Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Early life

His Royal Highness Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark was born on 10 June 1921 atop a kitchen table at Villa Mon Repos on Corfu, a Greek island in the Mediterranean Sea. His father was Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, the son of King George I of Greece and Queen Olga. His mother was Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark (formerly Princess Alice of Battenberg), the elder daughter of the 1st Marquess of Milford Haven (formerly Prince Louis of Battenberg) and the Marchioness of Milford Haven (formerly Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine). Lady Milford Haven, through her mother, the Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine (formerly Princess Alice of the United Kingdom), was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, and Princess Andrew was the sister of Queen Louise of Sweden.

Related Topics:
10 June - 1921 - Corfu - Mediterranean Sea - Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark - King George I of Greece - Queen Olga - Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark - 1st Marquess of Milford Haven - Marchioness of Milford Haven - Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine - Queen Victoria - Queen Louise of Sweden

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Prince and Princess Andrew remained in residence on the island of Corfu for 18 months. Greece was politically unstable, and it was expected that the monarchy would soon be overthrown. On 22 September 1922, King Constantine I was forced to abdicate the throne. A revolutionary court sentenced Prince Andrew, his younger brother, to death. Fortunately for the family, King George V of the United Kingdom ordered that a Royal Navy ship evacuate the family, and Philip was carried to safety in a cot made from an orange box.

Related Topics:
22 September - 1922 - King Constantine I - Abdicate - King George V of the United Kingdom - Royal Navy

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He had four older sisters, all of whom married German princes:

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• Princess Margarita (1905-1981)
• Princess Theodora (1906-1969)
• Princess Cecilie (1911-1937)
• Princess Sophie (1914-2000)