British Royal Family – Hated, loved but never ignored

New Delhi: The Royal family of England has always been in the public eye, not just in the UK but in the entire world. There is always a curiosity in the general public like us of knowing what happens inside the magnificent walls of the Buckingham Palace. Knowing more about the royal people who are kept at such high regards on a pedestal we all can never reach provides a comfort that after all, they are also mere flawed human beings just like us. There have been many shows and movies and documentaries over the years that have done the job of transparenting the walls between us and the royal family.

The news of the demise of the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip has taken the entire world by storm. The man who went strong for about a century and always stood close to the Queen as a constant pillar of support bid adieu to the world on Friday. He has famously been portrayed by several actors ranging from James Cromwell to Matt Smith on the screen.

Let’s take a look back at some of his past onscreen characterisations:

The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana (1982)

This made-for-TV film that aired on CBS, depicted the most popular royal wedding of Prince Charles (Christopher Baines) and Lady Diana Spencer (Catherine Oxenberg). Stewart Granger appeared as the Duke of Edinburgh in this movie.

Diana: Her True Story (1993)

Another TV movie, based on Andrew Morton's publication of the same name, focused on Diana's life and troubled marriage to Prince Charles. Donald Douglas played Prince Philip in the film.

The Queen's Sister (2005)

A BBC film giving a semi-fictionalised account of Princess Margaret's life as the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II from 1952 to the mid 1970s, where David Threlfall appeared as Prince Philip.

The Queen (2006)

Written by Peter Morgan, who would go on to create The Crown, the film stars Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II (for which she won an Oscar) and James Cromwell as Prince Philip. The Queen follows the Royal family in the wake of Princess Diana's death in 1997 and was also nominated for best picture, with Stephen Frears earning a best director nod.

The Crown (2016-2020)

The most robust portrayal of Prince Philip to date comes in the Netflix drama about the British royal family. Matt Smith took on the role in the Netflix drama's first two seasons and Tobias Menzies in the next two seasons. Jonathan Pryce is set to take over the role for the show's fifth and six seasons. The Crown documented the early days of Queen Elizabeth and the Duke's relationship, through welcoming four children and learning to navigate the monarchy together.

The Queen's Corgi (2019)

This Belgian animated film is inspired by Queen Elizabeth II and her famed pet corgis, where one dog, Rex, gets lost and tries to find his way home to Buckingham Palace. Prince Philip is voiced by Tom Courtenay in the UK and Paul Gregory in the US.