Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip traditionally shied away from displays of affection in public – but it seems things were different behind closed doors.
The late monarch and her husband were married for 74 years and argued just like any other couple, sharing the same wicked sense of humour. And according to one royal author, Ian Lloyd, things could get unexpectedly cheeky between them behind the scenes.
In his book, The Queen: 70 Chapters in the Life of Queen Elizabeth II, Ian recounted one moment recalled by Chief Petty Officer William Evans.
When the late Queen and her husband were in their mid-thirties, the author claimed Philip once 'pinched her bottom' and ran after her, to which she could only respond: "Stop it, Philip!"
He said the Queen was "screaming with laughter and shouting 'Stop it! Philip, stop it, stop it, stop it!' as Philip ran after her, pinching her bottom repeatedly and growling, 'Get up there, girl, get up there!'".
In a further passage, the biographer continued: "Philip himself inadvertently gave a clue to their intimacy when he fact-checked a manuscript by biographer Tim Heald.
"The author wrote, 'It was generally known that at the palace the royal couple had separate bedrooms.' In the margin the prince scrawled, 'wrongly.'"
© PA Images via Getty ImagesQueen and Philip's shared sense of humour
The couple were married for more than seven decades following their 1947 wedding, welcoming four children: King Charles, Princess Anne, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and Prince Edward.
Philip, who died in April 2021, will certainly be remembered for his charm, his sense of humour and his witty one-liners.
© gettyIn a BBC documentary to remember his father after he passed away, Charles said: "He was marvellous at arranging silly games. I mean, the fun of having obviously young parents was… there were lots of chasing around and mad things."
Most of the time, Queen Elizabeth was serious and practical, but she also had a surprising sense of humour herself.
For example, during the G7 summit of bored-looking world leaders in 2021, the Queen turned to then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson to lighten the mood. "Are you supposed to be looking as if you're enjoying yourself?" she asked, prompting laughter from the others.
Prince Philip's reaction to claims he cheated on the Queen
Prince Philip and the Queen had one of the most famous royal love stories of all time, but they constantly faced cheating allegations.
© Getty ImagesAppearing on a recent episode of HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast to discuss his upcoming biography of the late monarch, Elizabeth II: An Intimate Portrait, Gyles Brandreth revealed how "frustrated" Philip was over the rumours, and detailed how the late royal initially wanted to take legal action.
Speaking to hosts Andrea Caamano and Emily Nash, Gyles explained: "Yes, he had flirtatious friendships. He was of a generation where maybe that was more acceptable than it would be now."
However, he added: "I talked to a number of people quoted at length, one of them who had been a very close friend of his. And nothing happened between them. It doesn't mean to say there wasn't an intimate friendship, but I don't believe he was a philanderer."
