Imagine what Queen Elizabeth had to face in her lifetime: questions about the need for a monarchy, family crises, Princess Diana’s death. Those are things no one would have wanted to shoulder alone. Prince Philip was there through it all.

"During these years as your Queen, the support of my family has, across the generations, been beyond measure. Prince Philip is, I believe, well-known for declining compliments of any kind. But throughout, he has been a constant strength and guide,” the Queen said during her Diamond Jubilee address to Parliament in 2012.

As Queen, it was always Elizabeth’s job to stand in the spotlight, answer questions, and defend her choices and family’s choices. But she was able to handle that with such grace thanks to knowing Philip had her back and hand at all times.

"He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.” The Queen shared this heartfelt message on November 20, 1997 at the 50th wedding anniversary of her and Prince Philip.

It’s one thing to reach a 50 year wedding anniversary, but Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip hit the 70th! That’s astounding and they’ll go down in history as the longest married monarchs in Britain. This quote is especially poignant as the Queen shared it at their 70th anniversary, just three years before Philip’s passing.

"When we were married I don’t think there was such a thing as a platinum anniversary, they didn’t know we would be around that long.”

They say you can’t put a price on love and the Queen resolutely agreed as she stated in this remark about her husband on their 50th wedding anniversary.

"I take this opportunity to mention the strength I draw from my own family. The Duke of Edinburgh has made an invaluable contribution to my life over these past fifty years, as he has so many charities and organizations with which he has been involved."

The Queen gave a stirring endorsement of marriage on her 25th anniversary to Prince Philip. Their bond seemed to defy status and age. Even long after their dancing days were done — here they are pictured square dancing on a trip to Canada — the two found a way to be there for each other in good times and bad.

"If I am asked what I think about family life after 25 years of marriage, I can answer with equal simplicity and conviction, I am for it."

In his later years, Prince Philip had to step down from his public duties, but the Queen acknowledged that his commitment to them would never wane despite his age and ailing health. In 2016, during her Christmas address, she said the following about the Duke of Edinburgh...

"Even Prince Philip has decided it’s time to slow down a little — having, as he economically put it, “done his bit”. But I know his support and unique sense of humour will remain as strong as ever.’"

In a charming letter written during her honeymoon, Queen Elizabeth wrote that she felt like she and Philip had always belonged to each other. What a lovely way to describe a marriage, as a unit, strong and committed forever together as one.

"We behave as though we had belonged to each other for years."

During her 2021 Christmas address after losing her husband and spending the holidays isolating away from family, Queen Elizabeth spoke of how much she missed Prince Philip’s “sense of service, intellectual curiosity and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation – were all irrepressible. That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him.”

She went on to say, “But life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings; and as much as I and my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas.”