Prince Philip Had a Blunt Response To Accusations That He Cheated on Queen Elizabeth II, Source Says

Prince Philip is perhaps one of the most interesting members of the British royal family. He was a prince without a home and when he wed Queen Elizabeth II in 1947, he was penniless and without any real titles or claims. Still, the Duke of Edinburgh found solace in the Royal Navy, a role that he would have to leave when the queen stepped into power in 1952.

Though the prince has never been king, he’s been seen as a dutiful partner to the queen for well over seven decades. In fact, it is said that he is the head of the royal family’s household in that he “rules his family with an iron fist.”

Yet, the duke hasn’t exactly escaped rumors about his alleged infidelity. In fact, he’s addressed it head-on in the past.

Prince Philip had a wild party streak

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II’s father, King George VI, and her ascension to the throne, there was reportedly a ton of tension between herself and the prince who felt that he was cast aside in a helpmate role. Netflix’s The Crown depicts this tension very well.

In fact, is has been reported that the Duke of Edinburgh, lashed out by indulging in some rather wild partying. In his book, Prince Philip: The Turbulent Early Life of the Man Who Married Queen Elizabeth II, Philip Eade writes that the duke was known as “The Naked Waiter.” It was rumored that he enjoyed “rip-roaring stag parties.” Allegedly Prince Philip once served dinner to some guests wearing only a mask and a tiny lace apron.

There were also whispers that the prince’s wild streak included other women.

Rumors spread that Prince Philip cheated on Queen Elizabeth II

Though The Crown never says so explicitly, the series does allude to the fact that the prince enjoyed the company of other women. He was rumored to have had an affair with stage performer Patricia Kirkwood when the queen was eight months pregnant. The rumor ruined Kirwood’s career after the duke entered the dancer’s dressing room and they were seen having dinner and dancing into the early morning hours.

The duke also had a close friendship with Sacha Hamilton, Duchess of Abercorn. According to Icons the pair were seen holding hands in the Bahamas. The duchess tried to clarify their friendship, but she only made it worse.  “It’s complicated and at the same time quite simple,” she told reporters. “[Philip] needs a playmate and someone to share his intellectual pursuits.”

The Baltimore Sun also reported via Vanity Fair that Prince Philip was “romantically involved with an unnamed woman whom he met on a regular basis in the West End apartment of a society photographer.”

Prince Philip had a lot to say about those cheating rumors

Despite all of these reports and rumors, Prince Philip has adamantly denied all accusations of infidelity.

“Privately, he will say, ‘How could I?'” Mike Parker, the duke’s first Private Secretary told The Telegraph in 2004. “‘I’ve had a detective in my company, night and day, since 1947.’”

Still, no marriage or relationship is perfect. During his 50th anniversary celebration with the queen in 1997, the duke said, “I think the main lesson we have learnt is that tolerance is the one essential ingredient in any happy marriage… You can take it from me; the Queen has the quality of tolerance in abundance.”