Senior figures from within the Royal Family have paid powerful tribute to Prince Philip in an ‘historic’ BBC documentary that features ‘never-before-seen footage from the Queen’s private collection.
The BBC has released a clip of its upcoming ‘historic’ documentary, Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers, featuring members of the Royal Family discussing the life and impact of Prince Philip.
The broadcast was originally commissioned to celebrate the Duke’s 100th birthday in June, but has been repurposed following his death in April.
More than a dozen royals including Philip’s children – the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex – and their adult grandchildren, the Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, have taken part in the one-hour programme.
Princes Charles, Harry and William led the poignant testimonies and discussed the longevity and influence that Prince Philip held as the towering father figure for the Royal Family.
His son, Charles, explained how fortunate the family were to have Philip ‘for nearly 100 years’, while Prince William admitted ‘The Firm’ were indebted to the ‘huge presence’ of the Duke of
Senior figures from within the Royal Family have paid powerful tribute to Prince Philip (right) in an ‘historic’ BBC documentary that features ‘never-before-seen footage from the Queen’s private collection
The Duke’s son, Prince Charles, spoke of the longevity of the Duke of Edinburgh and finishes the trailer with a powerful message: ‘We were lucky to have him for nearly 100 years’
Warring brothers Prince William and Harry spoke separately to share their own poignant memories of their grandfather alongside previously unseen footage
Prince William kicks off the trailer with a powerful message reminding the world that the elder statesman was known to be an influential figure behind the scenes.
Talking between images showing an energetic Prince Philip in his youth, The Duke of Cambridge says: ‘He has always been a huge presence behind everything we’ve done really.’
Speaking separately his brother, Prince Harry, adds: ‘What you see is what you got with my grandfather. He was unapologetically him.’
Granddaughter Zara Tindall explained the ever present leadership Prince Philip afforded: ‘You never really prepare yourself for losing him because he was always there.’
And the Duke’s son, Prince Charles, finishes the trailer off with a poignant message. ‘We were lucky to have him for nearly 100 years,’ Charles said.
The BBC said Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers would feature ‘poignant recollections, plenty of humour and numerous fresh insights into the character and legacy of this royal pioneer’.
Insiders also say the ‘historic’ programme will allow family members and royal aides to offer ‘personal thoughts and reflections’ on Britain’s ‘extraordinary’ longest serving consort.
Producers Oxford Films – who have previously documented the Royal Wedding, Princess Anne’s tenure and the anniversary of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth’s wedding – were invited inside the walls of Buckingham Palace and given close access to the Duke’s personal effects for the hour-long documentary.
The BBC One film is scheduled to be broadcast on Wednesday, September 22, at 9pm. The broadcast will include interviews filmed both before and after Philip’s death.
The hour-long programme, set to be broadcast on Wednesday September 22 at 9pm, features previously unseen footage from the Queen’s private collection. Above: An excitable Prince Philip races along on a child’s bicycle
Insiders also say the ‘historic’ programme will allow family members and royal aides to offer ‘personal thoughts and reflections’ on Britain’s ‘extraordinary’ longest serving consort
Producers Oxford Films – who have previously documented the Royal Wedding, Princess Anne’s tenure and the anniversary of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth’s wedding – were invited inside the walls of Buckingham Palace and given close access to the Duke’s personal effects for the hour-long documentary
The BBC says its new documentary Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers will offer poignant recollection and fresh insight into the life of Britain’s longest serving consort
More than a dozen royals including Philip’s children and their adult grandchildren have contributed to the one-hour programme. Above: Members of the Royal Family watch on at the annual Trooping the Colour
Prince Harry will appear alongside other members of the royal family including Prince Charles and Prince William to share their personal thoughts and reflections on the Duke of Edinburgh for a new BBC One tribute film
Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers, which is set to air on Wednesday, September 22 at 9pm on BBC One, will feature interviews from all of the monarch, 95, and Philip’s children
The programme was originally conceived to mark the Duke’s 100th birthday in June, but the nation’s longest-serving consort died two months before celebrating his centenary. Above: Members of the royal family lead the procession at Prince Philip’s funeral at Windsor Castle, April 17
It was originally conceived to mark the Duke’s 100th birthday in June, but the nation’s longest-serving consort died two months before celebrating his centenary.
The BBC added: ‘The documentary-makers have been inside Buckingham Palace to meet the Duke’s long-serving staff and to capture his study, private office and library, exactly as they were during his seven decades at the heart of royal life.
‘With special access to the Queen’s private cine-film collection, this film is an unrivalled portrait of a man with a unique place in royal history – by those who knew him best.’
The Queen has not been interviewed for the programme.
Neither the Duchess of Sussex, who has accused the royal family of racism, the Duchess of Cambridge nor any other spouses of the Queen and Philip’s grandchildren will appear.
It is not the first time the royals have opened up about the Duke since his death in April, with several members of The Firm revealing personal memories on what would have been his 100th birthday this summer.
Prince Philip died of ‘old age’, his death certificate revealed. The Duke of Edinburgh died ‘peacefully’ aged 99 on April 9, Buckingham Palace announced at the time.
Insiders also say the ‘historic’ programme will allow family members and royal aides to offer ‘personal thoughts and reflections’ on Britain’s extraordinary Duke. Pictured: Philip and Queen Elizabeth II
Princess Eugenie, 31, also remembered her grandfather Prince Philip by sharing a heartwarming snap of the monarch and Duke of Edinburgh leaving after her wedding to Jack Brooksbank in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on 12 October 2018 (pictured)
Earlier this year, Prince Charles paid a touching tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh on what would have been his 100th birthday by posting an adorable black and white throwback photograph which showed his younger self welcoming his father home from a trip to Malta in 1951
The Duchess of Sussex, 40, who accused the Royal Family of racism in her bombshell Oprah interview this year, will not appear in the programme, MailOnline understands
Princess Eugenie said she was ‘thinking of her Grandpa’ as she led the Royal Family in paying tributes to Prince Philip on 10 June.
The Queen’s granddaughter, 31, took to Instagram and shared a heartwarming snap of the monarch and Duke of Edinburgh leaving following her wedding to Jack Brooksbank in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on 12 October 2018.
Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales also paid his respects to his father by posting an adorable black and white throwback photograph which showed a young Prince Charles welcoming the Duke home from a trip to Malta in 1951.
In a second snap, Prince Philip can be seen transferring his role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Rifles to The Duchess of Cornwall, during a joint ceremony at Windsor Castle and Highgrove in July 2020.
The broadcast is set to feature interviews from both before and after Philip’s death in April 2021. Above: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip pictured on their 50th wedding anniversary in 1997
It is not the first time the royals have opened up about the Duke since his death in April, with several members of The Firm revealing personal memories on what would have been his 100th birthday this summer. Above: Elizabeth and Philip on their wedding day, November 20, 1947
The royal couple were pictured together at Buckingham Palace in July 1947 after their engagement was announced
Alongside the two photographs shared to the Clarence House Instagram page, Prince Charles penned: ‘Remembering The Duke of Edinburgh, on what would have been his 100th birthday.’
Elsewhere, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took to the Kensington Royal Twitter and shared two snaps of the Queen planting a beautiful ‘Duke of Edinburgh’ rose in the East Terrace Garden in Prince Philip’s honour on Wednesday.
Alongside the series of photographs, the caption read: ‘Today we remember His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, on what would have been his 100th birthday.’
It comes as the BBC said last month that it was looking at ‘lessons to be learned’ after its coverage of Philip’s death drew a record number of complaints.
Nearly 110,000 people objected to the corporation’s decision to clear its schedules across both channels to run a series of mirrored special programmes, making it the most complained-about piece of programming in its history.
Earlier this year, the BBC also wrote to the royal family to apologise for the circumstances surrounding Diana’s famous Panorama interview in 1995.
Lord Dyson’s inquiry found the BBC covered up ‘deceitful behaviour’ used by journalist Martin Bashir to secure his headline-making world exclusive, and that he faked bank statements.