The Duke: 100 Chapters in the Life of Prince Philip
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The Archbishop of Canterbury called him ‘bloody rude’, courtiers feared he was ‘a foreign interloper out for the goodies’, daughter-in-law Sarah Ferguson found him ‘very frightening’ and the Queen Mother labelled him ‘the Hun’. Journalists have continually portrayed him as a gaffe-prone serial philanderer, with European outlets going way off-piste and claiming he has fathered 24 illegitimate children. Prince Philip says ‘the impression the public has got is unfair’, though there is no self-serving autobiography and his interviews with broadcasters or writers are done grudgingly. The Duke sets out to explore the man behind the various myths, drawing on interviews with relations, friends and courtiers and the Duke’s own words. It brings to life some rare aspects of his character, from a love of poetry and religion to his fondness for Duke Ellington and his fascination with UFOs. It also explains why for over seven decades he has been the Queen’s ‘strength and stay’ – and why he is regarded by many as a national treasure.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Reprinted Edition (18 Feb. 2021), The History Press |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Hardcover | 320 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0750996080 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0750996082 |
| Dimensions | 13.79 x 2.29 x 21.59 cm |
by The Essex Pumpkin
If you need more than the dry, terse Wikipedia biography of Prince Philip, then this is it. But don’t expect any real detail or colour. Lloyd is prone to frequent fawning, and you are often left wondering about the missing detail.
It’s an easy 100 chapters: War and Peace this isn’t.
Think of it as a taster to decide whether you are prepared to fork out for a real biography of the man (most of which are listed at the end).
by Kathy Howell
Having read about the Duke before, OI was amazed at how “royal” he actually was. I found this book very enjoyable and found myself laughing out loud at some of his gaffes! Definitely recommended.
by sue steeples
Gifts
by Tracey H.
Difficult to read
by IRP
The big problem is it starts to sound as if the author is trivialising Prince Philip’s life, trying to emphasis the negative and play down the positive.
Prince Philip’s naval service only gets the briefest mention in the chapter on 1939 to 1948.
Although Princess Beatrice gets a mention her sister Princes Eugenie does not despite her close relationship with her grandfather and naming her son August Philip. Even more incredible is the failure to mention Prince Edward’s daughter Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor who for months, and years was brought up by her grandparents, being joined by her convalescing Mother after about eight weeks. Lady Louise had to endure twelve years of operations to correct her eyes. Lady Louise remained close to her grandparents for the rest of their lives inheriting her grandfather’s two racehorses and his racing buggy.
Similarly, the negative is emphasis in his relationship to Prince Charles, but they were at one on environmental issues. They were talking about global warming so far ahead of the rest of the world that they were ridiculed by almost everybody else. They were at one on issues relating to animals and particularly wildlife, as well as all things agricultural and horticultural.
Prince Philip and Prince Charles were at one with the Queen on turning the Commonwealth into a mutual support organisation and the “The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award” into a vehicle for identifying and promoting future world leaders.
by Ladykol
A nice insight into the man. I definitely recommend this to anyone, even if they are vaguely curious about The Duke.
by Lyn W
Excellent. Brought as a gift. Rwcipient delighted
by CAROL D.
I’m so pleased I bought this book. It’s easy to read and put down when I’ve chores to do. Every chapter is not too long and it makes for delightfully new insights to how amazing the life of the Duke has been.