There Was Only One Royal In The Whole Family Who Could Treat The Queen Like A Regular Person
During her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth lived a lavish life that was quite different from what most people experience. In addition, the majority of the people she encountered viewed her as a royal ruler. However, Prince Philip was one notable exception. The Duke of Edinburgh enjoyed a caring relationship with the woman behind the crown and got to interact with her as a regular person during the 73 years of their marriage (via Today).
"Prince Philip is the only man in the world who treats the Queen simply as another human being," said Lord Charteris, the queen's former private secretary, per Biography. "He's the only man who can. Strange as it may seem, I believe she values that."
While other people addressed her as "Your Majesty," Prince Philip called Elizabeth by affectionate pet names, including "Cabbage," according to royal biographer Robert Lacey (via Metro).
For her part, Elizabeth described her husband as "someone who doesn't take easily to compliments, but ... has quite simply been my strength and stay all these years" in a speech on their 50th wedding anniversary, per USA Today.
Royal author Gyles Brandreth had the opportunity to personally observe the queen and Prince Philip when his vehicle was behind theirs. "For half an hour, I saw them telling each other stories, listening to each other, laughing repeatedly," he wrote in "Philip: The Final Portrait," per the Daily Mail. Brandeth feels that companionship and conversation were two key elements in the success of this historic royal marriage.