Born in 1921 in Corfu, Greece, to father Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and his mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, Prince Philip was sixth in line to the Greek throne. The prince left the country as a young boy and completed his education in Germany and the UK, before joining the British Royal Navy in 1939 on the advice of his uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten.
Aged 18, Prince Philip was living in Dartmouth at the Royal Navy College when he met 13-year-old Princess Elizabeth. It was seven years later in 1947 that the pair announced their engagement and his life at the top of the British monarchy would really begin.
At the age of 26, following his grand wedding to Princess Elizabeth in November 1947 that was televised to the whole nation, the Prince and his new wife headed to Surrey, where they rented Windlesham Moor at the beginning of 1948.
Not far from the Queen's current home, Windsor Castle, the country property was the perfect retreat for the newlyweds, who were looking to start a family. Rented fully furnished, it had four reception rooms, a 50-foot drawing room and five main bedrooms, but has since been renovated by its new owners.
In November 1948, Prince Charles was born, and the young family continued to stay at the sprawling country house which is nestled in 58 acres of grounds. On 4 July 1949, the royal family headed back to London to their official residence, Clarence House.
Clarence House became the official London residence of the Prince and Princess after their wedding. Located on The Mall in Westminster, London, the house was built in the 1820s by renowned architect John Nash for the Duke of Clarence. Said to be a more informal living space for the royals that stay there, it's located next to St James' Palace.
Under the Duke of Edinburgh's guidance, the dated Victorian interiors were given a fresh makeover. The electric wiring, heating and hot water systems were modified and new furniture was moved in. Most of the furniture came from wedding presents, including the Georgian table in the formal Dining Room, which was a gift from the Royal Warrant Holders Association.
In August 1950, Princess Anne was born at Clarence House and Prince Philp and his wife spent the next two years raising their young children, before upping sticks to Buckingham Palace after the Queen's accession in 1952. From 1953, Clarence House was the royal residence of the Queen Mother, who was also living there during the short time that Princess Diana moved in during 1981.
Before Princess Elizabeth became Queen in 1952, Prince Philip was stationed in Malta as a serving Royal Navy officer. Between 1949 and 1951 the couple set up a second home on the island. At the time, the rented home of Prince Philip's uncle, Villa Guardamangia sits on the outskirts of the capital Valletta and boasts six bedrooms and numerous grand living spaces.
When staying in Malta, the royal couple lived a relatively normal life. It was said the Queen as a young married woman spent her days swimming, enjoying picnics and driving around in a Morris Minor, while the Prince was serving as a First Lieutenant onboard HMS Chequers.
In 1952, the Queen took the throne after her father, King George VI passed away in February the same year. Prince Philip left Clarence house and moved into Buckingham Palace with the new heir. The couple's new official London home dates back to 1703 when the Duke of Buckingham built a fine townhouse in London's St James' district. The townhouse was then acquired by King George III in 1762 and lavishly enlarged in the 18th century.
With Prince Andrew born in 1960 and Prince Edward in 1964, the palace became a family home. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh forged their own path as parents bringing up their children in a grand palace. All four children were the first to be educated in schools rather than a private tutor at the palace.
Although a family home, the 828,000-square-foot palace has an old-fashioned layout with a total of 775 rooms, which include 19 staterooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms, none of which are ensuite. This photo shows the swish White Drawing Room.
As an escape from Buckingham Palace and royal duties, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland for some peace and quiet. Each year, since 1952, the couple took around two months out of their busy schedule to spend some private time in 50,000 acres of rural countryside. They spent their last break there together for six weeks in 2020.
There are 150 buildings on the estate, including Craigowan Lodge and Birkhall, which can be seen here. This is where Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth spent part of their three-week honeymoon after a spell in Hampshire.
The main uses of the land surrounding the castle are; deer stalking, grouse shooting, forestry and farming. Here are Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visiting some of the livestock in the castle and grounds in 1972.
Inside, Balmoral has been filled with the comforts of a regular home. The drawing room, where the Duke and Queen would have greeted any guests boasts traditional décor that hasn't changed much over the years, with the fern patterned chairs and wallpaper remaining the same to this day.
The Sandringham Estate in Norfolk is one of the Queen's private homes. All the senior royals would usually spend a family Christmas at Sandringham with her majesty and Prince Philip, who would stay on until February. However, lockdown saw the Queen and the Duke spend a quiet Christmas together in Windsor Castle in 2020.
Over the course of their marriage, the Queen and Prince Philip enjoyed a number of breaks to the Norfolk home and can be seen here on the 30th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's reign enjoying a stroll with one of their beloved Corgis.
Sitting in 20,000 acres of sprawling grounds, the grand main house was snapped up by Queen Victoria in 1862 as a gift for her son, the future King Edward VII. He rebuilt it in 1870 in suitably sophisticated style, with a ballroom added in 1881 and a guest wing constructed in the 1890s. In 2019, the Queen herself was said to have spent £500,000 ($685k) on renovations to the north end of the retreat, which is where the royal apartments can be found.
Compared to the other royal residences, Sandringham has a somewhat more relaxed feel. The ground floor is decorated in elegant Edwardian style with a roaring hearth taking centre stage in this reception room.
Instead of staying in the main house, the Duke opted for something a little smaller and moved into Wood Farm Cottage upon his retirement. The five-bedroom farmhouse overlooks the marshes and the Wash and also sits close to part of the Royal Stud, where the Queen's racehorses are bred.
Thought to be the Queen and Prince Philip's favourite official home, Windsor Castle dates from the 11th century and sprawls over 484,000 square feet. A second home to the royal couple, the 1,000-room castle, which is located in Windsor Great Park sits just west of London in the county of Berkshire.
In 2020, the Duke and the Queen spent part of the coronavirus pandemic isolating at Windsor Castle with a limited number of select staff. The Queen also celebrated the beginning of her 70th year as monarch and marked the anniversary away from Sandringham for the first time.
Other highlights include the medieval St George's Chapel and Hall, where Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were married, and a wealth of treasures, from the artworks that are displayed in the Drawings Gallery, to King Charles II's bed chamber and Queen Mary's sumptuous doll's house.
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