Elizabeth II of England always demanded from her husband, Philip of Edinburgh, loyalty, not fidelity.In fact, there are up to six (known) names of names that swell the long list of lovers that the consort of the British monarch had during his 73 years of marriage with her. Queen Elizabeth is not the only woman to mourn the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, who died on April 9.
She had numerous ‘dear friends’ but there was one in particular, the most important, who was her moral support and confidant for 50 years.This is Penelope Romsey, known as Lady Penny Brabourne . The queen, of course, knew of their existence. In fact, I draw attentionat the funeral of Philip of Edinburgh on April 17, marked by capacity restrictions due to the pandemic, that Lady Penny Brabourne was the only guest who did not belong to the family.
The Duke of Edinburgh and Lady Penny Brabourne met at a polo match in 1975 and have been inseparable ever since. Despite the great age difference that separated them (23 years), it was common to see them together in numerous social events. And, what is more: the aristocrat and Elizabeth II have also been seen publicly, especially at sporting events, in a friendly attitude,sharing confidences and laughter. The queen attended at the time the wedding of Penelope’s daughter, of whom Prince Charles was her godfather, they have shared a car to go to church and have attended equestrian competitions together in Windsor.
In the mid-1970s Lady Penny was the girlfriend of Lord Brabourne, Earl of Mountbatten of Burma and, surprisingly, one of Prince Philip’s own godchildren.Both walked down the aisle four years later, but that didn’t stop the relationship between Penelope and the Duke of Edinburgh from continuing to be very ‘special’, as the British tabloids have always referred to it.
The relationship between the Duke of Edinburgh and the aristocrat became closer in 1994when he began to teach her how to drive a carriage. The two were often seen together at the Royal Windsor Horse Show and other sporting competitions. “She was a regular visitor to Sandringham, despite her 30-year age gap,” explains Tatler magazine.
The really curious thing about Lady Penny is not that she has the approval of her ‘special’ friend’s wife to spend time with him –either because she is only a true friend or because she had already assumed her presence–, but that Penelope played a huge role in Prince Charles’s relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles.She was the owner of the London apartment located in the Chelsea neighborhood where the two began their relationship, before Lady Di appeared on the scene. Because if something must also be made very clear, it is that Penelope was always part of Camilla’s team , considering that Diana was not the best option as a wife for the one who would one day be (and will be) the future king of England.
Not only has Lady Penny been a great support to both the Duke of Edinburgh and his son, but she also found in friendship with the Queen of England’s husband a shoulder to cry on when her husband, Lord Brabourne, killed her. abandoned a few months ago to flee to the Bahamas with her lover.
