Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip: A Look at Their Relationship with Their Children

Queen Elizabeth, also known as Princess Elizabeth, gave birth to her first two children, Charles, Prince of Wales, and Anne, Princess Royal, at the age of 25 before she was crowned Queen in 1953.

It wasn't until almost a decade later that the couple welcomed their two youngest children, Andrew, Duke of York, and Edward, Earl of Wessex, into the world.

It was during this time that the couple began to enjoy parenthood away from the spotlight of the world and its critics.

According to the book “My Husband and I: The Inside Story of 70 Years of Royal Marriage” by Ingrid Seward, the Queen dubbed Andrew and Edward her “second family” because they arrived so long after the birth of her first-borns, Charles and Anne.

The monarch also broke from royal tradition and refused to show off baby Andrew to the world straight after he was born.

However, gossip over whether Andrew was deformed began to swirl, and a reluctant but furious Queen decided to show her 16-month-old bundle of joy to royal fans on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the Queen's birthday parade.

When the couple's fourth and final child, Edward, arrived, a 37-year-old Queen decided she wanted her husband by her side.

The Duke of Edinburgh was actually holding his wife's hand as their youngest was born on March 10, 1964.

The Queen had asked him to be there after reading women's magazines that stressed the importance of involving fathers in childbirth and had become fascinated by the idea.

Thus, Philip became the first royal father in modern history to witness the arrival of one of his children.

This marked a new stage in the couple's relationship where they could draw on lessons learned from mistakes made while bringing up their eldest children, Charles and Anne.

Andrew himself said his parents divided their responsibilities towards him half and half.

Compassion came from the Queen, and duty and discipline came from Philip.

In fact, Andrew had more “mummy time” with his mother than any of her other children, and royal sources say he was the Queen's favourite.

The Queen would say some mornings to the nanny, “Leave him with me, Mabel,” and he'd be left with his mother, playing on the floor of her study while she worked at her desk on her state papers.

Meanwhile, while it is acknowledged that the Queen and Philip's loving relationship with their youngest never faltered, the monarch was said to be more tough on Edward.

When the Earl of Wessex left the Royal Marines in 1987 after just four months, the monarch is said to have been livid over his reluctance to carry out family duties and keep up royal reputation.

But it was, in fact, the Duke who took a more rational approach.

Philip was the most sympathetic and understood his son's decision, which he considered a brave one, and supported him fully.

Seward had explained to him that he felt he was never going to be able to fit in as well as he'd hoped.

“I was always going to have a policeman there,” he said.

“I could never go out with the rest of the lads into the town, as everyone knew who I was.

I didn't see the way, really, it was going to work,” Ms Seward added.

Many in their circle know that each has a personal preference for one son over the others.

For the Queen, Andrew will always be her favourite, while for the Duke, it is Edward.

The Queen and Prince Philip will celebrate their platinum wedding anniversary on November 20th, making them the longest married couple in British royal history.

They have eight grandchildren, Prince William, Prince Harry, Peter Phillips, Zara Phillips, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louse Windsor, and James, Viscount Severance.

The couple also shares five great-grandchildren, Isla Phillips, Savannah Phillips, Mia Tindall, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte, and a sixth by William and Kate, which is on its way.