Queen invited Penny Knatchbull to Prince Philip's funeral despite rumors of affair with duke, here's why
Even though only 30 attendees were allowed at Prince Philip's funeral, due to the crowd restrictions enforced due to the ongoing pandemic, Penny Knatchbull, a close confidant of the Duke of Edinburgh for decades, was one of the mourners invited for the service. This decision by the widowed queen surprised many loyal followers of the royal family.
Knatchbull, known informally as "Penny", the countess of Reginald Eastwood became close to the royal family after her marriage to Norton Knatchbull, 3rd Earl of Mountbatten of Burma. She is well known around the palace, as she and the duke had bonded of the equestrian sport of carriage driving, a traditional royal pass time that the duke was extremely fond of.
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Did Prince Philip cheat on Queen with Penny?
Penny became an instant hit with the royal family when she was first introduced in 1975. She became very close to both Prince Philip and the Queen following the death of her daughter, Leonora in 1991. She shared their love for the outdoors, which allowed their friendship to flourish. Reportedly, in 1994, the duke offered to teach her carriage driving. Since then, they have reportedly competed in multiple carriage shows across the country.
Since his retirement from royal duties, the duke was frequently visited by Penny. Many years back, courtiers called their friendship the 'Penny Romsey situation' after a lengthy secret telephone conversation between Penny and Prince Philip was leaked by an electronic eavesdropper.
In fact, the duo was so close that at one point many thought he was cheating on the Queen with her. While these rumors were never proved, they persisted for years.
Penny was palace 'regular'
She had become a regular fixture at all royal events for a long time. It was common to hear Prince Philip say, "invite x, y, and also Penny". So much so that she was often referred to 'and also' by palace insiders, a testament to the fact that she would be added to any event being planned.
However, according to HELLO! magazine, the real reason behind her attendance at the funeral was to stand as a representative for her husband, who could not attend the funeral due to his failing health. The Earl is the grandson of Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, a British Royal Navy officer and statesman and uncle of Prince Philip.
Penny looked 'heartbroken'at funeral
According to the Daily Mail, the countess was ashen-faced and looked "heartbroken" as she arrived for the funeral on Saturday, April 17. After arriving at the service, she sat quietly at the back of St George's Chapel.
"Penny was one of the few friends that Philip continued to see regularly after 2017 and his withdrawal from Royal duties," one royal aide told Daily Mail. "They were brought together by tragedy but were there for each other through thick and thin. He trusted her implicitly and she adored him. She never betrayed him. She was a keeper of not only his secrets but those of the entire family. Theirs was a deep and lasting friendship."
Another source revealed, "He was a tremendous support for her during a time of unimaginable grief. Despite their 30-year age difference, they had a lot of things in common. Penny has always been utterly discreet, totally loyal and always gave her honest opinion on things, good and bad, as best pals are supposed to do. But the friendship was a two-way street. Philip was always there for her. She looked heartbroken when she arrived at the funeral and she is heartbroken. She's lost her best friend."
