And I thought it was very comparable to the kind of relationship he had with Penny., Though Knatchbull has never spoken publicly about Philip, Bedell Smith notes that Sacha Abercorn attempted to put rumors to rest. Penelope Knatchbull's constant presence at Prince Philip's side from the 1990s on was almost bound to excite rumors. According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, Penny and Philip's friendship blossomed after the family tragedy. I think because [the queen] understood him very well and she recognized [the friendships] for what they werethat they were based on some element, like carriage driving or a fondness for the work of Carl Jung, and that they were not affairs. Andrew Knight, who was the editor of The Sunday Times, did talk to [Knatchbull and Romsey] and they were just absolutely outraged. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we love. And so it was the same kind of thing. View our online Press Pack. "The Crown" has exploited these rumors more than once, and previews for its fifth season showed him discussing his marital woes with Knatchbull and showing physical intimacy. Restaurant critics from the Telegraph to The Guardian have taken shots at Angus Steak House's reputation. . In that time, her father's chain was sold, and it's traded owners over the decades. 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. The truth is that Penny was a longtime friend of the whole family. The Truman Show actress Natascha McElhone plays Penny in The Crown, with veteran actor Jonathan Pryce taking over from Tobias Menzies as Philip. Her surviving children have their own connections to the royal family. Alexandra, a financial analyst known as Knatch, chose to marry Thomas Hooper, an entrepreneur, on what would have been her sister Leonoras 30th birthday. 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. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Thus, its not surprising that Philip and Penny would be close; the Mountbatten family had always figured prominently in Philips life story and his heart. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. / norton knatchbull illness. The tabloids haven't left Charles and Penelope alone in the years since the wedding. Her husband Norton, now the 3rd Earl Mountbatten of Burma, fled to the Caribbean to be with fashion designer Eugenie Nuttall. She did allow Norton back to Broadlands in 2014, not to themarital home, but to a converted barn there. Its absolutely cuckoo.. As Diana and Charles wage a media. Questions hovered over their friendship in the press, with some speculating more was going on. Norton and Penny Knatchbull on their wedding day. Theres already major backlash to this alleged narrative decision, and the Queens former press secretary Dickie Arbiter told The Sun that coming just weeks after the nation laid Her Majesty to rest next to Prince Philip, this is very distasteful and, quite frankly, cruel rubbish. In happier times, she could be seen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace alongside the royal family, waving at the crowds and taking in the trooping of the color (per the Irish Times). Coming just weeks after the nation laid Her Majesty to rest next to Prince Philip, this is very distasteful and, quite frankly, cruel rubbish, he told the publication. Penelope Knatchbull had a long-term friendship with Prince Philip. And one more thing connects the couple to the royal family: their house. Norton Knatchbull was a cousin of the then-prince and a good friend; they both attended Gordonstoun boarding school (per Jonathan Dimbley's "The Prince of Wales: A Biography"). Penelope (Penny) Knatchbull, also known as Countess Mountbatten of Burma, who befriended Prince Philip at a polo match in 1975 when she was 20, became one of his closest confidantes despite. So What Was Penny's IRL Relationship With Philip? The Crown creator Peter Morgan has long been fascinated by the 73-year marriage between Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, devoting story lines in the series first four seasons to the unique power dynamicdramatizing, for example, Philips struggle sacrificing his naval career to support his wife just five years into their marriage, when she suddenly became queen. "We'll never know how the Queen felt about it all," Philip's biographer Ingrid Seward told The Sun. However, despite their estrangement, Penelope and Norton remained legally married. Princess Diana did have her own connection to the family though The Crown takes its liberties. So little wonder the makers of TVs The Crown have delved into the extraordinary relationship between Prince Philip and Penny Knatchbull in the new series of the Netflix drama. Penelope and Norton Knatchbull have had three children together (per Tatler): Nicholas, Alexandra, and Leonora. Philip always had women friends. 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. Per Yahoo! She studied in Switzerland and the London School of Economics, according to The Sun. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Penelope has been so much a part of royal life, household staff have nicknamed her And Also, Penelope has been a trusted member of the Royal Familys inner circle for years and bonded with Philip through their love of carriage-driving, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Phillip and Natascha McElhone as Penny Knatchbull in The Crown, Penny was the only non-family at Philips small, Covid-restricted funeral, except for his personal secretary, Penny and Prince Charles pictured in 1983, The pair mount their motorbikes during the Royal Windsor Horse Show at Home Park, Windsor Castle on May 13, 2005, Philip and Penny at Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2009, Inside Prince Philips highly personal relationship with Penny Knatchbull the only non-Royal invited to his funeral. In the first episode of season 4, Lord Mountbatten was blown up on a fishing boat by the Irish Republican Army (the IRA). Penny and Norton Knatchbull had three children: Alexandra, Nicholas and Leonora. The Sun reported that Knatchbull was born in London, England, on April 16, 1963. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Penelope has been so much a part of royal life, household staff have nicknamed her And Also, Penelope has been a trusted member of the Royal Familys inner circle for years and bonded with Philip through their love of carriage-driving, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Phillip and Natascha McElhone as Penny Knatchbull in The Crown, Penny was the only non-family at Philips small, Covid-restricted funeral, except for his personal secretary, Penny and Prince Charles pictured in 1983, The pair mount their motorbikes during the Royal Windsor Horse Show at Home Park, Windsor Castle on May 13, 2005, Philip and Penny at Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2009, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Only a handful of locations remain open, and the chain's future was in serious doubt as of 2021. THEIR friendship spanned decades and often raised eyebrows. Although Her Majestyand probably many of us viewersfirst suspects him of having a romantic affair, Pryce's Philip assures her that his and Lady Penny's relationship is . The royal family attended, and Prince Charles, the groom's second cousin, even served as best man. The fifth season of The Crown, which follows the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II, was released by Netflix on 9 November 2022. 690 comment s 1 video She and Prince Philip reportedly forged a connection over their mutual love for the outdoors and horses. In 1981, when it was in the hands of Penelope and Norton Knatchbull, Prince Charles and Princess Diana spent the first part of their honeymoon there as well. Penny later became Lady Romsey after she married Prince Philip's . "Philip befriended her when her life began to fall apart. 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. They also shared an enthusiasm for races of another kind: mini motorbikes. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Penelope has been so much a part of royal life, household staff have nicknamed her And Also, Penelope has been a trusted member of the Royal Familys inner circle for years and bonded with Philip through their love of carriage-driving, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Phillip and Natascha McElhone as Penny Knatchbull in The Crown, Penny was the only non-family at Philips small, Covid-restricted funeral, except for his personal secretary, Penny and Prince Charles pictured in 1983, The pair mount their motorbikes during the Royal Windsor Horse Show at Home Park, Windsor Castle on May 13, 2005, Philip and Penny at Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2009, Inside Prince Philips highly personal relationship with Penny Knatchbull the only non-Royal invited to his funeral. 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. The British actor also appeared in The Truman Show, Solaris and The Other Boleyn Girl.. They're also distantly related by blood: Norton is the grandson of of Philip's uncle, Louis. It was the first season of the series to be released following both the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on 9 April 2021 and the death of Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022.. Imelda Staunton stars as Elizabeth, along with main cast members Jonathan . According to theIrish Times,Knatchbull and Charles were once reported to be more than friends. Penelope Meredith Mary Knatchbull - Countess Mountbatten of Burma - is a friend of the British Royal Family who had a particularly close relationship with Prince Philip. Philip and Penny are said to have first met when she was dating her husband-to-be aged 20. Getty When asked more broadly about allegations he had affairs, Philip would snap at the press. 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. But author Ingrid said: Well never know how the Queen felt about it all. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Countess Penny remained close with the queen even after Prince Philip's death, and was even seen attending the the Royal Windsor Horse Show with her in May. But even before the Big Day, everyone was already spiraling about several plot pointsincluding scenes involving Penny Knatchbull. Powered by. The day after Philip was laid to rest at St Georges Chapel, Windsor, Irish republican party Sinn Fein the political wing of the IRA apologised for Mountbattens assassination. The queen and Knatchbull at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2018. When they did tie the knot, with Prince Charles as best man, they inherited Mountbattens 18th-century, 60-room Broadlands estate near Romsey, Hants, where Charles and Di would spend part of their honeymoon two years later. Although she mostly grew up in Sweden, Penny was incredibly close to the royals thanks to her marriage to Norton Louis Philip Knatchbull. Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma and Queen Elizabeth II attend The Royal Windsor Horse Show at Home Park on May 13, 2022. Jonathan Pryce, who plays Prince Philip, said hes hugely disappointed by fellow artistes who have called for the Netflix series to get a disclaimer. Penny Knatchbull & Prince Philip Relationship: What Is the Real Story? 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. Charles was the best man when Penelope and Norton married. Knatchbull married Philips godson, Norton Knatchbull, Lord Romsey, on Oct. 20, 1979. By marriage, she's also kin to the royal family. Nortons relationship to the British royals runs deep, but for starters, he was the grandson of Lord Mountbattenwho viewers of The Crown know was very close to then-Prince Charles. Everything You Need to Know About Penny Knatchbull, Turns Out Charles and Camilla Met Through His Ex, Harry and Meghan Are OK About Leaving Frogmore, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. He told journalist Jeremy Paxman: Every time I talk to a woman they say Ive been to bed with her. The Independent quoted him as answering one such question with, "Good god, woman! Inside Prince Philip's 'highly personal' relationship with Penny Knatchbull - the only non-Royal invited to his funeral Kate Jackson Published : 10:36, 10 Nov 2022 She was dubbed and also because she was so often included in Royal events, according to Express. Getty28th March 1980: Lord and Lady Romsey in the grounds of Broadland, showing the house in the background. Charles, Philip's oldest son who is now the British sovereign, was Norton Knatchbull's best man in their wedding. Love Island's Olivia Hawkins breaks silence as she returns to the UK, Loose Women star lined up to be Strictly's first contestant in wheelchair, GMB's Kate Garraway reveals crippling cost of caring for her husband Derek, Stephen Bear 'broke behind bars' as his company is shut down before he's jailed, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. She never betrayed him. 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. All rights reserved. And as usual, the truth is slightly more complicated. She is . As The Crown shows, their youngest, Leonora, died of kidney cancer at age 6. Leonora, sadly, did not survive to adulthood. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Penny was reportedly introduced to the royal family at a polo match when she was 20 years old. But the highly personal relationship is unlikely to be welcomed as a storyline by Her Majesty or the rest of the royal family.. In 1979, five years after first meeting Philip and Queen Elizabeth II, Penelope Eastwood became Penelope Knatchbull when she married Norton Knatchbull, Philip's godson and King Charles III's second cousin, according toHarper's Bazaar. And if your response to that sentence is literally whomst, you are not alone! The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. It also features Queen Elizabeth II (Imelda Staunton) grappling with the monarchy's declining relevance in the 1990s and Princess Margaret (Lesley Manville) revisiting a long-lost love. Prince Philip, officially opened and was shown round the new art, drama and dance facilities at the further education college which offers up to 2,000 courses. Alexandra was at the time furious with her father for leaving her mother, but of course she still wanted him at the wedding.. He is a grandson of Lord. Beyond the sport, The Crown also shows Philip's deep bond with Knatchbull. Penny is seen joining the Queen and Prince Philip at a church service at Sandringham circa 2012. 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. Philip, though, was the right consort for Elizabeth when they married, and they have stayed in love ever since, despite going through various ups and downs throughout their . Season Five of The Crown explores Prince Philips companionship, as his character says in the show, with Penny Knatchbull, the Countess Mountbatten of Burma. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. 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. The Truman Show actress Natascha McElhone plays Penny in The Crown, with veteran actor Jonathan Pryce taking over from Tobias Menzies as Philip. 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. Tatler reported that he came home in 2014. 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 remained close with the royal family, and was one of only a few mourners at Prince Philip's 2021 funeral, which had limited attendees due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was the only non-family member at Philips small, Covid-restricted funeral, except for his personal secretary. That was certainly the case between Prince Philip and Penny Knatchbull. Penelope Knatchbull nicknamed Penny is one of the closest friends of the royal family. Jonathan Pryce and Natascha McElhone recreate the relationship between Knatchbull and Philip in The Crown.. Of course, incidents like this on the Isle of Wight only fuelled whispers that they may have been more than just good friends. By coincidence, Leonora shared the same birthday as Uncle Dickie. Ingrid says: They were brought together by tragedy but were there for each other through thick and thin. Previously, she covered culture at Refinery29 and Oprah Daily. The wedding took place two months after the IRA assassinated Philip's grandfather, Lord Mountbatten, and younger brother, Nicholas. The grandson of Lord Louis Mountbatten, Lord Romsey, marries Penelope Eastwood at Romsey Abbey on October 20, 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. 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 Knatchbull and Prince Philip. What does a purple poppy mean and where can I buy one for Remembrance Day? The Oscar nominees play the queen and her consort during the mid-'90s, a time period famously rife with scandal for the royal family, in, Prince Harry on Williams Hairline and Their Wicked Stepmother. Knatchbull was a friend to all the royal family, not just Philip, and insinuating otherwise so soon after the queen's death was, in Arbiter's eyes, poor taste. Her death is said to be what drove Penelope into a deeper friendship with Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II, as per Yahoo! The Truman Show actress Natascha McElhone plays Penny in The Crown, with veteran actor Jonathan Pryce taking over from Tobias Menzies as Philip. She explicitly said, I did not go to bed with him. They shared this passion for Carl Jung that also Prince Charles had.. She never betrayed him. But the two have continued to have a presence in each other's lives. Earl Mountbatten is a relative of Prince Philips uncle, the first Earl Mountbatten, to whom Philip was exceptionally close. According to The Sun, Knatchbull, otherwise known as Countess Mountbatten is married to Norton Knatchbull, the Earl Mountbatten. She and the duke also both shared a boisterous sense of humour, according to Ingrid. Even when they had these moments where Penny actually said, You should not marry Diana. 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 also noted that the queen was sufficiently aware and presumably comfortable with her husband's flirtatious tendencies to joke about it. Below are some key moments from their her friendship with the late Duke of Edinburgh through the years. By coincidence, Leonora shared the same birthday as Uncle Dickie. According to Express, Norton had an affair that became public, and Penny ordered him to stay in a converted barn, although she took him back. She never betrayed him. Penny was introduced to Philip at age 20 while dating husband-to-be Norton Knatchbull, Philips godson and grandson of the dukes uncle Lord Mountbatten. 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. Back then, Penny was simply Penelope Eastwood, daughter of Reg Eastwood, a wealthy butcher turned businessman who founded the Angus Steakhouse restaurants. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. When they did tie the knot, with Prince Charles as best man, they inherited Mountbattens 18th-century, 60-room Broadlands estate near Romsey, Hants, where Charles and Di would spend part of their honeymoon two years later. Shes lost her best friend, Express reported. Courtesy of Netflix; Steve Parsons/PA Wire. Though the relationship between Philip and Knatchbull, who is over 30 years his junior, never crosses into the physically romantic realm on The Crown, the episode insinuates that both found a kind of emotional fulfillment in their friendship that they were not getting from their own marriages. 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. So little wonder the makers of TVs The Crown have delved into the extraordinary relationship between Prince Philip and Penny Knatchbull in the new series of the Netflix drama. Whatever moved Norton to flee Britain and pursue his affair, he seemed to have a change of heart. And sources say that Knatchbull also had a close relationship with Queen Elizabeth. 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.. 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. The Sun repeated rumors that the two old friends were estranged after a confidante of Charles put it in his ear that Penelope and Philip were having an affair. He told journalist Jeremy Paxman: Every time I talk to a woman they say Ive been to bed with her. Per the Hampshire Chronicle, Penelope who is known affectionately as Lady Penny in Romsey pledged loyal service to the community. Shes completely wrong for you, he forgave her.. Its absolutely cuckoo.. Ingrid says: They were brought together by tragedy but were there for each other through thick and thin. Knatchbull split her youth between Great Britain and Switzerland. In May last year, tattooed Nicholas, 40, a music producer and gardener, married Ambre Pouzet, a French former fire-eating mermaid performer. Norton is also the grandson of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Philip's uncle, notes Newsweek. .and she is heartbroken, aides told Express. Penny continued to visit Philip until he died on April 9. Three weeks after the accident, which Philip blamed on him being blinded by the low winter sun, it was announced he had stopped driving. On the inside, behind the large ornate story, their relationship was going through a shift. Her father, Reginald Eastwood, founded the Angus Steakhouse chain, as Nicholas Davies writes in his 2000 Queen Elizabeth biography, "Beyond Palace Doors.". It isn't only the tabloids that have spread the moniker; Ingrid Seward's biography, "Prince Philip Revealed: A Man of His Century," says that Queen Elizabeth II herself shared Philip's fondness for Knatchbull and was just as keen to have her included. She was dating Norton Knatchbull,. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. Penny's friendship with Prince Philip unfolded after her daughter's death, Seward wrote in Prince Philip Revealed, per Today. 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. When they did tie the knot, with Prince Charles as best man, they inherited Mountbattens 18th-century, 60-room Broadlands estate near Romsey, Hants, where Charles and Di would spend part of their honeymoon two years later. The makers of The Crown believe it is a relationship worthy of exploring, and casting a veteran actor like Natascha [McElhone] is a reflection of how high-profile the role is. With Philip and Penny, who was previously known as Lady Romsey then Lady Brabourne, it was a meeting of the minds. Besides keeping in touch with her old friend, Knatchbull reportedly played a key part in an embarrassing public episode of Philip's retired life. She and the duke also both shared a boisterous sense of humour, according to Ingrid. Though Philip and Knatchbull never had a romantic relationship, their friendship was undoubtedly close. Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. Penelope Knatchbull, known as Penny, is the Countess Mountbatten of Burma, and she met the royal family at a polo match in 1975 when she was 20 years old. Over the years, Knatchbull has been a guest of the familys at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, appeared with Philip at public events, and been photographed on many an outdoor occasion with the duke. 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. Initially, "home" meant a stable block on the estate, but after a few years, it was said that he was allowed back in Broadlands proper. Penny Eastwood was the daughter of a very rich meat trader, the founder of the Angus Steakhouse chain, and married Norton Knatchbull, a cousin of Prince Charles and godson of Prince Philip - in 1979