Separated from her husband and once a confidante of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip took it upon himself to teach her carriage driving in 1994 and the two have never stopped seeing each other. The Queen, sitting just feet away at the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery had no problems with their flirtation. She was just glad that her husband of 67 years looked relaxed.

This isn’t the first time that her husband’s name has been linked with another woman. As his cousin, Princess Alexandra of the Hellenes observed, “He liked blondes, brunettes and redheads – he was very impartial.”

He has never made a secret of it and Queen Elizabeth never seemed to mind. She has said, “Some men have certain needs and that doesn’t mean they love their wives any the less.”

With such an attitude it isn’t surprising that Prince Philip and Brabourne have spent regular weekends carriage driving around the country. Out of respect for the Queen, she never stays the night at the secluded Wood Farm at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk when the queen is there.

Prince Philip’s link to Greece

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the final child of Prince Alice of Battenberg and Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark was born on the isle of Corfu in a house without electricity, hot water or indoor plumbing. His father was accused of treason when the entire family sailed for France to avert execution, where he grew up speaking English, French and German but not Greek. He lived a poor but royal life until he met Princess Elizabeth of Great Britain though her parents were not wild about the idea of the marriage.