- Princess Elizabeth fell head over heels with 18-year-old Philip in July 1939.
- Their engagement was announced in July 1947, and the couple married on Nov. 20 of that year.
- But before Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip, the Queen Mother reportedly favored Hugh, Earl of Eusto
We all know that Queen Elizabeth II was married to Prince Philip and their love story remains a testament to love and mutual appreciation. But are you aware that another aristocratic suitor was in the running for the young princess before Prince Philip won the heart of the future Queen Elizabeth II?
Hugh, Earl of Euston, who later became the 11th Duke of Grafton was among those considered suitable for Princess Elizabeth before her romance with Philip became strong, according to royal historian Hugo Vickers, author of Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History.
Vickers told Fox News Digital that the Queen Mother favoured a match with a member of the prestigious Grenadier Guards regiment and reportedly hoped her daughter would marry Lord Euston.
“The Queen Mother was very keen that [her daughter] should marry a Grenadier Guard, the most prestigious of all the British regiments. If you're a Grenadier Guard, you are the top,” Vickers said, describing the regiment as one of the most distinguished in the British Army.
During World War II, Princess Elizabeth and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, spent much of their time at Windsor Castle. There were quite a number of Grenadier Guards stationed. According to Vickers, the Queen Mother ensured that several officers from the regiment were introduced into Elizabeth's social circle, with Lord Euston emerging as a favoured candidate.
“She would have loved her to marry Lord Euston. I think it was slightly in the cards at one point, and that could have happened,” he revealed.
How Did Philip Meet Queen Elizabeth?
However, Lord Mountbatten, Philip's uncle, reportedly helped smooth the way for his nephew while removing other potential suitors out of the picture.
“My understanding is that Lord Mountbatten was instrumental in getting Earl Euston a fabulous job as ADC (Aide-de-Camp) to the Viceroy of India,” Vickers said. “So Earl Euston went to India, which, of course, got him out of the way.”
The royal family also reportedly cooled on Euston, viewing him as lacking the energy and dynamism they sought. Channon later wrote that while the family had initially encouraged the friendship, Euston was ultimately considered “too inert and énervé.”
Vickers argued that Elizabeth's eventual marriage to Philip proved to be the better choice.
“Prince Philip was a breath of fresh air,” he said, noting Philip's distinguished wartime naval service and reputation as a modernizer. “They feared he would be a modernizer. They were absolutely right.”
Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth's Romance
Thirteen-year-old Princess Elizabeth fell head over heels with 18-year-old Philip in July 1939. British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard said she was so amazed by the handsome, athletic Philip.
Despite the young princess's heart set on Philip, her parents initially considered him an unsuitable match. But she refused to consider alternatives, even as royal advisers questioned Philip's finances, foreign roots and family background.
The future queen and Philip would go on to develop a romantic relationship. By the mid-1940s, their relationship had become more serious.
“Determined, Princess Elizabeth eventually convinced her father to allow her to marry Philip after a royal tour of South Africa. King George VI realized that ‘distance made the heart grow fonder. Princess Elizabeth's parents eventually gave their full blessing,” said Chard.
Their engagement was announced in July 1947, and the couple married on Nov. 20 of that year. Philip gave up his naval career before pledging to become the queen's “liege man of life and limb, and of earthly worship.”
Philip went on to spend more than seven decades supporting the queen. Before his death in 2021 at age 99, he carried out more than 20,000 royal engagements and championed hundreds of charitable causes.
