Queen Elizabeth & Philip Reportedly Had A Rough Patch In Their Marriage

No relationship is immune to the occasional rough patch — not even the Queen of England's. It turns out Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's relationship reportedly suffered after she became queen in 1952, five years into their marriage. In Being the Queen, a National Geographic documentary chronicling Elizabeth's life, which will be out Aug. 31, Philip’s cousin Lady Pamela Hicks reportedly explains why Elizabeth's coronation proved to be problematic for her marriage. “This extremely active enthusiastic young man who suddenly finds his whole life is going to be taken away from him and probably thinking he will become a 'yes man' for the rest of his life,” Pamela reportedly said of her cousin's life at the time, per Us Weekly. “This really devastated their lives as a married couple.” (Elite Daily reached out to reps for Elizabeth and Philip for comment on these claims and did not hear back in time for publication.)

While he wasn't there at the time to witness their marriage firsthand, the documentary's executive producer Tom Jennings could see how such a shift would have proved to have been difficult for Philip to handle. “I’m sure it was very strained at first and for someone like Philip to acquiesce to the nation and basically give up his bride to the world and take a backseat to everything that’s going on,” he explained to Us Weekly during the Aug. 27 episode of their Royally Us YouTube series. “I think he managed to get through it, but I’m sure it was a very strained time for them.”

The documentary will also depict how Elizabeth and Philip met. According to Pamela, whose father was reportedly there that fateful day, Philip and Elizabeth apparently first crossed paths at Dartmouth in 1939.

Elizabeth was only about 12 years old, per Pamela's estimation, and was there for a trip with her sister Princess Margaret and their parents, King George VI and the Queen Mother. Meanwhile, Philip was an 18-year-old cadet and, according to his cousin "this absolute Greek god." It was reportedly love at first sight from then on for Elizabeth. "I think the princess fell headlong in love with him at that moment," Pamela explained.

Eight years later, on Nov. 20, 1947, Elizabeth and Philip finally tied the knot. Her parents were apparently not exactly thrilled about the match at first. Per royal historian Robert Lacey, they apparently felt "great anxiety" about Elizabeth choosing to "marry the very first man she falls in love with." In addition to being understandably worried as parents for their daughter's happiness, Robert explains the two were reportedly being cautious because they were aware that whoever she chose to wed would have to "shoulder almost half the burden of the monarchy."

Considering the fact that the two have been married for a whopping 73 years, I think it's safe to say they were able to overcome it.