Prince Philip and Penny Knatchbull's Friendship, 'Outer Banks' Season 3 Arrives in February, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. In real life as on Netflix, the story of Uncle Dickie was one of the Royal Familys greatest traumas and tragedies as he was, indeed, murdered by the Irish Republican Army at age 79. In the movie, Philip and the Queen are discussing Charles ongoing affair with Camila. The story later shifted, with Charles supposedly the smokescreen that kept prying eyes away from her romance with Norton Knatchbull. Philip encouraged her to take up carriage driving and supported her when her husband, Norton, his godson, left her in 2010 for a fling with Nassau-based fashion designer Eugenie Nuttall.. Norton had been a year above Prince Charles at Scottish boarding school Gordonstoun and the Queen and Philip never forgot his kindness in looking after their eldest child during his challenging time there. Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. Asked whether these female friendships ever bothered the queen, Bedell Smith points to a conversation she had with Pamela Hicks, who was a bridesmaid and lady-in-waiting to the late monarch. . Tragedy befell the family in 1979 when Lord Mountbatten affectionately known by the royals as Uncle Dickie was assassinated by the IRA. The Truman Show actress Natascha McElhone plays Penny in The Crown, with veteran actor Jonathan Pryce taking over from Tobias Menzies as Philip. Previously, she covered culture at Refinery29 and Oprah Daily. Their marriage gave her the title of Lady Romsey, later becoming The Lady Brabourne in 2017, and she has now inherited the title of Countess Mountbatten of Burma. Norton, who is also known as Lord Romsey, inherited the ceremonial office of High Steward of Romsey in 1979,according to the Daily Echo, along with the Broadlands estate outside the town center. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. The Independent quoted him as answering one such question with, "Good god, woman! Knatchbull was born Penelope Eastwood. Where Did the 'Perfect Match' Couples End Up? For other inquiries Contact Us. However, The Crown gets the timeline of Philip and Knatchbulls friendship right, according to Sewards book. The Queen and Philip admired Penny for her indomitable spirit, dignity, and grace and made sure she was included in their lives as much as possibleso much so that Penny acquired the nickname and also as she was frequently a guest at Windsor Castle for the weekends. Dimbleby claims that before his assassination by the IRA, Mountbatten was trying to arrange a marriage between Charles and Norton's sister, Amanda. And one more thing connects the couple to the royal family: their house. It may be that she harbored suspicions or resentments about the nature of Prince Philip's friendship with Penelope Knatchbull, or that she was upset by other rumors of infidelity during their long marriage. Indeed, she has been so much a part of royal life, household staff nicknamed her And Also, because whenever Philip listed guests who were to be invited to a royal do, he would end with and also Penny. Jeannie, as she is known, is the sister of former Bahamas Attorney General Sean McWeeney. If she had been hurt by rumours of supposed dalliances, she would never let on., Philip himself would simply laugh off any suggestion of impropriety. Penny was the second-most important woman in the Duke of Edinburghs life a constant confidante, loyal companion and keeper of secrets,' she wrote. Coming just weeks after the nation laid Her Majesty to rest next to Prince Philip, this is very distasteful and, quite frankly, cruel rubbish, Dickie Arbiter, the queen's former press secretary, told The Sun. Besides keeping in touch with her old friend, Knatchbull reportedly played a key part in an embarrassing public episode of Philip's retired life. Penny later became Lady Romsey after she married Prince Philip's . View our online Press Pack. I read that Matt Smith played the part of Phillip with the idea in mind that he was cheating on Elizabeth. 57. An insider explained, "This is a relationship which naturally raised a few eyebrows and sparked quite a few whispers, but Philip and Penny maintained they were just friends. Three weeks after the accident, which Philip blamed on him being blinded by the low winter sun, it was announced he had stopped driving. The Countess Mountbatten of Burma 32 years younger than the late Duke of Edinburgh, who died in April 2021 aged 99 has been a trusted member of the Royal Familys inner circle for years and bonded with Philip through their love of carriage driving. The Duke of Edinburgh and Penelope Knatchbull carriage riding in 2007. The revelations that have leaked from Prince Harrys memoir, Palace Insiders Say Prince William Is Already Furious About Prince Harrys Memoir Leaks, Prince Harry alleges Prince William attacked him over Meghan Markle in a new excerpt from. The Full Lyrics to Look at Us Now (Honeycomb), Inside Riley Keoughs 'Daisy Jones' Transformation, Tracy Oliver on That Harlem Season 2 Finale, Aminah Nieves on Those Shocking 1923 Scenes. When he got into a car accident in 2019, Queen Elizabeth II decided that her husband needed to give up driving. Penny Knatchbull is a member of the British aristocracy and related by marriage to the royals, including both Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. In May last year, tattooed Nicholas, 40, a music producer and gardener, married Ambre Pouzet, a French former fire-eating mermaid performer. The queen and Knatchbull at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2018. There was never any question she would leave Broadlands, where every day she visits the tall stone monument, about 100 yards from the house, which stands above her daughter Leonoras grave. When Philip was involved in a car accident near the Queens Norfolk retreat of Sandringham in January 2019, Her Majesty dispatched Penny to encourage the duke to surrender his drivers licence. She did allow Norton back to Broadlands in 2014, not to themarital home, but to a converted barn there. Norton had been a year above Prince Charles at Scottish boarding school Gordonstoun and the Queen and Philip never forgot his kindness in looking after their eldest child during his challenging time there. Here they are driving around Windsor together in 2019: Royal expert Ingrid Seward writes in The Sun that Pennys marriage hit rock bottom at the time and she was left to maintain their family home: Running royal properties was something Philip knew full well, and having bonded with her over horses and carriage driving, their friendship blossomed further. Philip and Penny are said to have first met when she was dating her husband-to-be aged 20. Even when they had these moments where Penny actually said, You should not marry Diana. She remained a close companion to Philip for his whole life. Her surviving children have their own connections to the royal family. The fifth season of The Crown, which follows the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II, was released by Netflix on 9 November 2022. Of course, incidents like this on the Isle of Wight only fuelled whispers that they may have been more than just good friends. It was even rumoured Prince Charles had cut off his friendship with Penny after someone close to him shared their suspicion that his father was having an affair with her. She never betrayed him. Im talking about the Countess of Westmorland, the Duchess of Abercorn, clarifies Bedell Smith. Penny and Philip met in 1974 and hit it off immediately despite their 32-year age difference, becoming closer when Pennys daughter sadly died of kidney cancer in 1991. She was diagnosed with cancer and died at age 5. She has assumed management of the Mountbatten fortune, come to the Knatchbulls through Norton's grandfather Louis, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (Norton is the third). Her husband Norton, now the 3rd Earl Mountbatten of Burma, fled to the Caribbean to be with fashion designer Eugenie Nuttall. Penny and Norton at their wedding in 1979. Her marriage troubles came on top of worry about their son, Nicholas, who was a year above Prince William at Eton, and had spent years hooked on crack cocaine and heroin. She was 32 years young than he was, but they developed a close friendship over the years, bonding over their love of outdoor activities and all things equestrian.. Charles served as best man at the wedding and, in the years following, Knatchbull actually befriended Charles before getting to know his father. Penny isnt exactly a super-public figure, but shes been a close friend of the royal family for years. It was only when he feared he would be cut off from the familys 100million fortune that he checked into rehab and kicked his habits. Leonora, sadly, did not survive to adulthood. According to the book Prince Philip Revealed by Ingrid Seward, as described in People, the author wrote, When I saw Philip and Penny gilding around the dance floor at the Royal Yacht Squadron Ball during Cowes Week, neither of them gave a damn who saw them or what anyone might say.. The truth is that Penny was a long-time friend of the whole family. Her marriage troubles came on top of worry about their son, Nicholas, who was a year above Prince William at Eton, and had spent years hooked on crack cocaine and heroin. Philip's biographer Ingrid Seward told The Sun that she dispatched Knatchbull to carry out the difficult task of convincing him to surrender his driver's license. Knatchbull married Philips godson, Norton Knatchbull, Lord Romsey, on Oct. 20, 1979. Educated in Switzerland, and with a business degree from the London School of Economics, friends describe her as being outgoing, engaged, clever and well-read. Both Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip reached out to the Knatchbulls after the death of their five year-old daughter . GettyLord Brabourne and Lady Brabourne attend the funeral service of Patricia Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma at St Pauls Church in Knightsbridge on June 27, 2017 in London, England. News. It wasn't the first time in his life the prince faced accusations of infidelity. It's more than friendship that Penelope Eastwood Knatchbull shared with Prince Philip. Her father, Reginald Eastwood, founded the Angus Steakhouse chain, as Nicholas Davies writes in his 2000 Queen Elizabeth biography, "Beyond Palace Doors.". She is one of 30 mourners present, including immediate family members. Philip also gives sound advice on the running of the Broadlands estate, and they have the ability to cheer each other on even in the direst of circumstances. Ad Choices. Tatler reports that King Charles III is godfather to the Knatchbull's oldest, Nicholas, and that he gave Alexandra away at her wedding to Thomas Hooper in 2016 (Norton was said to be too ill). Apparently, the intimate scenes involve touching hands as he divulges details of his marriage and well actively see them pursuing an affair.. There was never any question she would leave Broadlands, where every day she visits the tall stone monument, about 100 yards from the house, which stands above her daughter Leonoras grave. Devastated by this horror, Penny and Norton decided to postpone their wedding for two months. Philip always had women friends. "Philip befriended her when her life began to fall apart. News, that was the year Knatchbull's daughter Leonora died of cancer. Her superpower is matching people up with the perfect book, which she does on her podcast, Blind Date With a Book. Norton is also the grandson of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Philip's uncle, notes Newsweek. Penelope Knatchbull had a long-term friendship with Prince Philip. Carriage driving is a sport where one driver steers a carriage drawn by one, two, or four horses, with three tests of skill and speed. Courtesy of Netflix; Steve Parsons/PA Wire. Penelope Knatchbull's constant presence at Prince Philip's side from the 1990s on was almost bound to excite rumors. Per Yahoo! She gave few interviews and never aired dirty laundry about her family in public. Ingrid Seward, author of biography Prince Philip Revealed: A Man Of His Century, said: The Queen had enlisted the help of the Countess Mountbatten of Burma, who visited Philip and helped convince him to give up driving.. Charles, Philip's oldest son who is now the British sovereign, was Norton Knatchbull's best man in their wedding. She became such a close confidant of his that she was often referred to his And Alsowhen listing his guests for an event, he would conclude with and also Penny.. He encouraged Penny to take up his sport of carriage driving, to distract her, and got his head groom Micky Flynn to show her the ropes. Here's The Scoop On Her And Their Relationship, Prince Philip Revealed: A Man of His Century. Shes lost her best friend., The Crowns Princess Diana Debuts Her Revenge Dress, Everything You Need to Know About The Crowns New Season, Imelda Staunton and Jonathan Pryce on Channeling Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Recreating Princess Dianas Prescient 90s Fashion, The Crown Season 5 Is a Compelling Prelude to Tragedy, What Happened When Fake Charles Met Real Camilla, From the Archive: Dodis Life in the Fast Lane, Discover More Real-Life Royal Scandals With VFs Dynasty Podcast, 2023 Cond Nast. The civil ceremony at Broadlands was a far cry from his sister Alexandras lavish 2016 wedding at Romsey Abbey, in which she was given away by Prince Charles, as her father, The Queen and Philip watched. Penelope Knatchbull (ne Eastwood) is the wife of Norton Knatchbull, the grandson of Earl Mountbatten ( The Crown watchers know him as Uncle Dickie) and Prince Philip's own godson. Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. Pennys marriage broke down in 2010, after 31 years and three children. But it was after Pennys five-year-old daughter Leonora died of kidney cancer in 1991 that Philip really began to take her under his wing. Express reported that Penny regularly saw Philip before his death, and the Queen sought her help to get the aging Duke of Edinburgh to stop driving. Penny returned to the Royal Windsor Horse Show last month without her decades-long comp-anion for the first time. Penny Knatchbull & Prince Philip Relationship: What Is the Real Story? To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. She was one of the only people apart from family members who he saw at Wood Farm, the five-bedroom home on the Sandringham estate where he spent most of his time after he retired from royal duties in 2017. Shes completely wrong for you, he forgave her.. And often he was accompanied by a neighbor, a woman who was quite a lot younger, who he had taught to carriage drive. Seward agreed, adding that Philip was not the type of man to discuss private details of his marriage with anyone. Prince Philip and Penny riding motorbikes in 2006. She is referred to as Lady Romsey in The Crown, a title she held from 1979 to 2005 before becoming Lady Brabourne from 2005 to 2017 and now the Countess Mountbatten of Burma, according to Today. He trusted her implicitly and she adored him. The Royal Family, in particular The Queen, were full of admiration for Pennys stoicism. According to Seward, Knatchbull was close to both Elizabeth and Philip, and is a friend to their son, now-King Charles III. She and the duke also both shared a boisterous sense of humour, according to Ingrid. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. In May last year, tattooed Nicholas, 40, a music producer and gardener, married Ambre Pouzet, a French former fire-eating mermaid performer. .css-4xjy6g{display:block;font-family:RundDisplay,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;letter-spacing:0.01em;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-4xjy6g:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-4xjy6g{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.9375rem;margin-top:1.25rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-4xjy6g{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:1.25rem;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-4xjy6g{font-size:1.625rem;line-height:1.2;}}Harry and Meghan Are OK About Leaving Frogmore, Hailey Has Lost 1M IG Followers Amid TikTok Drama, Kim K Is Asking Friends to Set Her Up With Normals, Harry & Meg Have the "Upper Hand" in Royal Talks, Cardi B Shows Off New Face Tattoo of Son's Name, Save 20% on Bella Hadid's Go-to Skincare Tool, See Kelly Ripa's Insane Bikini Instagram Photo, Get Madelyn's Glazed Vanilla French Manicure, Adam Sandler's Wife Jackie Shuts Down Red Carpet, See Mariska Hargitays Emotional Tribute on IG, Urologist Explains How Penis Size Is Increasing. Philip befriended her when her life began to fall apart following the death of her five-year-old daughter, Leonora, from kidney cancer in 1991, wrote Ingrid Seward in 2020s Prince Philip Revealed. Months later, in September, she attended the queen's funeral at Westminster Abbey. Sure enough, the queen reluctantly meets with her husband's companion one-on-one and even invites her to ride with her to church service. She was seen standing behind the Queen, broad grins on both their faces. She remained close with the royal family, and was one of only a few mourners at Prince Philips 2021 funeral, which had limited attendees due to the COVID-19 pandemic. THEIR friendship spanned decades and often raised eyebrows. In the years that followed, Knatchbull and Romsey remained close friends with Charleseven offering to speak out in his defense after Andrew Morton published his infamous Princess Diana tell-all, according to Bedell Smith. She explicitly said, I did not go to bed with him. They shared this passion for Carl Jung that also Prince Charles had.. A TV insider last year said: The highly personal relationship is unlikely to be welcomed as a storyline by the Queen or the rest of the Royal Family.. Ingrid says: They were brought together by tragedy but were there for each other through thick and thin. See new trailer for the highly anticipated season five of The Crown, Queen Elizabeth biography, "Beyond Palace Doors. Charles is close to the Knatchbull's children (per Tatler), and Dimbley claims in "Prince of Wales" that they were some of his only friends to warn him against his marriage to Diana Spencer. The Daily Mail claims that Nicholas was at one time addicted to crack and heroin. But it was after Pennys five-year-old daughter Leonora died of kidney cancer in 1991 that Philip really began to take her under his wing. By coincidence, Leonora shared the same birthday as Uncle Dickie. Penny, left to manage her and Nortons 5,000-acre Hampshire estate alone, reportedly gathered together all the staff while her estranged husband was mid-flight and told them he had gone but everything else would stay the same. Born Penelope Meredith Mary Eastwood on April 16, 1953, she is the only daughter of a wealthy business owner and grew up in Switzerland before going on to graduate from the London School of Economics in 1976. Here they are together at Nortons christening: On top of all that, Norton is also Prince Charless second cousinand Charles was actually the best man at Norton and Pennys wedding: Anyway, Penny became close to the royals in part through her husband and was often seen hanging with Prince Charles: But she became particularly tight with Nortons godfather Prince Philip thanks to their shared love for carriage driving. Penny Eastwood marries Norton Knatchbull at Romsey Abbey in Hampshire, England. As Diana and Charles wage a media. Penny, left to manage her and Nortons 5,000-acre Hampshire estate alone, reportedly gathered together all the staff while her estranged husband was mid-flight and told them he had gone but everything else would stay the same. Following Philip's 2021 death, Knatchbull was one of 30 guests invited to the. Penny Knatchbull was known as the confidant and "keeper of secrets" for Prince Philip after meeting him and the Monarch in 1974. Penny Knatchbull and Prince Philip. However testy that conversation may have gone, Knatchbull remained a visitor to Wood Farm until Philip's death in 2021. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Of course, incidents like this on the Isle of Wight only fuelled whispers that they may have been more than just good friends. To her friends, Penelope Knatchbull is known as Penny. Below are some key moments from their her friendship with the late Duke of Edinburgh through the years. Nicholas is in line to inherit the wealth of the Mountbatten family and his father's titles, but he was reportedly once in danger of being disinherited. Although she mostly grew up in Sweden, Penny was incredibly close to the royals thanks to her marriage to Norton Louis Philip Knatchbull. When he removed himself to the Bahamas in 2010, he relinquished the job, which largely consists of presiding over local functions in ceremonial dress. Indeed, she has been so much a part of royal life, household staff nicknamed her And Also, because whenever Philip listed guests who were to be invited to a royal do, he would end with and also Penny. A source close to the royal family is slamming Countess Mountbatten's supposed portrayal in "The Crown" as "deliberately cruel" and "unnecessarily unsympathetic." One source said: He was a tremendous support during a time of unimaginable grief.. As for Prince Philip (Jonathan Pryce), he develops a close friendship with family friend Penny Knatchbull while experiencing his own marital troubles with the queen. He told journalist Jeremy Paxman: Every time I talk to a woman they say Ive been to bed with her. Norton had been a year above Prince Charles at Scottish boarding school Gordonstoun and the Queen and Philip never forgot his kindness in looking after their eldest child during his challenging time there. Philip always was a flirt and the Queen used to joke about his lascivious nature. But Penelope has also taken over some ceremonial duties related to her husband's titles. Educated in Switzerland, and with a business degree from the London School of Economics, friends describe her as being outgoing, engaged, clever and well-read. Read more about Lord Mountbattens death at the hands of the IRA here. But the two have continued to have a presence in each other's lives. Philip also encouraged Knatchbull who also goes by the name Penny Romsey to take up the sport, according to Seward, who also wrote that Philip got his son Edwards wife, Sophie, into it as well; Sophie and her daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, both compete. Pennys marriage broke down in 2010, after 31 years and three children. There may be no evidence for rumors that Penelope Knatchbull and Prince Philip carried on an affair, but it is a matter of public record that Penelope's own marriage was marred by infidelity. So What Was Penny's IRL Relationship With Philip? In 2010, according to Tatler, Norton Knatchbull left his wife and his family home of Broadlands to live with his mistress, Lady Nuttall, in the Bahamas. If Philip had been looking down on them, he surely would have been smiling too. Penny and the Duke of Edinburgh shared decades of affection, a source told Grazia. The Countess Mountbatten of Burma 32 years younger than the late Duke of Edinburgh, who died in April 2021 aged 99 has been a trusted member of the Royal Familys inner circle for years and bonded with Philip through their love of carriage driving. So why is her appearance in The Crown so controversial? The bomb blast on board his fishing boat off County Sligo, Ireland, which featured in the last series of The Crown, also killed Nortons 14-year-old brother Nicholas and his grandmother, Lady Brabourne. Three weeks after the accident, which Philip blamed on him being blinded by the low winter sun, it was announced he had stopped driving. She has also been known as Lady Romsey and Lady Brabourne, as well as the High Steward of Romsey. While driving around sprawling country estates, Philip liked to discuss religion and other deep, worldly matters., Seward also said that they were brought together by tragedy but were there for each other through thick and thin. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. By coincidence, Leonora shared the same birthday as Uncle Dickie. Her wedding was held only months after the assassination and was attended by the queen and Philip, then-Prince Charles, and other assorted royals. February 27, 2023 .