The grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are an unique membership. Solely eight in quantity, they grew up in what’s arguably essentially the most well-known household on the earth, they usually have skilled ranges of privilege and scrutiny few can perceive.
The royal cousins had been raised with protocols and rituals that appear archaic to regular households. “I curtsey to her each time I see her,” the queen’s eldest granddaughter, Zara Tindall, as soon as mentioned. “The factor with my grandmother is she remains to be my grandmother and he or she’s very approachable, however she’s additionally from an period the place that was the way it was performed.”
However as soon as the formalities had been over, Queen Elizabeth II was merely her grandchildren’s beloved “Granny.”
“Behind closed doorways, she’s our grandmother, it’s so simple as that,” Prince Harry as soon as famous.
In her later years, her grandchildren—and later, their youngsters, the most recent addition to the royal household tree—had been the apple of Queen Elizabeth’s eye. “She simply loves having us round,” Princess Eugenie has defined.
As youngsters, the cousins had been typically collectively, exploring the grounds of varied royal palaces and interesting in play-fighting on the balcony throughout formal occasions. “We had a variety of enjoyable and there was a variety of area for teenagers to run round,” the queen’s eldest grandson, Peter Phillips, as soon as recalled. “So, there was fairly a gang of us rising up in that age and it was a variety of enjoyable. We brought about fairly a little bit of mayhem and chaos.”
Throughout their youth, the cousins had been typically noticed out collectively at night time golf equipment, sporting occasions, and music festivals. As they’ve settled into maturity, many have remained shut, sharing a gaggle chat on WhatsApp, enjoying beer pong, and bringing their youngsters collectively for playdates. They’ve additionally emotionally supported one another. In a current episode of Mike Tindall’s podcast The Good, the Dangerous, and the Rugby, Prince William recalled his emotional response when his cousin Zara gained the gold as an equestrian.
“The one time I’ve ever cried when watching sport was when Zara gained, I believe it was the European championship,” Prince William instructed Tindall. “I used to be down in Exmoor on the time, tenting. We had been all huddled across the telephone watching it. She was there, she was blubbing away, the flag was going up. I used to be in items.”
They’ve been there for one another in occasions of nice sorrow as properly. On September 17, 2022, the world watched as Queen Elizabeth’s eight grandchildren joined collectively to face vigil over the coffin of their beloved Granny. Because the household enters a brand new period underneath King Charles, be part of us as we discover the lives of Queen Elizabeth’s grandchildren, from oldest to youngest.
Peter Phillips
The oldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II, Peter Phillips was born on November 15, 1977. His mother and father, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, declined royal titles for his or her youngsters. One of many least publicly seen of the queen’s grandchildren, Phillips attended the College of Exeter. Following in his mother and father’ sporty footsteps, he at the moment works on the sports activities administration firm SEL UK.
