They share a love of carriage driving in the show, and Philip confides that he and the Queen have grown in separate directions, a portrayal hotly disputed by people close to the former Monarch, The Post reported. "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. 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. They also shared an enthusiasm for races of another kind: mini motorbikes. 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.. According to Prince Philip's biographer, the royal befriended the countess when "her life began to fall apart.". When he got into a car accident in 2019, Queen Elizabeth II decided that her husband needed to give up driving. Leonora was buried on the grounds of Broadlands, the family estate, and Penelope later established the Leonora Children's Cancer Fund. Devastated by this horror, Penny and Norton decided to postpone their wedding for two months. The bomb blast on board his fishing boat off County Sligo, Ireland, which featured in the last series of The Crown, also killed Nortons 14-year-old brother Nicholas and his grandmother, Lady Brabourne. Besides keeping in touch with her old friend, Knatchbull reportedly played a key part in an embarrassing public episode of Philip's retired life. The relationship between Penny Knatchbull and Prince Philip is causing controversy due to the new season of The Crown., Their friendship will be featured in the fifth season of The Crown on Netflix. 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. She was the only non-family member at Philips small, Covid-restricted funeral, except for his personal secretary. norton knatchbull illness. Per the Hampshire Chronicle, Penelope who is known affectionately as Lady Penny in Romsey pledged loyal service to the community. Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and Lady Penelope (Penny) Romsey arrive at the Guards Polo Club on June 1, 1975 in Windsor, England. After the young Leonoras 1991 death, Charles was consolingand his father also drew closer to Knatchbull. 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. Per Hampshire Live, he opened his house to Queen Elizabeth II and Philip in the first days of their honeymoon. View our online Press Pack. The Daily Mail published photos of Norton and Nuttall strolling through Nassau after the split. 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. Unlike her husband, Penny was the daughter of a. Charles, Philip's oldest son who is now the British sovereign, was Norton Knatchbull's best man in their wedding. She was the only non-family member at Philips small, Covid-restricted funeral, except for his personal secretary. 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. Penny continued to visit Philip until he died on April 9. The queen and prince consort weren't the only royal couple to visit Broadlands. 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. But author Ingrid said: Well never know how the Queen felt about it all. Philip befriended her when her life began to fall apart following the death of her five-year-old daughter, Leonora, from kidney cancer in 1991, wrote Ingrid Seward in 2020s Prince Philip Revealed. So What Was Penny's IRL Relationship With Philip? The Daily Mail claims that Nicholas was at one time addicted to crack and heroin. 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. To palace staff, she had another nickname: "And Also." During the 1990s . She was only 5 years old. 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. With Philip and Penny, who was previously known as Lady Romsey then Lady Brabourne, it was a meeting of the minds. The earlier season of the popular show showed that Mountbatten was especially close to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Her father was Reginald Eastwood, described by the Sun as a butcher-turned-businessman.. See new trailer for the highly anticipated season five of The Crown, Queen Elizabeth biography, "Beyond Palace Doors. With Philip and Penny, who was previously known as Lady Romsey then Lady Brabourne, it was a meeting of the minds. And Wales Online noted that she has often been seen at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, as a guest of the family. 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. Its absolutely cuckoo.. Seward noted the monarch's affection in her book "Prince Philip Revealed: A Man of His Century," connecting her along with Philip to Knatchbull's presence at royal functions and her nickname "And Also". THEIR friendship spanned decades and often raised eyebrows. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Penny and Norton Knatchbull had three children: Alexandra, Nicholas and Leonora. 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. Getty To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. 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.. However, despite their estrangement, Penelope and Norton remained legally married. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Although Prince Philip was 32 years Knatchbull's senior, she soon became known as Prince Philip's "keeper of secrets" in British tabloids. Philip also encouraged Knatchbull who also goes by the name Penny Romsey to take up the sport, according to Seward, who also wrote that Philip got his son Edwards wife, Sophie, into it as well; Sophie and her daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, both compete. 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. Romsey told Knight that Diana would talk to Charles like a fish wife and that she was very abusive to him.. According to The Sun, Knatchbull, otherwise known as Countess Mountbatten is married to Norton Knatchbull, the Earl Mountbatten. According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, Penny and Philip's friendship blossomed after the family tragedy. To prove that he has nothing to hide, Philip even convinces his wife to befriend Penny (played by Natasha McElhone) herself. Its absolutely cuckoo.. 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. As for Prince Philip (Jonathan Pryce), he develops a close friendship with family friend Penny Knatchbull while experiencing his own marital troubles with the queen. For an example of how ubiquitous Knatchbull's presence in royal events is, just look to Philip's funeral. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. 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 Countess Mountbatten of Burma 32 years younger than the late Duke of Edinburgh, who died in April 2021 aged 99 has been a trusted member of the Royal Familys inner circle for years and bonded with Philip through their love of carriage driving. She is referred to as Lady Romsey in The Crown, a title she held from 1979 to 2005 before becoming Lady Brabourne from 2005 to 2017 and now the Countess Mountbatten of Burma, according to Today. Knatchbull split her youth between Great Britain and Switzerland. Getty28th March 1980: The grandson of Lord Louis Mountbatten, Lord Romsey, with his wife Penelope seated in the Wedgwood Room of Broadlands, once the home of Lord Louis Mountbatten, on the announcement that the 16th-century stately home would reopen to the public on 1st April 1980. 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. 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. Carriage driving remained a cornerstone of their friendship. She was godmother to Alexandra Knatchbull, not Leonora, as the show depicts. 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 Crown | Season 5 Official Trailer | Netflix, Inspired by real events, this fictional dramatisation tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II and the political and personal events that shaped her reign. 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 Knatchbull had a long-term friendship with Prince Philip. The couple revisited the estate in 2007 and recreated one of the photos from that time for their 60th wedding anniversary. She did allow Norton back to Broadlands in 2014, not to themarital home, but to a converted barn there. Penny was reportedly introduced to the royal family at a polo match when she was 20 years old. Who is Dr James Colthurst, Princess Diana's close friend in The Crown? 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. 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. Penny and Philip met in 1974 and hit it off immediately despite their 32-year age difference, becoming closer when Penny's daughter. Only a handful of locations remain open, and the chain's future was in serious doubt as of 2021. She never betrayed him. 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. 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. Philip befriended her when her life began to fall apart and encouraged her to take up carriage driving, she wrote, per Today. He told journalist Jeremy Paxman: Every time I talk to a woman they say Ive been to bed with her. Following Philip's 2021 death, Knatchbull was one of 30 guests invited to the. The bomb blast on board his fishing boat off County Sligo, Ireland, which featured in the last series of The Crown, also killed Nortons 14-year-old brother Nicholas and his grandmother, Lady Brabourne. 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. Princess Diana did have her own connection to the family though The Crown takes its liberties. Prince Philip and Penny riding motorbikes in 2006. According to Seward, Knatchbull was part of the difficult conversation following Philips car accident about giving up driving. In 2010, Norton left Penny to be with a Bahamian fashion designer but returned after dumping her. Ingrid Seward, author of biography Prince Philip Revealed: A Man Of His Century, said: The Queen had enlisted the help of the Countess Mountbatten of Burma, who visited Philip and helped convince him to give up driving.. 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. If she had been hurt by rumors of supposed dalliances, she would never let on.. The menu and style became stagnant, and the quality of the food has reportedly sank. The closeness between Philip and Penny clearly did not upset the Queen, at least not publicly. And they were often seen chilling at events: These two were so close, in fact, that Penny was one of only 30 mourners at Philips funeral: And she was also one of the mourners at the Queens funeral: According to reports from The Sun, The Crowns fifth season will showcase Prince Philip in intimate scenes with Penny. When Do New Episodes of 'Mandalorian' Come Out? She explicitly said, I did not go to bed with him. They shared this passion for Carl Jung that also Prince Charles had.. The British actor also appeared in The Truman Show, Solaris and The Other Boleyn Girl.. 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 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. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. The Sun reported that Knatchbull was born in London, England, on April 16, 1963. 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. Below are some key moments from their her friendship with the late Duke of Edinburgh through the years. 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. If Philip had been looking down on them, he surely would have been smiling too. 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. She also appeared at Queen Elizabeth IIs funeral in 2022, when the monarch died at age 96. However, there is no question that Knatchbull and Philip were very close. 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. As The Crown shows, their youngest, Leonora, died of kidney cancer at age 6. 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 Where are 'Scream killers' Brian Draper and Torey Adamcik now? Jeannie, as she is known, is the sister of former Bahamas Attorney General Sean McWeeney. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. 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. For other inquiries, Contact Us. 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. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Ad Choices. 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. Alexandra was at the time furious with her father for leaving her mother, but of course she still wanted him at the wedding.. 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. Her wedding was held only months after the assassination and was attended by the queen and Philip, then-Prince Charles, and other assorted royals. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Here they are sharing a laugh in 2018: Meanwhile, Seward notes, Well never know how the Queen felt about it all. Penny Knatchbull & Prince Philip Relationship: What Is the Real Story? The Truman Show actress Natascha McElhone plays Penny in The Crown, with veteran actor Jonathan Pryce taking over from Tobias Menzies as Philip. 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.. One source said: He was a tremendous support during a time of unimaginable grief.. The tabloids haven't left Charles and Penelope alone in the years since the wedding. Ingrid Seward, author of biography Prince Philip Revealed: A Man Of His Century, said: The Queen had enlisted the help of the Countess Mountbatten of Burma, who visited Philip and helped convince him to give up driving.. The truth is that Penny was a long-time friend of the whole family. 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 family has continued to honor the memory of Uncle Dickie, most recently in the choice of the name Louis for the third child of Prince William and his wife, Kate. 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. But the highly personal relationship is unlikely to be welcomed as a storyline by Her Majesty or the rest of the royal family.. Philip always was a flirt and the Queen used to joke about his lascivious nature. That bit of matchmaking didn't work out, but Mountbatten was also supportive of Penelope's entering the family, according to Newsweek. It's more than friendship that Penelope Eastwood Knatchbull shared with Prince Philip. February 27, 2023 . The Countess Mountbatten of Burma 32 years younger than the late Duke of Edinburgh, who died in April 2021 aged 99 has been a trusted member of the Royal Familys inner circle for years and bonded with Philip through their love of carriage driving. In the first episode of season 4, Lord Mountbatten was blown up on a fishing boat by the Irish Republican Army (the IRA). It's also implied in the movie, The Queen but that is also written by Peter Morgan. Would love your thoughts, please comment. In the years that followed, Knatchbull and Romsey remained close friends with Charleseven offering to speak out in his defense after Andrew Morton published his infamous Princess Diana tell-all, according to Bedell Smith.