She remained a close companion to Philip for his whole life. Speculation generated by The Crown that Knatchbull had an affair with the Duke of Edinburgh is just that; there is no proof of a romantic or sexual entanglement. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Although Prince Philip was 32 years Knatchbull's senior, she soon became known as Prince Philip's "keeper of secrets" in British tabloids. Elena Nicolaou is a senior entertainment editor at Today.com, where she covers the latest in TV, pop culture, movies and all things streaming. She is . 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.. Back then, Penny was simply Penelope Eastwood, daughter of Reg Eastwood, a wealthy butcher turned businessman who founded the Angus Steakhouse restaurants. By accepting, she was automatically in the post, but a formal induction ceremony was held in 2011. She also appeared at Queen Elizabeth IIs funeral in 2022, when the monarch died at age 96. If Philip had been looking down on them, he surely would have been smiling too. Ad Choices. Prince Philip and Penny Knatchbull's Friendship, 'Outer Banks' Season 3 Arrives in February, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. She and the duke also both shared a boisterous sense of humour, according to Ingrid. She later became the second-most important woman in the Duke of Edinburghs life a constant confidante, loyal companion and keeper of secrets,'" Seward wrote. 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. Owing to her husband Norton Knatchbull's declining health due to Alzheimer's disease (per Wales Online), Penelope Knatchbull has had to assume some of his responsibilities to the family's holdings. He encouraged Penny to take up his sport of carriage driving, to distract her, and got his head groom Micky Flynn to show her the ropes. Prince Philip and Penny at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2007. 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. Prince Philip and Penny riding motorbikes in 2006. She and Prince Philip reportedly forged a connection over their mutual love for the outdoors and horses. Penelope Knatchbull (ne Eastwood) is the wife of Norton Knatchbull, the grandson of Earl Mountbatten (The Crown watchers know him as Uncle Dickie) and Prince Philip's own godson. Prince Philip and Penny Knatchbull go way back, having first met each other at a polo match in Great Windsor Park in 1974. The two bonded when Prince Philip took Knatchbull under his wing and offered support following the death of her 5-year-old daughter, Leonora, to kidney cancer in 1991, according to People. It was only when he feared he would be cut off from the familys 100million fortune that he checked into rehab and kicked his habits. For other inquiries Contact Us. What does a purple poppy mean and where can I buy one for Remembrance Day? And Wales Online noted that she has often been seen at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, as a guest of the family. The Duke of Edinburgh and Penelope Knatchbull carriage riding in 2007. Mountbatten was a strong influence on the future King Charles III, who dubbed his great-uncle an honorary grandfather, as per Jonathan Dimbleby's "The Prince of Wales: A Biography." 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. Prince Philip's relationship with aristocrat Penny Knatchbull, which reportedly raised some eyebrows in the 1990s, will get the Netflix treatment. Philip encouraged her to take up carriage driving and supported her when her husband, Norton, his godson, left her in 2010 for a fling with Nassau-based fashion designer Eugenie Nuttall.. The couple revisited the estate in 2007 and recreated one of the photos from that time for their 60th wedding anniversary. 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). Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and Lady Penelope (Penny) Romsey arrive at the Guards Polo Club on June 1, 1975 in Windsor, England. Her father was Reginald Eastwood, described by the Sun as a butcher-turned-businessman.. Indeed, the series doesn't show the two characters getting particularly affectionate; instead they bond over literature and carriage riding, heartfelt discussions about grief, and marital grievances. Tragedy befell the family in 1979 when Lord Mountbatten affectionately known by the royals as Uncle Dickie was assassinated by the IRA. Her husband Norton Knatchbull is Philip's godson and a grandson of Philip's uncle, Louis Mountbatten (per iNews ). Beyond the sport, The Crown also shows Philip's deep bond with Knatchbull. 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. She was a keeper not only of his secrets but those of the family.. Three years later, she married Norton Knatchbull, Lord Romsey at Romsey Abbey in Hampshire, andPrince Charles served as best man at their wedding. Where Did the 'Perfect Match' Couples End Up? Shes lost her best friend., The Crowns Princess Diana Debuts Her Revenge Dress, Everything You Need to Know About The Crowns New Season, Imelda Staunton and Jonathan Pryce on Channeling Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Recreating Princess Dianas Prescient 90s Fashion, The Crown Season 5 Is a Compelling Prelude to Tragedy, What Happened When Fake Charles Met Real Camilla, From the Archive: Dodis Life in the Fast Lane, Discover More Real-Life Royal Scandals With VFs Dynasty Podcast, 2023 Cond Nast. She did say at one point that they had a very close friendship, but it had everything to do with ideas, recalls Bedell Smith. Three weeks after the accident, which Philip blamed on him being blinded by the low winter sun, it was announced he had stopped driving. The Daily Mail claims that Nicholas was at one time addicted to crack and heroin. Penny was the second-most important woman in the Duke of Edinburghs life a constant confidante, loyal companion and keeper of secrets,' she wrote. James Hockaday and Elizabeth Atkin Thursday 10 Nov 2022 5:00 pm. It was even rumoured Prince Charles had cut off his friendship with Penny after someone close to him shared their suspicion that his father was having an affair with her. Though Philip and Knatchbull never had a romantic relationship, their friendship was undoubtedly close. Charles, Philip's oldest son who is now the British sovereign, was Norton Knatchbull's best man in their wedding. Jeannie, as she is known, is the sister of former Bahamas Attorney General Sean McWeeney. The Crown (season 5) - Wikipedia 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. Weeks before The Crown's fifth season premiered on Nov. 9, rumors were already circulating that the new episodes would cover Prince Philip and now-Countess Penny's friendship. I read that Matt Smith played the part of Phillip with the idea in mind that he was cheating on Elizabeth. She became such a close confidant of his that she was often referred to his And Alsowhen listing his guests for an event, he would conclude with and also Penny.. Tragedy befell the family in 1979 when Lord Mountbatten affectionately known by the royals as Uncle Dickie was assassinated by the IRA. Powered by. Penelope and Norton Knatchbull have had three children together (per Tatler): Nicholas, Alexandra, and Leonora. Penny returned to the Royal Windsor Horse Show last month without her decades-long comp-anion for the first time. Of course, incidents like this on the Isle of Wight only fuelled whispers that they may have been more than just good friends. Who is Penny Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma? | Woman & Home They also opened the Mountbatten Exhibition on the estate (per AP). Pamela Hicks said that she was very aware that Prince Phillip liked to flirt and she didnt mind, says Bedell Smith. Per the Hampshire Chronicle, Penelope who is known affectionately as Lady Penny in Romsey pledged loyal service to the community. If Philip had been looking down on them, he surely would have been smiling too. As for Knatchbull, biographers, employees, friends, and even the tabloids observed that the queen seemed to regard her as a friend just as Philip did. What does a purple poppy mean and where can I buy one for Remembrance Day? The queen was said to have "been impressed" with Knatchbull when Penny's future husband, Norton, introduced them in 1975 (per Daily Express ). Sure enough, the queen reluctantly meets with her husband's companion one-on-one and even invites her to ride with her to church service. The Royals Won't Like This Prince Philip Plot on 'The Crown | Marie Claire Soon after the Knatchbulls were married, Penny became a fixture in royal circles, attending all the prime royal events and weddings. One source said: He was a tremendous support during a time of unimaginable grief.. A source close to the royal family is slamming Countess Mountbatten's portrayal in "The Crown" as "deliberately cruel" and "unnecessarily unsympathetic." Nicholas's first child was born in June 2022. Prince Philip's relationship with 'confidante' Penny Knatchbull