Prince Philip, commonly referred to as the Duke of Edinburgh, served as Queen Elizabeth’s consort from her ascension in 1952 until his passing in 2021, establishing him as the longest-serving royal consort in history. The film delves into Prince Philip’s early years, chronicling stories from his childhood to adulthood. Born into the Greek and Danish royal families in Greece, he and his family faced exile from the country when he was just eighteen months old.

In an unprecedented television event, over a dozen members of the royal family share their personal reflections, paying a historic tribute to the remarkable life of HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. This unique portrait of the longest-serving royal consort in history is a collaborative effort, featuring contributions from all the children of the Queen and Prince Philip, their adult grandchildren, and other royal family members.

Originally conceived to celebrate Prince Philip’s centenary, this groundbreaking documentary includes interviews conducted both before and after the duke’s passing in April. The documentary crew gained exclusive access to Buckingham Palace, exploring the duke’s study, private office, and library, meticulously preserved as they were throughout his seven decades at the heart of royal life.

The film offers poignant recollections, ample humor, and numerous fresh insights into the character and legacy of this trailblazing royal figure. With special permission to access the Queen’s private cine film collection, this documentary provides an unparalleled portrait of a man who holds a distinctive place in royal history, as remembered by those who were closest to him.

About the score

When I was asked by Oxford Films to score this fascinating documentary about Prince Philip for the BBC, I had to look beyond just laying down the generic classical mood music as is so common in these films. We needed to capture the personality of the Duke in his early years all the way up to his more serious demeanour in his later life without being too earnest.

No stranger to controversy, Prince Philip often had a very ‘direct’ way of communicating that many found offensive. It was a trait that needed to be seen more from the perspective of his upbringing rather than just purely off-handed comments that were arguably racist and misogynistic at times.

Bringing out this complexity in his character musically was something I played with at various points in the film, ranging from the more frivolous moments bringing up Charles to his frustration at dedicating his life as a consort at the price of his career.

Credits

• Network: BBC
• Director: Faye Hamilton & Matt Hill
• Producer: Faye Hamilton
• Executive Producer: Nicolas Kent
• Role: Composer

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