderful.

And they weren't far wrong, were they, dear?

Rumours of Elizabeth and Philip's engagement soon reached the press

and the couple would experience an unprecedented level of intrusion.

These were sensitive times and, regardless of Philip's

distinguished war record, the idea of the future monarch marrying

a Greek-born Prince with German connections proved controversial.

In January 1947,

the Sunday Pictorial took a poll of readers' opinions regarding

the possible marriage of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip.

It was the first time ever that a British newspaper had

asked its readers to comment on such a personal royal matter.

The results revealed over a number of weeks

make for pretty fascinating reading.

In the beginning, plenty of people were against the match

and they were happy to make their views crystal clear.

Here we are, "We, the Russell family, a father and two sons,

"who've served in two wars, say no to a marriage to a foreign prince."

And this from Mrs Cooke from Paignton.

She says, "Surely someone of good British stock could be found."

But, as the weeks went on, it became clear that, more than anything,

the public wanted for their Princess what they wanted for themselves -

a bright and happy future.

They wanted the young Elizabeth to go ahead and wed the man she loved.

I love some of the comments in here.

Miss Evans from Portsmouth writes, "I am only 14 years of age

"so it's my generation that will have the best part of her rule.

"So, me and my friends think she should be able to marry whom

"she pleases if she loves him.

"We think a happy queen is always a good queen."

Weeks later, the young heir to the throne joined her family

on a tour of South Africa.

And, on her 21st birthday,

the Princess made a speech that was broadcast around the world.

I declare before you all that my whole life,

whether it be long or short,

shall be devoted to your service

and to the service

of our great imperial family

to which we all belong.

But I shall not have strength

to carry out this resolution alone,

unless you join in it with me,

as I now invite you to do.

Those remarkable words uttered at such a tender age sought to

unite Elizabeth with her people.

She declared herself devoted to their service

and dependant upon their support

which was why their approval of her choice of husband mattered so much.

In addition to that,

not only would her union have to be strong enough to withstand

the demands of day-to-day family life, a task in itself,

it would also have to be robust enough to sustain the extraordinary

pressure that her lifetime service to her country would present.

Shortly after her return from South Africa, the Palace took

the step of officially announcing that Princess Elizabeth had

found the man she wanted to support her

through her unique lifetime's journey.

-NEWSREEL:

-In anybody's life, engagement day's a red letter day.

Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Mountbatten

will never forget July 10th, 1947.

In the morning, they faced the world's press and photographers.

The platinum ring, with its one large diamond

and two smaller ones, tell the picture.

Philip played a role in designing the engagement ring,

and, along with every other bit of news about the impending

nuptials, it captured the imagination of a nation

still in the grips of post-war austerity.

It was made by London jewellers Philip Antrobus,

which is now owned by Charlie Pragnell's family firm.

Charlie, you still make a ring

that is really very, very similar

to that original engagement ring.

-Yes, yes.

-Can I see it?

-Yes.

We call it the Antrobus setting,

and it's a very classical ring.

It's deliberately

not exactly like Her Majesty's.

-But very similar?

-But very similar in style.

It's really very, very beautiful.

-Now, it was designed to be worn every day, was it?

-Absolutely.

And what are the features of the design that tell us that?

The centre stone is very protected because there's eight claws,

platinum claws, and platinum's the hardest metal.

Furthermore, the shoulder stones are protected by a thread setting.

-It means they wouldn't catch.

-What, if she was wearing gloves?

-Absolutely.

-Oh, right.

-Or on other clothing.

Looking at this, it's an odd sensation

because suddenly it feels rather familiar to me and I think

it's because in all the photographs I've ever looked at of the Queen,

she is wearing this ring.

Looking at that now, I would describe that as

a classic engagement ring,

but, at the time it was commissioned,

in terms of its design,

how would it have been perceived, do you think?

It would've been perceived as contemporary.

It would've been perceived as a relatively modest choice.

After the Second World War, it would have been a time of austerity.

And it was designed, I suppose, with an eye to not making people think,

"Well, it's all right for them.

-"Look at them with their flashy jewels."

-Absolutely.

One would expect the Queen to have a wonderful engagement ring,

but it wasn't overstated.

It was relatively modest, bearing in mind her position,

and probably not the largest stone to come from...

..Prince Philip's mother's tiara.

So, you say this ring was taken from the family tiara

-of Prince Philip's mother and that that was broken up.

-Yes.

What sort of style would that have been in?

How would it have looked when it was sitting in the tiara?

Well, we have a tiara here which would have been made in about

1850 or 1860, which was a similar style to Princess Alice's tiara.

It's really exquisite, isn't it?

So, it would have held all these individuals stones,

-and they would have picked one they thought was suitable?

-Absolutely.

As you see, there's different sizes to choose from.

So delicate and beautiful.

It strikes me, though, they find one diamond

and there's a whole lot of other stuff in this beautiful

broken up tiara that's left, so what happened to it?

They had a plan. Philip decided to put the other diamonds to good use.

Thought a wedding present was a good idea.

It looked very similar to this.

Oh, my goodness me!

That is very... Can I use the word "blingy?"

That is really very blingy indeed!

-Isn't it wonderful?

-I have to say I love it.

-I mean, that is much more opulent than the ring.

-Absolutely.

-It's a bracelet fit for the Queen of England.

-It certainly is!

-Can I try it on?

-Absolutely.

Will you do the honours?

SHE GASPS

It's exquisite!

Very big stones.

And do we know if Philip himself had much to do with the actual

-design of the piece?

-I'm sure he would have had input.

There's, for the time, a contemporary style to the jewellery.

The central stones would have come from the tiara, and some of

the larger, round diamonds, but the geometric shape

is Deco in style...

-Right.

-..and typical

of the style of the period.

Really very beautiful indeed.

Is it recorded what...

..the reaction of the Princess was when she saw it?

Not much different from yours, I'd imagine.

-She's certainly worn it a lot, hasn't she?

-Absolutely!

She wears it on many important occasions

and I'm sure it's one of her favourite pieces of jewellery.

And I believe the Duchess of Cambridge has been recently

photographed wearing it at an event.

And, so, aside from being incredibly exquisite and, I imagine,

a joy to wear, you know, jewellery often has a message.

What was the message in this bracelet?

I think it's a message of love, primarily,

but also a message that says...

..we'd like to contribute a gift that's

suitable for a queen from our family.

So I think there's a number of messages in this.

-NEWSREEL:

-A 40,000 crowd packed the shipyard to offer congratulations

to the royal couple.

The happiness of the Princess at being with her fiance

for the occasion was evident.

I am so happy that on this, my third visit,

my future husband is by my side.

CHEERING

I name this ship Caronia.

May God bless her and all who sail in her.

In 1947, Britain was still trying to get back on its feet.

The winter had been one of the cruellest on record.

The economy was fragile and rationing was still in full force.

So, by royal standards,

it was decided the wedding was not to be an extravagant affair.

Yet, despite the restrictions, on 20th November 1947,

into dull, grey Britain came a real-life fairy tale.

The streets of London were packed with excited crowds.

Princess Elizabeth was at last marrying her Prince

and the country was delighted to have something to celebrate.

It was the largest gathering of royalty anyone could remember.

The only sadness for Philip must have been that his own sisters

were not amongst the 2,500-strong congregation.

They were married to German aristocrats

and the war was still fresh in people's minds.

But for those people lining the streets, this was a sign

that the country was returning to normal

and there was a bright, new future.

Amongst the bystanders was schoolgirl Antonia Fraser.

So, Lady Antonia, just looking at these pictures, just take me back

to that day when you were actually there in the crowd.

What do you think as you're watching this?

I think it looks magic and it reminds me

of that extraordinary time.

I was 15 and at school,

and it takes me back to how colourful it all was,

at a time when our lives were extremely grey.

It's only two years after the end of the war and, suddenly,

as in a fairy story, a princess gets married to a prince.

I mean, how did you get to be there? How did you get off school?

We departed school unlawfully.

You bunked off, did you?

We bunked off, exactly. Well, why not, you know?

So, you're actually on the Mall then?

We were on the left of the screen in the curve

but sort of slightly nearer the gates so that when we,

the public, decided to rush the gates, we were well-placed.

-You were one of those that rushed the gates?

-Yes!

And we actually got inside the gates, lots of us.

-Can you imagine it today?

-No, I can't!

-Extraordinary!

But it was all part of the excitement and the thrill.

These are very, very glamorous images.

What did you make at the time of the young royal couple?

Princess Elizabeth was an extremely pretty young woman.

She had a lovely complexion, and a lovely figure

and she was a real princess,

and we were starved of that kind of thing.

And, as a romantic figure, a young prince - tall, blond, handsome,

a high-achiever - did that capture

the young 15-year-old Antonia's imagination?

I think we all wanted to marry Prince Charming aged 15,

and there he was, and he WAS Prince Charming.

And why did you want to be there so much?

Oh, because it was a glamorous event,

but it was also history, of course.

You know, it was history in the making.

Mentally, we were all still involved in the war,

and, so, out of the ruins comes this marvellous love story.

The royals themselves, of course,

in a situation of considerable privilege,

but, in its way, their story, the royal story,

sort of mirrored what was happening in the country, to a degree.

A lot of people WERE getting married,

getting married quickly in those years after the war.

Yes, I think you could argue Prince Philip came back from the war,

like so many young men, and Princess Elizabeth had clearly

been in love with him for some time and, at last, it comes right.

And I do remember...

..that there were quite a lot of couples getting

married at the same time who the press focused on.

Even then, the parallels were seen.

1947 saw more than 400,000 couples tie the knot -

one of the highest rates in post-war history.

I had my demob suit on.

It was very good suit, actually.

I was only too glad to be able to get it. Clothing coupons.

You were very restricted what you could buy.

Yes, well, I spent my coupons on my bridesmaids.

I had Dennis' sister and my sister, and then I had two little ones,

and I spent my coupons on them

and I hadn't any left for my dress,

and I bought a second-hand wedding dress,

which, to this day, I regret, but there you are.

When I think about it now, my mum performed miracles, really,

-didn't she?

-Yes.

-Cos we had the reception at my home.

We had between 30 and 40 people there. She did all the catering.

We didn't have a big do. It was in the house.

-We had the reception at your mother's.

-The reception.

-Yes.

-And she made us a two-tier wedding cake.

-She did.

You couldn't get dried fruit.

So, my wedding cake was a Madeira cake, iced.

But we were luckier than some.

Some had cardboard cakes, purely for the photo.

-So, we did have a cake that you could eat, didn't we?

-Yeah, we did.

The royal couple spent their honeymoon

at the Mountbatten family estate near Romsey, and then at Balmoral.

Whilst there, Philip wrote a letter to his mother-in-law.

"Lilibet is the only thing in the world

"which is absolutely real to me.

"And my ambition is to weld the two of us into a new combined

"existence that will not only be able to withstand the shocks

"directed at us but will also have a positive existence for the good."

And the princess wrote that "she and her husband behave

"as though we have belonged to each other for years.

"I only hope that I can bring up my children in a happy atmosphere

"of love and fairness which Margaret and I have grown up in."

They wouldn't have to wait too long

to find out what sort of parents they would make.

Within a year, there was a new heir to the throne, Prince Charles,

and less than two years after that, Princess Anne was born.

The first few years of Philip and Elizabeth's marriage were idyllic.

It was a very good time.

This young couple were left pretty much on their own.

They did do some public duties, but Prince Philip was

working in the Royal Navy, he had a job to go to every day.

And Princess Elizabeth was enjoying being a young mother.

And they were, as I understand it,

remarkably hands-on for people of their class and generation.

They had meals with the children in the evening,

they did bath-time with the children,

they did bedtime stories with the children,

they played with the children.

As Britain entered the '50s,

family became ever more of a priority.

With men back from the war, the birth rate rocketed.

The country was in the midst of a baby boom.

And many fathers looked forward to playing a greater role

in their children's lives.

He was capable, quite good, giving 'em a bottle or changing nappies.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

We shared our dealings with the children right from the word go.

There were things that needed to be done and we did them,

and that was it.

With the children, I really appreciated them.

I felt...

I felt big about it because, you know, I was proud to be a parent.

We're very much family orientated.

Family comes before everything, as far as we're concerned.

-Still does, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

Yeah.

However, for the young royal family,

there was something else that would always have to come first -

duty.

In 1951, the King's health took a turn for the worse,

and the couple were called on to fulfil some of his engagements.

At the end of January the following year,

they set off on a tour of the Commonwealth.

The King saw them off.

It would be the last time the Princess would see her father alive.

Just weeks into the trip,

news reached Philip that the King had passed away,

and it was down to him to break it to his young wife.

As Britain mourned the death of the monarch,

Elizabeth and Philip faced a destiny they had been preparing for...

..but it had come sooner than either of them could have imagined.

The coronation took place on 2nd June 1953.

Less than five years after their wedding day,

the Queen and her husband returned here to Westminster Abbey

to make new vows.

MUSIC: Zadok The Priest by Handel

It's been estimated that three million people

packed the streets of London to celebrate this historic moment.

And thanks to Prince Philip,

whose idea it was for the event to be televised,

around 20 million people watched from home.

Few could have failed to have been moved

by this incredible and sacred ritual...

..when the young Queen was set apart for her high and lonely office.

ALL: God save the Queen!

God save the Queen! God save the Queen!

In an extremely poignant moment,

Prince Philip knelt in front of the Queen to pledge his service.

I, Philip, do become your liege man of life and limb,

and of earthly worship,

and faith and truth I will bear unto you,

to live and die against all manner of folks,

so help me God.

It symbolised a dramatic shift in the couple's relationship.

The life they had known together was effectively over.

Philip was as much the Queen's subject as he was her husband

and it would be a unique and difficult path

for both of them to negotiate.

-CROWD:

-We want the Queen! We want the Queen!

We want the Queen!

When the Princess became the Queen,

how do you think that impacted their relationship as a married couple?

Everything changed. No question of that.

I think it's inevitable that this must have taken a toll.

There must have been a price to pay for this.

It's a constitutional monarchy, the Queen is advised

by the Prime Minister, a private secretary, that's the way it works.

And Prince Philip said to me, "I was told to keep out, and I did."

He was there to be the father and to forge his own way of life

and his own working life, which he did.

Despite their separate roles, there would be times

when the couple could work together.

Within five months of the coronation,

the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh set off

on the most ambitious royal tour ever seen.

It was a crucial moment for the new Queen

to prove her dedication to the Commonwealth.

For six months, they'd be separated from their two young children

whilst they travelled to the other side of the world and back,

taking in more than seven countries.

Over the next seven decades,

touring would be an integral part of the couple's lives.

Queen Elizabeth would become the most travelled monarch

in the history of the world, with Philip her constant companion,

always just a few steps behind.

Anwar Hussein is a royal photographer

who began touring with the couple in the 1970s,

and his son, Samir, has gone on to follow in the same footsteps.

Anwar, I have to begin by saying,

I think the photographs you take of the Queen and the royal couple

are probably my absolute favourites.

You seem to capture something different.

When you are taking photographs,

particularly of the royal couple, what is it you're trying to do?

What I was looking... I just wanted to photograph the royal family

like a photo-reportage, I didn't want any still picture.

And so I decided, "OK, I'll start doing royal pictures

"where they were looking more casual and more easy-going."

A sort of informality.

Informality, that's what I wanted to bring,

and they loved the casual approach which I was giving to them.

From those days, we've been talking right now specifically

about the '70s and '80s, what's your favourite picture of them together?

Do you have one?

I mean, there were pictures in Tuvalu

where they were sitting on a floor with flowers in their hair

and the Duke wearing sandals,

and things like that,

it's quite interesting because you'd never seen them

in that sort of light and it's sort of very interesting.

When these great royal tours happened,

a lot of your photographs capture them together so well,

capture the interplay between quite often, it seems,

-him making her laugh.

-Yeah, yeah.

I think he's got an amazing, wicked sense of humour

which he sometimes would do

to make the Queen relax or something, he would crack a joke.

I don't know whether she approves of some of his jokes,

but I call it the amusing look.

Like the Queen says, "We are not amused," but she is amused, really.

He cracks a joke.

You see it a lot when you're photographing them,

that the Duke will often lean over to the Queen,

and say a little word to her or say a little joke,

and they'd burst out into laughter,

so humour's definitely a big part of their relationship, I think.

You never see them like if they had a bad time,

like you used to see with Charles and Diana.

But with them, I don't think I've ever seen them

in a grumpy mood, or one of them ignoring, or something like that.

But I think maybe they just naturally are like that, you know.

-You do?

-Yeah, I think so.

The period following the Queen's accession

had been a whirlwind for the couple.

But as the years went by, they tried to prioritise family more and more.

-NEWSREEL:

-The pleasures of family life are enjoyed

by the baby's mother and father less frequently than by ordinary parents.

To be head of the Commonwealth entails long absences abroad

and what a sacrifice that must be is brought home to us

by these glimpses of the happiness that comes to the royal family

when they are all at home together.

After the birth of their two younger children, Andrew and Edward,

the Queen made a point of cutting down on engagements

so she could spend more time with them.

The couple were entering a new stage of their lives

where the pressure was starting to lift a little.

I think young people, a young queen and a young family,

is infinitely more newsworthy and amusing than, you know,

we're getting on for middle age and I dare say

when I'm really ancient, there might be a bit more reverence again.

I don't know.

But I would have thought we're entering probably

the least interesting period

of, you know,

quite a glamorous existence.

Yet, despite their attempts to step away from the spotlight,

the world's appetite for the royal family remained intense.

And throughout their travels, there was one thing that provided them

with an important and much welcome sense of familiarity...

..the royal yacht Britannia.

For over 40 years, this magnificent vessel circumnavigated the globe,

played host to some of the world's most powerful people

and provided hundreds of thousands of well-wishers

with their first real glimpse of the Queen and her family.

Beyond the public gaze,

Britannia offered the royal family a sanctuary,

somewhere they could relax, enjoy themselves, really escape.

It occupied a particularly special place in their affections.

And its success was largely down to the couple

because they played a key role in its design.

Elizabeth and Philip commissioned architect Hugh Casson

to help them achieve their vision,

and his daughter remembers the couple as having

very specific ideas about what they wanted.

Prince Philip, certainly, really wanted to make a difference,

I think in the way they lived,

because after all, they were living in inherited environments.

All the other palaces

were full of other people's furnishings

and knick-knacks and paintings and whatever.

So they wanted their own place, actually. Why not?

The Queen didn't want to spend a lot of money on this ship,

so she was keen on keeping costs as low as possible.

Once Father had done his sketches...

..he was asked if he would go to Balmoral to show them.

-Quite nerve-racking?

-Nerve-racking, he was an absolute state!

He showed them the designs.

Prince Philip was keen to make sure that everything was practical,

he wanted white paint, not too much gilding, he wanted

everything to be kept as low key and as maintenance-free as possible.

But of course they realised that this was a palace on water,

if you like, they were going to have to host state dinners,

so a certain amount of grandeur had to come into the dining room,

for example, and that sort of thing.

It saw an extraordinary amount

of the great and the good from around the world.

I mean, this interior has seen scenes probably like no other.

Well, probably, yes.

So they had to make an environment which was going to be

reasonably comfortable for them, but also for their guests.

-Through in the state room, obviously it's very, very grand.

-Yes.

-And here, well, it's rather homely, I think.

-Yes, I think so.

-Can we take a look around?

-Yes, let's.

So, Carola, this room here was Her Majesty's private sitting room.

-It's a little working room, though, isn't it? We can see.

-It is.

And so she'd be doing her red boxes, and all the business of the day.

Yes, do you see the gaps?

-Those were made specially to fit the red boxes.

-Oh, were they?

So, this is a mirror image, but it's quite different in tone, isn't it?

-It is completely different, yes.

-Much more masculine.

Much more masculine. And there's a model of his ship that he commanded.

I think that he yearned for his naval days.

In a way, he wanted his environment here to remind him of the Navy.

-This is the sun lounge, is it?

-Yes.

-This is my very favourite room.

Yes, it's lovely, isn't it? It really is very homely, this one.

It's so unexpectedly cosy and it's entirely personal,

with the boxes of games and the record player

and seats all arranged so people can chat.

This is not a space for the grand reception.

No, not at all, I mean, this is a private room,

nobody came here except the family. This is the one place

where they could take their shoes off and put their feet up.

That's exactly what I want to do

-and I want somebody to mix me a cocktail...

-Yes, absolutely.

-..from that delightful little cocktail cabinet.

-Yes.

It's the antithesis of stuffy. It's a home, this place.

-Absolutely, yeah.

-Thank you for showing me around.

-Not at all, I've really enjoyed it.

-Thank you.

In 1972, Elizabeth and Philip celebrated

their 25th wedding anniversary.

I think everybody really will concede that on this of all days

I should begin my speech with the words "My husband and I".

LAUGHTER

Now that we have reached this milestone in our lives,

we can see how immensely lucky we have been,

or perhaps "fortunate" might be a better word.

We had the good fortune to grow up in happy and united families.

We have been fortunate in our children,

and above all, we are fortunate

in being able to serve this great country and Commonwealth.

If I am asked today what I think about family life

after 25 years of marriage,

I can answer with equal simplicity and conviction, I'm for it.

LAUGHTER

As the Queen and the Lord Mayor, having lunched in Guildhall,

move out among the people...

Surrounded by cameras,

Prince Philip, never at a loss for a merry quip on such occasions.

But this moment belongs to the people.

People who've waited for a long time in the drizzle for the chance

of not only seeing the Queen

but actually talking to her on her silver wedding day.

But the spotlight was starting to shift to the next generation.

The following year, on 14th November,

almost to the day of their own wedding, all eyes were once again

on the Westminster Abbey to see the first of their children get married.

A global audience of around 500 million

watched Princess Anne marry Mark Phillips.

And there were more to look forward to.

In 1981, Prince Charles married Diana Spencer.

And five years later, Andrew tied the knot with Sarah Ferguson.

The couple also welcomed the arrival of their grandchildren.

The future of the monarchy looked secure.

But in the 1990s, the couple would face one of the most difficult

and challenging periods of their married life.

1992 saw one of the highest divorce rates in British history,

and the royal family were no exception.

Despite the strength of their own marriage,

the Queen and Prince Philip were powerless to help

when their children's relationships got into difficulty.

And the world watched

as the idealistic image of the perfect royal family was tarnished.

Buckingham Palace has announced that the Princess Royal

is petitioning for divorce from Captain Mark Phillips.

Coming so soon after the marriage troubles

of the Duke and Duchess of York,

today's announcement makes this an unhappy period for the Queen.

It is announced from Buckingham Palace that, with regret,

the Prince and Princess of Wales have decided to separate.

1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure.

In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents,

it has turned out to be an annus horribilis.

How difficult has it been for them as a couple, given all

they've been through, because there had been ups and downs?

As Prince Philip once said to me, "We are a family."

And clearly they were a real family,

and it's reflected the world in which they lived.

So, in their marriage, there clearly were ups and downs.

There were difficult times. Three of their children got divorced.

The Duke of Edinburgh once expressed to me a sense of frustration that

the media were turning the royal family into some sort of soap opera.

Elizabeth and Philip had always been the subject of media scrutiny.

But in the '90s, their personal family life was exposed

in an extremely public way.

What I admire about the Queen and Prince Philip

is they are discreet and private people.

They were true to themselves, they kept going,

and they survived the ups and downs,

largely by ignoring the press and the media,

but they went through that, they came out the other side.

Despite the tough times the family had been through,

1997 gave them cause for celebration.

It was the Queen and Prince Philip's golden anniversary,

and 50 years on from their fairy-tale wedding,

at two separate events, they each gave a rare speech,

revealing to the world just how much they meant to each other.

They were very public declarations from two people

who had always kept their feelings for one another very private.

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.

When there's lots to do, time seems to fly,

and appears to us at least that we've been fairly busy

over the last 50 years.

It's been a challenge for us,

but by trial and experience,

I believe we have achieved a sensible division of labour

and a good balance between our individual and joint interests.

The trouble is that no two marriages are quite alike.

However, I think that the main lesson that we've learnt is

that tolerance is the one essential ingredient of any happy marriage.

It may not be quite so important when things are going well,

but it is absolutely vital when things get difficult.

And you can take it from me,

that the Queen has the quality of tolerance in abundance.

I mean, you've both got your individual ways.

And sometimes you have to alter them a little.

We've had our ups and downs, we've had our upsets.

I mean, people who say they don't quarrel or argue,

it must be so boring.

-Well, it must be, mustn't it?

-Must be, yeah.

-Yes, we disagreed a lot.

-Well...

-We still disagree a lot.

-Course you do.

-But we work it out.

-Yes.

A sense of humour goes a long, long way. Yeah, yeah.

-We've had many a laugh, haven't we?

-Yes.

And this is the secret of a happy relationship,

that there's a give-and-take in it, all the way up the line.

Do want to hear the advice I gave my grandson

when he was getting married last year?

I said, "David, do you know what makes a good marriage?"

He said, "No, Grandad."

I said, "True love, trust and a lot of bleeding patience."

And I said, "For once, I agree with him,"

cos that don't happen very often.

Elizabeth and Philip's

is the longest royal marriage in British history.

Together, they have created a future for the monarchy

that looks to be very secure.

It's incredible to think that 70 years ago

they were just setting out on their journey.

It might have been an extraordinary occasion,

but just like every other couple,

they had to put their commitment to each other in writing.

So, can you show me what's inside this wonderful register?

It's the register of marriages

and here is the entry for 20th November 1947.

Philip Mountbatten and Elizabeth.

And you see also that of George VI

and Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary, that the whole family...

That's pretty impressive.

But really it represented the beginning of what was to be

-a remarkable union.

-It has been extraordinary, hasn't it,

to see the two of them together?

Looking at this, of course they could never have known,

as people embarking on a marriage never do know, what lies ahead,

but when you think of the landscape and the complexity of what

they dealt with together, why do you think they've been able

to deal with it together and as such a strong partnership?

Well, obviously they were very much in love.

I mean, it's early love as far as I can understand it.

So it's a love match, essentially. It's a great love story.

It began here in this remarkable abbey, their marriage.

How much do you think, in reality,

faith has played a part in their union for 70 years?

It's been very important.

I think they have a very sort of deeply loyal sense of duty,

which is bolstered and encouraged and uplifted, as it were,

by their faith, and I think that's true equally for both of them.

And so, of course, you led the service

for the diamond wedding anniversary celebrations.

Just tell me a bit about that.

It was grand, we had the Yeoman of the Guard,

the Gentlemen at Arms, we had representatives of churches

from all over...and the other faith communities and so on,

they were all here.

And there was a load of people lined up in the procession.

And the Duke turned to me and said,

"So, what are you going to do to get this procession started?" he said.

"Do you blow a whistle or wave a green flag?"

So he's always bringing a touch of humour to solemn occasions.

Those of us on the outside, of course,

have watched this marriage at something of a distance.

But I wonder if you think it's been an inspiration within the family,

you of course married Catherine and William.

I'm sure that is the case. I mean, they are a rock, aren't they?

Not just in the family, but for us all, really,

and I think that's a marvellous role.

It's impossible to imagine what it would be like without them, really.

I'm full of admiration for the Queen and Philip.

Both the Prince Philip and the Queen are great.

He has done a wonderful job supporting her,

and she has done a wonderful job as a Queen.

I think they've had their ups and downs.

-Because...

-Like other people do.

-Yeah.

We celebrated the Queen's diamond wedding

the same as we celebrated our own.

But we dressed up, or tried to dress up, as the Queen and Prince Philip.

We were asked to make little speeches

-and thoroughly enjoyed our little selves.

-Yes.

They're both wonderful people

and they've more than done their share for this country.

-They certainly have.

-More.

It's not easy for them

cos they're the centre of attraction all the time.

Their lives must be intruded by literally thousands of people.

The Queen, how on earth she manages to cope with what she does,

I just do not know.

My respect for her is unimaginable.

It really is.

Hear, hear!

For 70 years now,

the Queen and Prince Philip's marriage has played a significant

and crucial role in the enduring popularity of the monarchy.

It is a relationship built on strong foundations...

..shared values...

..and a dedication to duty.

But ultimately, to have been as successful as it has,

at its heart, well, these are

two people who fell in love,

worked hard at their relationship

and have lived,

as they say, happily ever after.