Penny was introduced to Philip at age 20 while dating husband-to-be Norton Knatchbull, Philip's godson and grandson of the duke's uncle Lord Mountbatten. 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. Sometimes tragedy builds unlikely bonds between people. But Seward writes that the entire royal family was fond of Penny, not just Charles and Philip. The Crown's fifth season isn't solely focused on Charles and Diana drama. The Daily Mail quoted an anonymous aide saying that when they drew up a guest list for a family function, private or public, big or small, Prince Philip would review the invitations and inevitably say, "and also Penny." 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. She looked heartbroken when she arrived at the funeral and she is heartbroken. They were even spotted dancing together at the Royal Yacht Squadron Ball during one Cowes Week. The 42 Best Romantic Comedies of All Time, The 25 Best Shows on Netflix to Watch Right Now. Her full name and title are Penelope, Countess Mountbatten of Burma. Penny Knatchbull was known as the confidant and "keeper of secrets" for Prince Philip after meeting him and the Monarch in 1974. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. 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.. 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. Three years later, she married Norton Knatchbull, Lord Romsey at Romsey Abbey in Hampshire, andPrince Charles served as best man at their wedding. Philip always was a flirt, and the Queen used to joke about his lascivious nature. The Express claimed that the queen was impressed by how Knatchbull handled the death of her daughter Leonora and her fortitude in the face of her husband Norton's well-publicized affair. If Philip had been looking down on them, he surely would have been smiling too. Her husband Norton Knatchbull is Philip's godson and a grandson of Philip's uncle, Louis Mountbatten (per iNews ). Only a handful of locations remain open, and the chain's future was in serious doubt as of 2021. So What Was Penny's IRL Relationship With Philip? ", IRA assassinated Philip's grandfather, Lord Mountbatten. Here they are driving around Windsor together in 2019: Royal expert Ingrid Seward writes in The Sun that Pennys marriage hit rock bottom at the time and she was left to maintain their family home: Running royal properties was something Philip knew full well, and having bonded with her over horses and carriage driving, their friendship blossomed further. 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. With Philip and Penny, who was previously known as Lady Romsey then Lady Brabourne, it was a meeting of the minds. Penny Knatchbull and Prince Philip. The Truman Show actress Natascha McElhone plays Penny in The Crown, with veteran actor Jonathan Pryce taking over from Tobias Menzies as Philip. However, The Crown gets the timeline of Philip and Knatchbulls friendship right, according to Sewards book. 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. Getty28th March 1980: Lord and Lady Romsey in the grounds of Broadland, showing the house in the background. But author Ingrid said: Well never know how the Queen felt about it all. Educated in Switzerland, and with a business degree from the London School of Economics, friends describe her as being outgoing, engaged, clever and well-read. And one more thing connects the couple to the royal family: their house. There may be no evidence for rumors that Penelope Knatchbull and Prince Philip carried on an affair, but it is a matter of public record that Penelope's own marriage was marred by infidelity. She was dating Norton Knatchbull,. After theyd spent a weekend with her, [Penny] said that [Diana] appeared to be auditioning for a role in a costume drama. According to Seward, Knatchbull was part of the difficult conversation following Philips car accident about giving up driving. Getty Penny and Norton Knatchbull had three children: Alexandra, Nicholas and Leonora. ), Penny is the only daughter of Marian Hood and Reginald Eastwoodwho founded Angus Steakhouse. Her death is said to be what drove Penelope into a deeper friendship with Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II, as per Yahoo! Prince Philip and Penny Knatchbull to Have "Intimate Scenes" in The Crown Celebrities & Entertainment Celebs The Crown Will Reportedly Feature Prince Philip's Relationship with. 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. The British actor also appeared in The Truman Show, Solaris and The Other Boleyn Girl.. Penelope Knatchbull had a long-term friendship with Prince Philip. Queen Elizabeth and Penny chat at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2001. He told journalist Jeremy Paxman: Every time I talk to a woman they say Ive been to bed with her. 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 fifth season of The Crown, which follows the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II, was released by Netflix on 9 November 2022. The now-Countess Penny is believed to have visited him regularly at his retirement cottage at Sandringham before his death, according to the Daily Beast. Back then, Penny was simply Penelope Eastwood, daughter of Reg Eastwood, a wealthy butcher turned businessman who founded the Angus Steakhouse restaurants. He told journalist Jeremy Paxman: Every time I talk to a woman they say Ive been to bed with her. Getty20th October 1979: The grandson of Lord Louis Mountbatten, Lord Romsey, marries Penelope Eastwood at Romsey Abbey. 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. 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. 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. Norton had been a year above Prince Charles at Scottish boarding school Gordonstoun and the Queen and Philip never forgot his kindness in looking after their eldest child during his challenging time there. Philip's close relationship with Penny Knatchbull explained: 'Neither of them gave a damn' PRINCE PHILIP had a very close relationship with one of the surprise attendees at his funeral,. Of course, incidents like this on the Isle of Wight only fuelled whispers that they may have been more than just good friends. 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. This friendship did exist in real life, though (and viewers should know this by now) The Crown imagines how exact interactions and conversations went down. Natascha McElhone as Penny Knatchbull. 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. For Philip, it meant he gained an attractive companion to events such as the Royal Windsor Horse Show and at numerous social gatherings associated with the sport and beyond. Penelope Knatchbull nicknamed Penny is one of the closest friends of the royal family. Philip always was a flirt and the Queen used to joke about his lascivious nature. Appearing on Palace Confidential, Dr Dunlop commented on a storyline in The Crown which will see Prince Philip pursuing a relationship with British aristocrat Penny Knatchbull. Pamela Hicks said that she was very aware that Prince Phillip liked to flirt and she didnt mind, says Bedell Smith. In reality, Knatchbull entered the royal fray in 1979 when she married Prince Charless second cousin Lord Romsey, son and heir of the 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma. 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. Knatchbull lost her 5-year-old daughter Leonora to kidney cancer in 1991; The New York Post reports that The Crown argues this tragedy brought her closer to Philip. They also opened the Mountbatten Exhibition on the estate (per AP). Penelope was invited to take over as High Steward by the town council. Penelope and Norton Knatchbull have had three children together (per Tatler): Nicholas, Alexandra, and Leonora. More recently, she spends time with Philip at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate and is credited with persuading him to give up his driving license after his 2019 accident. Its absolutely cuckoo.. Penny Knatchbull is the wife of Norton Knatchbull, 3rd Earl Mountbatten of Burma, a cousin-once-removed of Prince Philip and with whom she shares three children. 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. When he got into a car accident in 2019, Queen Elizabeth II decided that her husband needed to give up driving. Penelope Knatchbull and Prince Philip in 2007. JMCrown 3 mo. Although Prince Philip was 32 years Knatchbull's senior, she soon became known as Prince Philip's "keeper of secrets" in British tabloids. Who is Dr James Colthurst, Princess Diana's close friend in The Crown? 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. But Charles very specifically told his friends not to come forward in his defense, recalls Bedell Smith. Netflix are not interested in peoples feelings., While Penny Knatchbull, now 69, has not addressed the portrayal herself, a close friend reportedly told The Telegraph before the new season aired, This is indeed an ill-judged, unnecessarily unsympathetic, and unfortunate decision.. 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. She also appeared at. THEIR friendship spanned decades and often raised eyebrows. Tatler reported that he came home in 2014. He trusted her implicitly and she adored him. She gave few interviews and never aired dirty laundry about her family in public. Carriage driving remained a cornerstone of their friendship. When asked more broadly about allegations he had affairs, Philip would snap at the press. A family friend said: Its very unusual to be given away by someone else at your wedding, even if it is by the Prince of Wales. 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. According to the book Prince Philip Revealed by Ingrid Seward, as described in People, the author wrote, When I saw Philip and Penny gilding around the dance floor at the Royal Yacht Squadron Ball during Cowes Week, neither of them gave a damn who saw them or what anyone might say.. Reginald, a one-time butcher, according toThe Telegraph, was the founder of the restaurant chain Aberdeen Steak House in the 1960s, later known as Angus Steak House. Jonathan Pryce, who plays Prince Philip, said hes hugely disappointed by fellow artistes who have called for the Netflix series to get a disclaimer. In May last year, tattooed Nicholas, 40, a music producer and gardener, married Ambre Pouzet, a French former fire-eating mermaid performer. The civil ceremony at Broadlands was a far cry from his sister Alexandras lavish 2016 wedding at Romsey Abbey, in which she was given away by Prince Charles, as her father, The Queen and Philip watched. By accepting, she was automatically in the post, but a formal induction ceremony was held in 2011. .css-5rg4gn{display:block;font-family:NeueHaasUnica,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-5rg4gn:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:-0.02em;margin:0.75rem 0 0;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:0.02rem;margin:0.9375rem 0 0;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.4;margin:0.9375rem 0 0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 73.75rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.4;}}'Outer Banks' Season 3 Arrives in February, Riley Keough Explains Sex Scene With Her Husband. To her friends, Penelope Knatchbull is known as Penny. Though Philip and Knatchbull never had a romantic relationship, their friendship was undoubtedly close. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Elena Nicolaou is a senior entertainment editor at Today.com, where she covers the latest in TV, pop culture, movies and all things streaming. Penny continued to visit Philip until he died on April 9. However, despite their estrangement, Penelope and Norton remained legally married. Carriage driving is a sport where one driver steers a carriage drawn by one, two, or four horses, with three tests of skill and speed. Philip and Penny are said to have first met when she was dating her husband-to-be aged 20. 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. It wasn't the first time in his life the prince faced accusations of infidelity. When he removed himself to the Bahamas in 2010, he relinquished the job, which largely consists of presiding over local functions in ceremonial dress. The closeness between Philip and Penny clearly did not upset the Queen, at least not publicly. The story later shifted, with Charles supposedly the smokescreen that kept prying eyes away from her romance with Norton Knatchbull. Philip and Penny, who is 32 years younger than the late Duke of Edinburgh, are said to have first met in 1975 when she became engaged to Norton Knatchbull. A source close to the royal family is slamming Countess Mountbatten's supposed portrayal in "The Crown" as "deliberately cruel" and "unnecessarily unsympathetic." But the two have continued to have a presence in each other's lives. News, that was the year Knatchbull's daughter Leonora died of cancer. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Penny returned to the Royal Windsor Horse Show last month without her decades-long comp-anion for the first time. Powered by. Countess Penny attends the private funeral service for Prince Philip. "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. The earlier season of the popular show showed that Mountbatten was especially close to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Humiliated Putin to miss G20 summit over fears of ASSASSINATION attempt after troops evacuate Kherson, I've been stuck in my living room for 12 months as the council won't find me a new home, I'm at my wit's end, Cyclist, 20s, in critical condition after horror collision with lorry in Dublin as gardai appeal for witnesses. 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. In 2010, according to Tatler, Norton Knatchbull left his wife and his family home of Broadlands to live with his mistress, Lady Nuttall, in the Bahamas. Per Hampshire Live, he opened his house to Queen Elizabeth II and Philip in the first days of their honeymoon. Devastated by this horror, Penny and Norton decided to postpone their wedding for two months. The wedding took place two months after the IRA assassinated Philip's grandfather, Lord Mountbatten, and younger brother, Nicholas. The queen and Knatchbull at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2018. 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.