Duke of Edinburgh’s sweet compliment to the Queen revealed

Prince Philip and the Queen are generally very private about their relationship

Prince Philip and the Queen attend The OUT-SOURCING Inc Royal Windsor Cup 2018 polo match
(Image credit: Photo by Antony Jones/Getty Images)

Prince Philip and the Queen may prefer to keep their relationship private, but a source has claimed that one lovely compliment he paid to the Queen made the monarch flush “scarlet”. 

The Duke of Edinburgh married Queen Elizabeth II in 1947 and the couple will celebrate their 74th wedding anniversary in November 2021. The Duke officially retired from public life in 2017, however he remains a vital part of the Royal Family. He and the Queen have always been very private about their relationship and do not generally openly display affection at royal engagements. 

It's also been suggested that the Queen has even set an example to the rest of the Royal Family when it comes to holding hands. 

Body language expert Robin Kermode is understood to have noted to Mail Online, “The Queen rarely holds hands with her husband in public and this seems to have set an unwritten precedent for the other royals”.

Despite the Queen maintaining complete professionalism with Prince Philip in public, she has previously been reported as calling him a "constant strength and guide".

But when it comes to Prince Philip’s comments about his wife, there’s supposedly one sweet compliment he paid her that made the Queen blush.

What compliment did Prince Philip pay the Queen? 

Speaking on Channel 5’s Secrets of Royal Dressmakers, royal expert Ingrid Seward shared the story she allegedly heard from designer Ian Thomas about when the Queen received a lovely comment from Prince Philip while Mr Thomas was adjusting the hem on her dress. 

Ms Seward revealed: "When he was doing the hem, Prince Philip walked through the Queen’s dressing room and said ‘hmh, nice dress’.”

"The Queen flushed scarlet,” she went on. “I always remember him telling me that story. She was just so thrilled to get the compliment from her husband."

Mr Thomas was the Queen's dress designer for more than 20 years, ensuring the monarch was wonderfully dressed for every occasion. 

Today the Queen’s outfits remain iconic. The fashion choices of younger royals such as Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex also consistently capture imaginations around the world. Duchess Catherine was recently named 'best fashion influencer' for her lockdown wardrobe, so impactful are her clothing choices.

The ongoing effects of the pandemic meant many royal engagements were sadly cancelled last year. Already this year, the Queen has had to cancel her annual garden parties.

We can only wait and see if the Queen will once again undertake many royal engagements via video call this year.

Emma Shacklock

Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!