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suggesting the Queen’s husband was conducting an extramarital affair. Three decades later the personal life of the Duke of Edinburgh continued to cause speculation, but British publishers resisted printing stories that might appear disrespectful to the monarch. Touchy about suggestions of Prince Philip with other women, they scissored references from books and articles, citing Britain’s libel laws. In the U.S. publication of Elizabeth and Philip by Charles Higham and Roy Moseley (Doubleday, New York, 1991), the authors wrote about “four mystery women in Philip’s life. One of these was a popular singer and dancer, another an actress who lived over a tobacco shop, still another a Greek cabaret singer, and the fourth a ‘Mrs. S,’ whom he had allegedly visited at a flat in Chelsea.” In the U.K. publication of the book, the innuendo was excised by lawyers.

In addition to the personal recollections of diplomats and reporters who covered the crisis of Suez, I consulted Oxford Illustrated History; History of the Modern World; Oxford Illustrated Encyclopaedia of World History.

Interviews: Warren Rogers, Associated Press (March 1995); Larry Adler (November 29, 1993); Christopher Sylvester (November 29, 1993; July 27, 1995).

Re: Prince Charles as a student: His interview to ABC-TV (December 6, 1984), plus personal recollections of classmates and teachers. The young Prince was remembered for his “interesting” views. One history professor was amazed to hear the Prince defend George III, the monarch who was mentally deranged. But to Charles, his ancestor was admirable because “he loved the arts and was a great human being.” Charles said, “I happen to admire, appreciate, and sympathize with a lot of things he did and enjoyed. I see him as a person whom I’d love to have met in a corridor. I’d love to have talked with him. He was a marvelous eccentric.” The professor noted that George III talked to trees in Hyde Park and Charles talked to plants at Highgrove.

CHAPTER 9

Documents: Private scrapbook and diary entries of royal family friend. Memorandum from Debrett’s Peerage Limited on creation of title for elder daughter of Earl Mountbatten of Burma.

Articles: Newsweek, May 9, 1960; Time, March 30, 1962; Paris-Match; France Dimanche; Daily Mail, May 5, November 1, 1960; Daily Telegraph and Morning Post, May 4, 1960; London Times, February 27, May 7, 1960; the Times, January 13, 1960.

Interviews: Sarah Morrison (April 8, 1994); Carolyn Townshend (April 9, 1994); classmate of Antony Armstrong-Jones (April 9, 1994); Sir Osbert Stubbs (July 20, 1995).

Re: Royal portraits:

The royals spend a great deal of their time posing for painters. “A royal commission can mean a great deal to an artist,” explained Norman Douglas Hutchinson, who has painted the Queen, the Queen Mother, and the Duke of Edinburgh. “It’s not a privilege,” he explained on November 29, 1993, “but it can be a very good opportunity… because you can increase your commissions. It’s silly, really, but some people will pay anything to be painted by an artist who has painted royalty.”

The gifted painter, who describes himself as the bastard son of the Earl of Douglas, posed the Queen in the black dress and veil she wore to meet the Pope. “I wanted to paint her representing her Catholic subjects, and I got a lot of criticism for it.”

The artist asked Prince Philip to wear his blue velvet Garter robe for his portrait. “He finally agreed, but he fought me every step of the way. He resisted many things. And he’d want to talk everything through. ‘Why are you painting me in profile? This portrait is for the regiment. I should be in my regimentals,’ he said. He’s a tough man, difficult, and thoroughly unpleasant…. I told this to the Queen Mother when I painted her, and she, too, agreed. She said, ‘Philip can be quite tedious at times.’ ”

For the artist, the sittings with the Queen Mother were his most enjoyable. “She’s a delight,” said Hutchinson, “very kind, considerate, charming. Actually, she mesmerized me. She really did. And I’m a tough old bugger. It’s not easy to mesmerize