Prince Philip's frank reaction to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's romance
A royal biographer has shared the blunt advice that the late Duke of Edinburgh reportedly had for his grandson, Prince Harry, amid his plans to wed former American actress, Meghan Markle.Author Andrew Lownie claims in his book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, that following news about Harry's engagement to Meghan after a year of dating, Prince Philip is said to have warned his grandson: "One steps out with actresses, one doesn't marry them."This caution was also reported by The Sunday Times in 2019: "The Duke of Edinburgh apparently also chipped in – 'One steps out with actresses, one doesn't marry them,' he is said to have advised his grandson. Idle dinner party gossip, perhaps, although it does sound like a Prince Philip bon mot."Nevertheless, the Duke put in a rare public appearance to attend Harry and Meghan's nuptials at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on 19 May 2018. Prince Philip retired from royal duties on 2 August 2017, aged 96, having completed 22,219 solo engagements since 1952.He spent the latter years of his life residing at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, until the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when he and Queen Elizabeth II spent lockdown at Windsor Castle.Prince Philip's death and funeralPhilip died aged 99 at the Berkshire royal residence on 9 April 2021, just a month shy of his 100th birthday. Harry and Meghan had already stepped back as senior working royals and had moved to California at the time of the Duke's death, but the Prince flew over from the US to the UK in order to attend his grandfather's funeral at St George's Chapel.Only 30 mourners could attend the service due to COVID-19 restrictions at the time. Upon arriving in the UK, Harry self-isolated at his and Meghan's former Windsor home, Frogmore Cottage, in line with government advice at the time, in order to be at the funeral.Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex was unable to make the journey to the UK as she was heavily pregnant with the couple's second child, Princess Lilibet, and doctors had advised her not to fly.'Master of the barbecue'In a tribute to Prince Philip, Harry wrote: "My grandfather was a man of service, honour and great humour. He was authentically himself, with a seriously sharp wit, and could hold the attention of any room due to his charm - and also because you never knew what he might say next."He will be remembered as the longest reigning consort to the monarch, a decorated serviceman, a Prince and a Duke. But to me, like many of you who have lost a loved one or grandparent over the pain of this past year, he was my grandpa: master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right 'til the end."He has been a rock for Her Majesty The Queen with unparalleled devotion, by her side for 73 years of marriage, and while I could go on, I know that right now he would say to all of us, beer in hand, 'Oh do get on with it!'"
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