Prince Philip & Penny Were INSEPARABLE — And the Palace Knew

In April 2021, Penelope Knatchbull's name appeared on the list of those who could say goodbye to Prince Philip at St. George's Chapel. The pandemic left room for only thirty guests, and Countess Mountbatten of Burma, whom her family called Penny, entered the chapel. Her presence next to the Queen and the Duke's children attracted attention: newspaper captions called her his close friend. However, this story begins long before the innuendo controversy. Penny was no casual guest—she married Norton Knatchbull, grandson of Lord Mountbatten, Prince Philip's cousin. Through marriage, she joined a family network where kinship, friendship, and shared hobbies intertwined. Long before meeting Penny, in 1947, the future Queen Elizabeth, in a letter to Admiral Harold Stark, spoke of happiness in marriage with Philip. Their family life began at Broadlands, the Mountbatten estate, where they spent part of their honeymoon. Broadlands later became the home of Penny and Norton. A shared passion for equestrian sports, particularly driving, brought Penny and the Duke of Edinburgh closer in the 1990s, following the tragic death of her daughter Leonora. Philip supported Penny and introduced her to the sport. Their friendship developed against the backdrop of Elizabeth and Philip's long-term marriage, their family responsibilities and social life. Penny was also involved in the management of the Broadlands Estate and charitable activities, including the Leonora Memorial Foundation. In 2021, she was among the few who attended Prince Philip's funeral and later attended a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey. This story is not a melodrama, but a complex interweaving of family ties, friendship and common interests, where each person played a role. Related sources and materials: letters and documents from the US Naval Archives (Elizabeth's correspondence with Admiral Stark); newsreel and photo archives (Popperfoto, Getty Images); BBC documentary "The Duke at Ninety" (2011); Timothy Knatchbull's book about the Mallahmore bombing; interviews and articles in publications The Irish Times, Tatler, Horse & Hound, The Daily Telegraph, ITV, BBC; official Buckingham Palace reports and government documents (The London Gazette); recordings of The Queen's Christmas addresses; materials from The Compassionate Friends and the Leonora Foundation; publications about charitable activities and local ceremonies in Romsey.