Prince Philipwas known for his way with words, andPrince CharlesandPrince Harryare sharing some of their most unforgettable exchanges with the Duke of Edinburgh in an upcoming documentary on his nearly 100-year life.
InPrince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers, airing Wednesday night in the U.K. on BBC One, Charles reveals what may have been the last conversation he had with his father.
Last spring when Charles, 72, brought up Philip’s upcoming birthday (the Duke would have turned 100 on June 10, but he died on April 9), Philip didn’t miss a beat: “Well, I’ve got to be alive for it, haven’t I?” P
Charles replied as only a son can: “I knew you’d say that!”
Prince Philip and Prince Charles.Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
Philip “absolutely hated” getting older and “was the worst patient in the world!” shares granddaughterZara Tindall, according to theDaily Mail.
She adds, “But, actually, you never really prepare yourself for losing him because he was always there.”
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwallnotes that her father-in-law’s death “felt like the end of an era. They’re a very difficult generation to live up to but I’m very proud and very pleased that I knew him.”
A still from the Queen’s video collection showing Philip and Charles and Anne playing.BBC
The documentary provides an “unrivaled” glimpse into Philip’s life, with never-before-seen home movies fromQueen Elizabeth’s private collection, as well as interviews from 15 of his children and grandchildren, includingPrince William,Princess Anne,Princess Eugenieand Harry (Kate Middleton,Meghan Markle, the Cambridge children and the Queen herself did not sit for interviews).
Looking farther back, the documentary also shares an exchange Philip and Harry shared that was characteristically poignent yet to-the-point.
Prince Harry and Prince Philip.EDDIE MULHOLLAND/POOL/AFP via Getty
When Harry, now 37, returned the next year, “there wasn’t a deep level of discussion, more a case of, ‘Well you made it. How was it?’ That’s how he was.”
Adds Harry, “He was very much a listener, he sort of set the scene for you to be able to share as much as you wanted to share but he would never probe.”
As a naval veteran himself, not to mention the father and grandfather of many service members, Philip’s respect for the military was always clear.
“He’s always set a very good example about how we have to look after the welfare of the military and represent them and be there for them,” says William, 39, because Philip understood “the trials and tribulations that they all go through.”
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Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth.Chris Young/AP/Shutterstock
Prince Philip: The Royal Family Rememberswill share more memories of the Duke of Edinburgh, from his love of barbecuing to his 73-year marriage to the Queen.
Says Harry, “From my grandmother’s perspective, to have someone like that on your shoulder for 73 years of marriage — it doesn’t get better than that.”
source: people.com
