What Was Prince Philip's Relationship With Princess Diana? It's Complicated

For anyone following the British Royal family, they'll know that Prince Philip died on April 9, 2021 at age 99. What fans of the royal family might not know is that for many years there have been rumors regarding Philip's feelings about Princess Diana and how those feelings may have even led to her death. 

Provoked by the dramatization of the British Royal family on The Crown, fans have started to wonder: What did Philip do to Diana, if anything? 

In an interview with The Crown actor Tobias Menzies, who played Philip on the show, he described to People how he thinks Philip was fond of his daughter-in-law.

"I guess there are some similarities in that, you know, it's another outsider, a position that he has been in," he explained. "Maybe he has some kind of appreciation for the challenges that she's going through."

"There's this weird mixture of they're in the business of both making sure their son is happy but also needing to keep half an eye on what is required of the role and trying to find someone who could help his son, who is maybe isn't perfectly fitted for the job of being king one day," Tobias added. "Someone who is strong beside him or someone who can make that team work. There's a weird mixture of family and public office."

The biggest challenge to the idea that Philip recognized parts of himself in Diana naturally fell when rumors came that he was responsible for somehow orchestrating her death via car accident. These rumors are unfounded, and while a popular theory at the time of her death, it has never been recorded that Philip felt anything but fond of Diana.

Reportedly when Charles and Diana announced their divorce, Philip sided with Diana, according to letters uncovered in 2003. SW Londoner reports in 1992 that Philip wrote: "Charles was silly to risk everything with Camilla for a man in his position. I cannot imagine anyone in their right minds leaving you for Camilla. Such a prospect never even entered our heads.” It was also reported the letter had a sweet sign off, "[W]ith fondest love, Pa."

It was also reported that Philip did not want the press to get a hold of the letters, indicating that they were his genuine letters and not internet fabrication. That said, the letters reportedly included a conditional clause, saying the British Royal family patriarch and matriarch would not approve of either Charles or Diana taking lovers post-divorce. 

Some consider this clause to be the basis for Philip's "hatred" of Diana, as post-divorce, she dated Dodi Fayed. The Egyptian billionaire's son also lost his life in the car accident with Diana, but any reports of ire or intention to harm Diana that day from the royal family are only speculation.

Fans of the British Royal family hope that all the speculation does no further harm to the family, especially Prince Harry and Prince William.