‘The kg and his hband’: The gay history of Brish royals - The Washgton Post

Contents:

• ‘THE KG AND HIS HBAND’: THE GAY HISTORY OF BRISH ROYALS
• PRCE PHILIP’S FASCATG FAY: A RSIAN TSARA, A GREEK ORTHODOX NUN, A BANISHED KG, AND MORETHE DE OF EDBURGH WAS RELATED TO NEARLY EVERY ROYAL FAY POWER AT THE BEGNG OF THE 20TH CENTURY, AND HIS LIFE WAS SHAPED BY THE UPHEAVAL THAT SURROUND THEM.BY HADLEY HALL MEARAPRIL 15, 2021FROM LEFT, PRCS ALICE, GRAND DUCHS OF HSE; PRCE PHILIP; PRCE ANDREW OF GREECE; ALICE OF BATTENBERG, PRCS ANDREW OF GREECE.PHOTO ILLTRATN BY VANY FAIR; PHOTOS OM GETTY IMAG. SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEBORN 1921 ON A KCHEN TABLE ON THE ISLAND OF CORFU, PRCE PHILIP ME TO THE WORLD A SCENDANT OF MOST OF EUROPE’S GREATT DYNASTI. AS HIS BGRAPHER INGRID SEWARD NOTED PRCE PHILIP REVEALED, HE HAD “MORE BLUE BLOOD NNG THROUGH HIS VES THAN HIS WIFE, THE QUEEN.”THE DE OF EDBURGH’S RELATIV AND ANCTORS CLUD THE PEOPLE WHO ENDOWED HIM WH HIS PENNCE, STUBBORNNS, AND STRONG SENSE OF DUTY AS WELL AS HUMOR— ALL OF WHICH MA HIM UNIQUELY WELL-SUED TO BE THE LONGT-SERVG PRCE NSORT BRISH HISTORY.THE GREAT-GREAT GRANDMOTHER: PRCS ALICE, GRAND DUCHS OF HSE AND BY RHETHE THIRD CHILD OF QUEEN VICTORIA AND HER BELOVED ALBERT, PRCS ALICE WAS BORN 1843. GROWG UP SHE WAS KNOWN AS THE KDLY PEACEMAKER HER LARGE FAY, AN TELLECTUAL WH A MELANCHOLY MARTYR STREAK. ACRDG TO JERROLD M. PACKARD, THOR OF VICTORIA’S DGHTERS, ALICE EQUENTLY ATTEMPTED TO BREAK HER “GOLN CHAS,” VISG TENANTS THEIR TTAG ON THE ROYAL TAT, AND ONCE NNG AWAY OM HER NANNY AT CHURCH TO S THE MONER’S PEWS.AS A TEENAGER, ALICE WAS CREDED WH NURSG HER FATHER, ALBERT, ON HIS ATHBED 1861. NICKNAMED “THE ANGEL THE HOE” BY A FAY IEND, SHE ALSO WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE KEPT A VASTATED VICTORIA OM SCENDG TO TOTAL MADNS. ON JULY 1, 1862, ALICE MARRIED THE HANDSOME AND RATHER UNPLITED LOUIS OF HSE AND RHE, AND SET OFF TO START A NEW LIFE NSERVATIVE DARMSTADT (NOW PART OF GERMANY).REMARKABLY PROGRSIVE FOR HER TIME, ALICE WAS TERMED TO SHAKE THGS UP HER NEW HOME. “IF ONE NEVER SE POVERTY AND ALWAYS LIV THAT LD CIRCLE OF COURT PEOPLE,” SHE POTEDLY WROTE HER MOTHER, “ONE’S GOOD FEELGS DRY UP, AND I FEEL THE WANT OF GOG ABOUT AND DOG THE LTLE GOOD THAT IS MY POWER.”IN EQUENT TOUCH WH HER HERO FLORENCE NIGHTGALE, PRCS ALICE SET ABOUT RADILLY TRANSFORMG HEALTH RE HSE. OVER TIME SHE WOULD OPEN THE ALICE HOSPAL, AND THE PRCS ALICE WOMEN’S GUILD, WHICH TRAED NURS. SHE ALSO PROMOTED THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN (MUCH TO MANY ARISTOCRATIC WOMEN’S CHAGR) WH THE DARMSTADT WOMEN’S DAY, AND VED LIBERAL THEOLOGIAN DAVID FRIEDRICH STRSS TO HER HOME, LEADG HER MOTHER--LAW, EMPRS AUGTA, TO DUB HER A “PLETE ATHEIST!”QUEEN VICTORIA WAS ALSO THREATENED BY HER PROGRSIVE DGHTER, WHO SHE LLED “SHARP AND GRAND AND WANTG TO HAVE EVERYTHG HER OWN WAY.” ACRDG TO VICTORIA, ALICE HAD DARED ASK HER SISTERS ABOUT THEIR SEX LIFE AND GYNELOGIL HEALTH, MUCH TO THEIR MOTHER’S HORROR. AFTER THE ACCINTAL ATH OF HER FAVORE SON FRTIE 1873, HER MELANCHOLY STREAK CREASED. “I WISH I WERE AD,” SHE WROTE, “AND PROBABLY WILL NOT BE TOO LONG BEFORE I GIVE MAMA THAT PLEASURE.”PRCS ALICE DIED OF DIPHTHERIA ON DEC. 14, 1878, THE FIRST CHILD OF VICTORIA AND ALBERT TO DIE. SHE LEFT BEHD FIVE LIVG CHILDREN—VICTORIA, IRENE, ERNT, AND THE DOOMED ELLA AND ALIX, WHO WERE MURRED DURG THE RSIAN REVOLUTN. FOR MORE ON ELLA, READ BELOW.THE GREAT AUNT: GRAND DUCHS ELIZABETH (ELLA) OF RSIACANONIZED AS A SAT THE RSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, GRAND DUCHS ELLA OF RSIA WOULD HAVE AN ENORMO IMPACT ON HER FAY. GENTLE, PASSNATE AND ENERGETIC, ELLA WAS THE UNREQUED LOVE OF HER THE FUTURE KAISER WILHELM II, WHO PUT DOWN SWORD LONG ENOUGH TO WRE POETRY HER HONOR.IN 1884, ELLA MARRIED THE MUCH OLR, EXTREMELY UPTIGHT GRAND DE SERGEI OF RSIA, ERNOR OF MOSW. A SOCIETY STAR, WAS ELLA WHO ENURAGED THE ROMANCE BETWEEN HER PAFULLY SHY SISTER ALIX AND THE FUTURE TSAR NICHOLAS II. BUT ELLA’S GAY LIFE OF BALLS, SLEDDG, AND CHARY EVENTS END 1905, WHEN HER HBAND WAS ASSASSATED BY REVOLUTNARI. ACRDG TO ROBERT K. MASSIE, THOR OF NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA:MOST POPULARTHE ELVIS PRLEY WE DIDN’T SEE ELVISBY KATEY RICHRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHELON MK’S TWTER WANTED TO TELL TMP ABOUT A SEALED SEARCH WARRANT AND POTENTIALLY F--K UP JACK SMH’S CRIMAL INVTIGATNBY BS LEVTHE GRAND DE… HAD JT SAID GOODBYE TO HIS WIFE THEIR KREML APARTMENT AND WAS DRIVG THROUGH ONE OF THE GAT WHEN A BOMB EXPLOD ON TOP OF HIM. HEARG THE SHUDRG BLAST, ELLA CRIED, “IT’S SERGE,” AND SHED TO HIM. WHAT SHE FOUND WAS NOT HER HBAND, BUT A HUNDRED UNREGNIZABLE PIEC OF FLH, BLEEDG TO THE SNOW. COURAGEOLY THE GRAND DUCHS WENT TO HER HBAND’S DYG ACHMAN AND EASED HIS LAST MOMENTS BY TELLG HIM THAT THE GRAND DE HAD SURVIVED.FROM THAT DAY FORWARD, ELLA APPEARED TO CHANNEL HER MOTHER ALICE OF HSE. SHE VISED HER HBAND’S KILLER PRISON, ASKG HIM TO PRAY WH HER FOR FIVENS. SHE OPENED THE CONVENT OF MARTHA AND MARY MOSW AND BEME AN ABBS- THOUGH SHE MA SURE THAT HER FLATTERG PEARL GRAY ROB WERE SIGNED BY SOCIETY PATER MIKHAIL NTEROV. THROUGH HER NVENT, ELLA FED THOANDS, AND NURSED NEARLY AS MANY. ELLA ALSO SAW RIGHT THROUGH RASPUT, AND 1916 WARNED HER SISTER, NOW EMPRS ALEXANDRA, THAT HE WOULD STROY THE ROYAL FAY.THE EMPRS WAS FUR AND ORRED HER SISTER A RRIAGE. THE TWO DOOMED SIBLGS NEVER SAW EACH OTHER AGA. DURG THE RSIAN REVOLUTN, ELLA’S CHILDHOOD LOVE, NOW KAISER WILHELM II, ATTEMPTED TO SAVE HER, BUT TO NO AVAIL. ON JULY 18, 1918, THE DAY AFTER THE HORRIFIC MURR OF NICHOLAS, ALEXANDRA AND THEIR FIVE CHILDREN, ELLA AND ANOTHER GROUP OF ROYALS WERE THROWN TO AN ABANDONED ME SHAFT THE URALS. THOUGH GRENAS WERE THROWN AFTER THEM, A CUR PEASANT HEARD THE VICTIMS SGG HYMNS.WHEN THEIR BODI WERE DISVERED BY THE WHE ARMY LATER THAT YEAR, THE YOUNG PRCE JOHN’S HEAD WAS FOUND BOUND ELLA’S HANDKERCHIEF.NOT ONLY WOULD THE ATH OF THE RSIAN ROYALS IMPACT HIS MOTHER, BUT PHILIP WAS ALSO MUCH AFFECTED BY THEIR FATE. IN 1957, HE STATED, “I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO RSIA VERY MUCH—ALTHOUGH THE BASTARDS MURRED HALF MY FAY.” DES LATER, HE DONATED HIS OWN DNA WHICH HELPED INTIFY THE REMAS OF THE FAY OF NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA.THE FATHER: PRCE ANDREW OF GREECE AND DENMARKDEBONAIR, CHARMG, AND TRAGILLY RELS, PRCE ANDREW, ACRDG TO ONE RELATIVE, ULD TREAT ANYTHG LIFE THREW AT HIM AS A JOKE. HIS SON PHILIP AGREED, CLAIMG THAT HANGG OUT WH HIS FATHER AND UNCL WAS LIKE WATCHG THE MARX BROTHERS. IT WAS LGHTER BORN OF GREAT DISRD.IN 1903, ANDREW, THE SON OF KG GEE I OF GREECE, MARRIED THE BETIFUL ALICE, DGHTER OF VICTORIA (THE OLST CHILD OF PRCS ALICE AND LOUIS OF HSE). IT WAS A “WEDDG OF THE CENTURY,” PAID FOR BY TSAR NICHOLAS II AND ATTEND BY THE CREAM OF ROYAL EUROPEANS. DURG THE UPLE’S HONEYMOON, ’S SAID THAT HE TOLD HIS PROFOUNDLY AF BRI THAT HER WEDDG GIFT WAS A MOTORCYCLE, G HER TO BURST TO TEARS.IT DID NOT TAKE LONG FOR THE TROUBLE TO BEG. GEE I WAS ASSASSATED 1913, AND ANDREW’S GROWG FAY WAS THROWN TO PERDS OF EXILE. AS AN ARMY LEAR DURG THE GRE-TURKISH WAR OF 1919-1922, HE WAS ACCED OF DISOBEYG ORRS, LEADG TO THE CIMATN OF THE GREEK ARMY AT SMYRNA. HE WAS URT-MARTIALED, AND FLED WH HIS FAY (CLUDG AN FANT PHILIP) ABOARD THE WARSHIP CALYPSO, SENT BY KG GEE V OF ENGLAND.MOST POPULARTHE ELVIS PRLEY WE DIDN’T SEE ELVISBY KATEY RICHRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHELON MK’S TWTER WANTED TO TELL TMP ABOUT A SEALED SEARCH WARRANT AND POTENTIALLY F--K UP JACK SMH’S CRIMAL INVTIGATNBY BS LEVPUBLICLY, ANDREW APPEARED TO TAKE ALL STRI. NO DOUBT THKG OF HIS BLOODY FAY HISTORY, HE TOLD THE LOS ANGEL TIM 1923 : “AS IS I AM BANISHED FOR LIFE, BUT IS BETTER TO BE BANISHED FOR LIFE THAN TO QU BREATHG FOR THE RT OF YOUR LIFE.” HE ALSO JOKED THAT HE HAD ENOUGH FUNDS AND WOULD NOT HAVE TO “GO TO THE MOVI OR ENTER BS.”ANDREW, ALICE AND THEIR FIVE CHILDREN EVENTUALLY MOVED TO A BORROWED HOME SAT-CLOUD, FRANCE. IN 1930, HE WROTE TOWARDS DISASTER, HIS VERSN OF THE EVENTS THAT HAD LED TO HIS URT-MARTIAL. THAT SAME YEAR, THE FAY DISTEGRATED. ALICE WAS SENT TO A SANARIUM, ALL FOUR DGHTERS WERE MARRIED, AND PHILIP WAS SENT TO LIVE WH RELATIV ENGLAND.PERPETUALLY SH STRAPPED, ANDREW BEME A JET-SETTG DRIFTER, OCSNALLY APPEARG PHILIP’S LIFE TO JOKE WH HIM OR TELL HIM PLATUS LIKE: “TO BE A PRCE ONE HAD TO EXCEL LIKE A PRCE… A PRCE FACT MT ALWAYS PROVE HIMSELF.”THE EXILED PRCE’S LAST YEARS WERE SPENT MONTE CARLO WH HIS FASCATG MISTRS, THE (SELF-TLED) COMTSE ANDRéE LA BIGNE. THE GOLN HAIRED ANDRéE WAS A WELL- KNOWN ACTRS AND THE DGHTER OF A FAMO PARISIAN URTAN, VALTSE LA BIGNE. ANDREW DIED 1944 OF A HEART ATTACK AFTER A PARTY, UNABLE TO SEE HIS CHILDREN DUE TO THE WAR. THOUGH THE MATERIAL POSSSNS HE LEFT HIS SON CLUD ONLY SOME CUFFLKS AND ENGRAVED HAIRBSH, MANNER THEY WERE VERY MUCH ALIKE.“HE WAS SO LIKE HIM,” HIS DGHTER SOPHIE RELLED. “PHILIP HAD THE SAME MANNERISMS, MOVEMENTS, WAY OF STANDG, WALKG AND LGHG—THE LOSSAL SENSE OF HUMOR, REALLY SEEG THE FUNNY SI OF THGS ALWAYS, AND MAKG EVERYBODY ELSE LGH.”THE MOTHER: ALICE OF BATTENBERG, PRCS ANDREW OF GREECEWHILE HER TRANGED HBAND WENT THE PLAYBOY ROUTE AFTER THE TURMOIL THAT DISPLACED THEIR FAY, PHILIP’S MOTHER, ALICE, WENT TO THE OTHER EXTREME, DRIVEN BY A RELIG ZEAL AND FAY LEGACY OF NURSG AND SERVICE.MUCH HAS BEEN WRTEN OF THE ECCENTRIC ALICE, DGHTER OF HER NAMAKE ALICE OF HSE, OLST DGHTER OF VICTORIA. ACRDG TO HUGO VICKERS, THOR OF THE FIVE ALICE: PRCS ANDREW OF GREECE, AFTER S OF WAR AND DISPLACEMENT AS A MEMBER OF THE GREEK ROYAL FAY, THE EXQUISELY BETIFUL ALICE BEME CREASGLY OBSSED WH OTHERWORLDLY IAS, CLUDG THE OCCULTIST PRACTICE OF TOMATIC WRG. BY 1929, HER NDN HAD BEE SER. ACRDG TO VICKERS:SHE BEME TENSELY MYSTIL AND WOULD LIE ON THE FLOOR ORR THAT SHE ULD VELOP ‘THE POWER NVEYED TO HER OM ABOVE’. SHE BELIEVED THAT SHE HAD VELOPED THE POWER TO HEAL HER HANDS AND SHE ED THIS EFFECTIVELY ON THE RHMATISM OF THE CHILDREN’S NANNY... BY JUNE SHE WAS CLAIMG THAT SHE ULD STOP HER THOUGHTS LIKE A BUDDHIST.ALICE WAS SENT TO A SANARIUM SWZERLAND, WHERE SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WH THE DUB DIAGNOSIS OF A “NROTIC-PREPSYCHOTIC LIBIDO NDN” AND SUBJECTED TO HORRIFIC TREATMENTS, CLUDG THE “EXPOSURE OF THE GONADS TO X-RAYS, ORR TO ACCELERATE THE MENOPSE.” PHILIP WAS OCSNALLY TAKEN TO VIS HIS AILG MOTHER, WHICH HE OFTEN FOUND IGHTENG.MOST POPULARTHE ELVIS PRLEY WE DIDN’T SEE ELVISBY KATEY RICHRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHELON MK’S TWTER WANTED TO TELL TMP ABOUT A SEALED SEARCH WARRANT AND POTENTIALLY F--K UP JACK SMH’S CRIMAL INVTIGATNBY BS LEVHOWEVER, THE TRAGIC ATH OF HER DGHTER CECILIE 1937 APPEARS TO HAVE LED TO A TURNG POT ALICE’S LIFE. SHE SISTED ON STAYG OCCUPIED ATHENS DURG THE WAR, SAVG THE LIFE OF THE JEWISH COHEN FAY AND AIDG THE SICK. WHEN ASKED BY ONE GERMAN GENERAL (PROBABLY AWARE OF HER DGHTER SOPHIE’S MARRIAGE TO A PROMENT NAZI) WHAT HE ULD DO FOR HER, SHE REPLIED: "YOU N TAKE YOUR TROOPS OUT OF MY UNTRY.”IN HONOR OF HER MARTYRED AUNT ELLA, ALICE FOUND THE GREEK ORTHODOX ORR OF THE CHRISTIAN SISTERHOOD OF MARTHA AND MARY, AND BEGAN DRSG AS A NUN WHILE NOT GIVG UP ALL EARTHLY PLEASUR. AS HER MOTHER, VICTORIA, NOTED WRYLY, “WHAT N YOU SAY OF A NUN WHO SMOK AND PLAYS CANASTA?”ALICE’S LAST YEARS WERE SPENT WH HER SON AT BUCKGHAM PALACE. BEFORE HER ATH 1969, SHE WROTE HIM A LETTER: “DEART PHILIP, BE BRAVE, AND REMEMBER I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU, AND YOU WILL ALWAYS FD ME WHEN YOU NEED ME MOST.”SHE WAS BURIED NEXT TO HER HERO ELLA AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNT OF OLIV JESALEM. WHEN HER DGHTER SOPHIE OBJECTED, SAYG WAS TOO FAR OM ENGLAND, ALICE REPLIED. "NONSENSE, THERE'S A PERFECTLY GOOD B SERVICE!”THE AUNT AND UNCLE: GEE AND NAJDA (NADA) MOUNTBATTEN, MARQUS AND MARCHNS OF MILFORD HAVENAFTER THE DISSOLUTN OF HIS FAY 1930, A NE-YEAR-OLD PRCE PHILIP WAS EVENTUALLY PLACED THE LOVG RE OF HIS MOTHER’S BROTHER GEE MILFORD HAVEN. A BRILLIANT, BOHEMIAN NAVAL HERO, GEE WAS MARRIED TO THE AVANT- GAR, GLOBE-TROTTG NADA, GRANDDGHTER OF THE POET ALEXANR PHK. THEY WERE MEMBERS OF THE CHAMPAGNE SOAKED “PALACE GANG,” A GROUP OF JETSETTERS LED BY THE MILFORD HAVENS, GEE’S BROTHER DICKIE AND HIS FASCATG WIFE, EDWA.AT THE MILFORD HAVEN TATE OF LYNN MANOR, PHILIP WAS EE TO PRACTICE HIS JAZZ SAXOPHONE, PLAY BADMTON ON THE URT MA JT FOR HIM AND HIS DAVID, AND TKER WH HIS UNCLE’S $60,000 MIATURE RAILROAD. HE ALSO MAY HAVE E ACROSS THE MILFORD HAVEN’S LEGENDARY PORNOGRAPHY LLECTN. ACRDG TO BGRAPHER BARBARA GOLDSMH, THE LLECTN CLUD BOOKS FEATURG CT, BTIALY, BONDAGE AND FLAGELLATN WH TL LIKE LADY GAY: SPARKLG TAL OF FUN AND FLAGELLATN.WHATEVER THE UPLE’S ADULT PECDILLOS, THEY TREATED PHILIP LIKE A SON, PAYG FOR HIS BOARDG SCHOOL AND SHOWERG HIM WH LOVE. IN 1934, NADA MA NATNAL HEADL WHEN SHE WAS DRAWN TO THE EXPLOSIVE CTODY BATTLE OVER HEIRS GLORIA VANRBILT. DURG A URT HEARG, A FRENCH MAID ACCED LTLE GLORIA’S MOTHER, ALSO NAMED GLORIA, OF KISSG HER AR IEND NADA A CANN HOTEL.“MRS. VANRBILT WAS BED READG A PAPER, AND THERE WAS LADY MILFORD HAVEN BI THE BED WH HER ARM AROUND MRS. VANRBILT’S NECK- LADY MILFORD’S ARM AROUND MRS. VANRBILT’S NECK—AND KISSG HER JT LIKE A LOVER,” THE MAID SISTED.THE STORY BEME AN TERNATNAL SNDAL, AND THE MILFORD HAVENS WERE SUMMONED TO THE PALACE FOR CRISIS TALKS. NADA NOUNCED THE CLAIM AS A MALIC LIE, WHILE PHILIP’S OLR SISTER MARGARA ALSO PUBLICLY FEND HER AUNT AND GLORIA SR. THE SNDAL EVENTUALLY BLEW OVER, BUT THE LM WAS SHORT LIVED. GEE DIED OF NCER 1938, PAVG THE WAY FOR HIS BROTHER, THE LEGENDARY LOUIS “DICKIE” MOUNTBATTEN TO BEE THE DOMANT PATERNAL FLUENCE PHILIP’S LIFE.THE FAVORE SISTER: PRCS CECILIE OF GREECE AND DENMARKPHILIP WAS DOTED ON BY HIS FOUR OLR SISTERS, THEODORA, MARGARA, CECILIE AND SOPHIE. HIS FAVORE WAS CECILIE, LOVELY, CHEERFUL AND TEN YEARS HIS SENR. IN 1931, CECILIE MARRIED THE HANDSOME GE DONAT, GRAND DE OF HSE, WH HER LTLE BROTHER SERVG AS TRA BEARER.MOST POPULARTHE ELVIS PRLEY WE DIDN’T SEE ELVISBY KATEY RICHRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHELON MK’S TWTER WANTED TO TELL TMP ABOUT A SEALED SEARCH WARRANT AND POTENTIALLY F--K UP JACK SMH’S CRIMAL INVTIGATNBY BS LEVBUT TRAGEDY STCK ON NOVEMBER 16, 1937, WHEN WHAT TIME MAGAZE REFERRED TO AS THE “THE CURSE OF HSE” STCK AGA. DONAT AND EIGHT-MONTH PREGNANT CECILIE WERE ON THEIR WAY TO ENGLAND TO ATTEND THE WEDDG OF HIS BROTHER PRCE LUDWIG AND MARGARET GEDS. TWO OF THEIR THREE CHILDREN WERE ON BOARD AS WAS DONAT’ MOTHER, ELEONORE.ACRDG TO REPORTS, THE PLANE WENT DOWN OUTSI OF OSTEND, BELGIUM AFTER CRASHG TO A SMOKTACK. IT APPEARED THE PILOT HAD BEEN ATTEMPTG A BLD EMERGENCY LANDG, AND THE WRECKAGE GAVE A CLUE AS TO WHY. NEXT TO THE BODY OF CECILIE WAS A NEWBORN BABY- LEADG VTIGATORS TO BELIEVE CECILIE HAD GONE TO PREMATURE LABOR WHILE THE AIR, G THE PILOT TO ATTEMPT TO LAND.STUDYG AT GORDONSTOUN, 16-YEAR-OLD PRCE PHILIP WAS PROFOUND SHOCK WHEN TOLD OF HIS BELOVED SISTER’S ATH. HE WENT TO THE FUNERAL, HELD NAZI NTROLLED DARMSTADT, AND WALKED NEXT TO HIS SISTER SOPHIE’S HBAND, CHRISTOPH OF HSE, A FUTURE LUFTWAFFE OFFICER DRSED AN SS UNIFORM. HE LATER SAID THAT CHRISTOPH WAS “A VERY GENTLE PERSON,” AND WAS “KD AND HAD A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOUR. SO, HE WAS ACTUALLY THE PLETE OPPOSE OF WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT.”ACRDG TO INGRID SEWARD, OTHER ROYAL FAY MEMBERS WORE THE FAMO BROWN SHIRTS, AND THRONGS OF MONERS GAVE THE NAZI SALUTE AS THE FUNERAL RTEGE PASSED. THE REPERCSNS OF HIS FAY’S NAZI TI HAVE REVERBERATED THROUGHOUT THE S, EVEN THOUGH PHILIP VALIANTLY SERVED FOR THE BRISH DURG WWII. ACRDG TO SEWARD, DURG THE 2008 QUT TO PRCS DIANA AND DODI AL-FAYED’S ATHS, MOHAMED AL-FAYED CLAIMED PHILIP WOULD NEVER ACCEPT DODI TO THE FAY. DURG ONE EXAMATN, MOHAMED DISPLAYED HIS “PROOF.” SEWARD WR:“ALL THIS STEMS OM YOUR BELIEF THAT PRCE PHILIP IS NOT ONLY A RACIST BUT A NAZI AS WELL?” AL-FAYED REPLIED: “THAT’S RIGHT. IT IS TIME TO SEND HIM BACK TO GERMANY WHERE HE ME OM. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HIS ORIGAL NAME, ENDS WH FRANKENSTE.” HE STARTED WAVG ABOUT A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN 1937 AT THE FUNERAL.THOUGH HIS SISTERS WERE BANNED OM HIS 1947 WEDDG BEE OF THEIR GERMAN HBANDS, THEY WERE VED TO THE QUEEN’S 1953 RONATN. HIS LAST SURVIVG SISTER SOPHIE, SAID TO BE FUNNY AND FORTHRIGHT, OFTEN JOED HIM AT THE ROYAL WDSOR HORSE SHOW. SHE DIED 2001, PHILIP’S LAST REMAG LK TO HIS FASCATG FAY.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— THE SHOCKGLY MELANCHOLY BRNEY SPEARS DOC YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF— R.O. KWON’S LETTER TO ASIAN WOMEN WHOSE HEARTS ARE STILL BREAKG— ANGELA JOLIE OFFERS TO TTIFY AGAST BRAD PT DRAWN-OUT DIVORCE— THE 14 BT RETOL PRODUCTS FOR A SK REBOOT— A BRISH CONSTUTN EXPERT EXPLAS WHY THE ROYALS ARE TRAPPED— CRACKG THE CASE OF LONDON’S ACROBATIC RARE-BOOK THIEV— HOW A JURASSIC PARK ROLLER COASTER GOT ATTACKED BY ACTUAL RAPTORS— FROM THE ARCHIVE: THE OMO SIGNS TED AMMON’S EAST HAMPTON MURR— SERENA WILLIAMS, MICHAEL B. JORDAN, GAL GADOT, AND MORE ARE G TO YOUR FAVORE SCREEN APRIL 13–15. GET YOUR TICKETS TO VANY FAIR’S COCKTAIL HOUR, LIVE! HERE.HADLEY HALL MEAR

‘THE KG AND HIS HBAND’: THE GAY HISTORY OF BRISH ROYALS

One journalist even went so far as to ask Philip about the possibily of children he had wh other women and to suggt that the De had enjoyed a "homosexual liaison" wh the former Print of France, Valery Gisrd d'Estag. ”The speculatn that Edward II’s relatnships wh the men went beyond iendship was fueled by Christopher Marlowe’s 16th-century play “Edward II”, which is often noted for s homoerotic portrayal of Edward II and VI and I, who reigned over Stland and later England and Ireland until his ath 1625, attracted siar scty for his male favor, a term ed for panns and advisers who had special preference wh monarchs. Bergeron theoriz his book “Kg Jam and Letters of Homoerotic Dire”: “The scriptn that mov across the letters spell sire.

PRCE PHILIP’S FASCATG FAY: A RSIAN TSARA, A GREEK ORTHODOX NUN, A BANISHED KG, AND MORETHE DE OF EDBURGH WAS RELATED TO NEARLY EVERY ROYAL FAY POWER AT THE BEGNG OF THE 20TH CENTURY, AND HIS LIFE WAS SHAPED BY THE UPHEAVAL THAT SURROUND THEM.BY HADLEY HALL MEARAPRIL 15, 2021FROM LEFT, PRCS ALICE, GRAND DUCHS OF HSE; PRCE PHILIP; PRCE ANDREW OF GREECE; ALICE OF BATTENBERG, PRCS ANDREW OF GREECE.PHOTO ILLTRATN BY VANY FAIR; PHOTOS OM GETTY IMAG. SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEBORN 1921 ON A KCHEN TABLE ON THE ISLAND OF CORFU, PRCE PHILIP ME TO THE WORLD A SCENDANT OF MOST OF EUROPE’S GREATT DYNASTI. AS HIS BGRAPHER INGRID SEWARD NOTED PRCE PHILIP REVEALED, HE HAD “MORE BLUE BLOOD NNG THROUGH HIS VES THAN HIS WIFE, THE QUEEN.”THE DE OF EDBURGH’S RELATIV AND ANCTORS CLUD THE PEOPLE WHO ENDOWED HIM WH HIS PENNCE, STUBBORNNS, AND STRONG SENSE OF DUTY AS WELL AS HUMOR— ALL OF WHICH MA HIM UNIQUELY WELL-SUED TO BE THE LONGT-SERVG PRCE NSORT BRISH HISTORY.THE GREAT-GREAT GRANDMOTHER: PRCS ALICE, GRAND DUCHS OF HSE AND BY RHETHE THIRD CHILD OF QUEEN VICTORIA AND HER BELOVED ALBERT, PRCS ALICE WAS BORN 1843. GROWG UP SHE WAS KNOWN AS THE KDLY PEACEMAKER HER LARGE FAY, AN TELLECTUAL WH A MELANCHOLY MARTYR STREAK. ACRDG TO JERROLD M. PACKARD, THOR OF VICTORIA’S DGHTERS, ALICE EQUENTLY ATTEMPTED TO BREAK HER “GOLN CHAS,” VISG TENANTS THEIR TTAG ON THE ROYAL TAT, AND ONCE NNG AWAY OM HER NANNY AT CHURCH TO S THE MONER’S PEWS.AS A TEENAGER, ALICE WAS CREDED WH NURSG HER FATHER, ALBERT, ON HIS ATHBED 1861. NICKNAMED “THE ANGEL THE HOE” BY A FAY IEND, SHE ALSO WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE KEPT A VASTATED VICTORIA OM SCENDG TO TOTAL MADNS. ON JULY 1, 1862, ALICE MARRIED THE HANDSOME AND RATHER UNPLITED LOUIS OF HSE AND RHE, AND SET OFF TO START A NEW LIFE NSERVATIVE DARMSTADT (NOW PART OF GERMANY).REMARKABLY PROGRSIVE FOR HER TIME, ALICE WAS TERMED TO SHAKE THGS UP HER NEW HOME. “IF ONE NEVER SE POVERTY AND ALWAYS LIV THAT LD CIRCLE OF COURT PEOPLE,” SHE POTEDLY WROTE HER MOTHER, “ONE’S GOOD FEELGS DRY UP, AND I FEEL THE WANT OF GOG ABOUT AND DOG THE LTLE GOOD THAT IS MY POWER.”IN EQUENT TOUCH WH HER HERO FLORENCE NIGHTGALE, PRCS ALICE SET ABOUT RADILLY TRANSFORMG HEALTH RE HSE. OVER TIME SHE WOULD OPEN THE ALICE HOSPAL, AND THE PRCS ALICE WOMEN’S GUILD, WHICH TRAED NURS. SHE ALSO PROMOTED THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN (MUCH TO MANY ARISTOCRATIC WOMEN’S CHAGR) WH THE DARMSTADT WOMEN’S DAY, AND VED LIBERAL THEOLOGIAN DAVID FRIEDRICH STRSS TO HER HOME, LEADG HER MOTHER--LAW, EMPRS AUGTA, TO DUB HER A “PLETE ATHEIST!”QUEEN VICTORIA WAS ALSO THREATENED BY HER PROGRSIVE DGHTER, WHO SHE LLED “SHARP AND GRAND AND WANTG TO HAVE EVERYTHG HER OWN WAY.” ACRDG TO VICTORIA, ALICE HAD DARED ASK HER SISTERS ABOUT THEIR SEX LIFE AND GYNELOGIL HEALTH, MUCH TO THEIR MOTHER’S HORROR. AFTER THE ACCINTAL ATH OF HER FAVORE SON FRTIE 1873, HER MELANCHOLY STREAK CREASED. “I WISH I WERE AD,” SHE WROTE, “AND PROBABLY WILL NOT BE TOO LONG BEFORE I GIVE MAMA THAT PLEASURE.”PRCS ALICE DIED OF DIPHTHERIA ON DEC. 14, 1878, THE FIRST CHILD OF VICTORIA AND ALBERT TO DIE. SHE LEFT BEHD FIVE LIVG CHILDREN—VICTORIA, IRENE, ERNT, AND THE DOOMED ELLA AND ALIX, WHO WERE MURRED DURG THE RSIAN REVOLUTN. FOR MORE ON ELLA, READ BELOW.THE GREAT AUNT: GRAND DUCHS ELIZABETH (ELLA) OF RSIACANONIZED AS A SAT THE RSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, GRAND DUCHS ELLA OF RSIA WOULD HAVE AN ENORMO IMPACT ON HER FAY. GENTLE, PASSNATE AND ENERGETIC, ELLA WAS THE UNREQUED LOVE OF HER THE FUTURE KAISER WILHELM II, WHO PUT DOWN SWORD LONG ENOUGH TO WRE POETRY HER HONOR.IN 1884, ELLA MARRIED THE MUCH OLR, EXTREMELY UPTIGHT GRAND DE SERGEI OF RSIA, ERNOR OF MOSW. A SOCIETY STAR, WAS ELLA WHO ENURAGED THE ROMANCE BETWEEN HER PAFULLY SHY SISTER ALIX AND THE FUTURE TSAR NICHOLAS II. BUT ELLA’S GAY LIFE OF BALLS, SLEDDG, AND CHARY EVENTS END 1905, WHEN HER HBAND WAS ASSASSATED BY REVOLUTNARI. ACRDG TO ROBERT K. MASSIE, THOR OF NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA:MOST POPULARTHE ELVIS PRLEY WE DIDN’T SEE ELVISBY KATEY RICHRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHELON MK’S TWTER WANTED TO TELL TMP ABOUT A SEALED SEARCH WARRANT AND POTENTIALLY F--K UP JACK SMH’S CRIMAL INVTIGATNBY BS LEVTHE GRAND DE… HAD JT SAID GOODBYE TO HIS WIFE THEIR KREML APARTMENT AND WAS DRIVG THROUGH ONE OF THE GAT WHEN A BOMB EXPLOD ON TOP OF HIM. HEARG THE SHUDRG BLAST, ELLA CRIED, “IT’S SERGE,” AND SHED TO HIM. WHAT SHE FOUND WAS NOT HER HBAND, BUT A HUNDRED UNREGNIZABLE PIEC OF FLH, BLEEDG TO THE SNOW. COURAGEOLY THE GRAND DUCHS WENT TO HER HBAND’S DYG ACHMAN AND EASED HIS LAST MOMENTS BY TELLG HIM THAT THE GRAND DE HAD SURVIVED.FROM THAT DAY FORWARD, ELLA APPEARED TO CHANNEL HER MOTHER ALICE OF HSE. SHE VISED HER HBAND’S KILLER PRISON, ASKG HIM TO PRAY WH HER FOR FIVENS. SHE OPENED THE CONVENT OF MARTHA AND MARY MOSW AND BEME AN ABBS- THOUGH SHE MA SURE THAT HER FLATTERG PEARL GRAY ROB WERE SIGNED BY SOCIETY PATER MIKHAIL NTEROV. THROUGH HER NVENT, ELLA FED THOANDS, AND NURSED NEARLY AS MANY. ELLA ALSO SAW RIGHT THROUGH RASPUT, AND 1916 WARNED HER SISTER, NOW EMPRS ALEXANDRA, THAT HE WOULD STROY THE ROYAL FAY.THE EMPRS WAS FUR AND ORRED HER SISTER A RRIAGE. THE TWO DOOMED SIBLGS NEVER SAW EACH OTHER AGA. DURG THE RSIAN REVOLUTN, ELLA’S CHILDHOOD LOVE, NOW KAISER WILHELM II, ATTEMPTED TO SAVE HER, BUT TO NO AVAIL. ON JULY 18, 1918, THE DAY AFTER THE HORRIFIC MURR OF NICHOLAS, ALEXANDRA AND THEIR FIVE CHILDREN, ELLA AND ANOTHER GROUP OF ROYALS WERE THROWN TO AN ABANDONED ME SHAFT THE URALS. THOUGH GRENAS WERE THROWN AFTER THEM, A CUR PEASANT HEARD THE VICTIMS SGG HYMNS.WHEN THEIR BODI WERE DISVERED BY THE WHE ARMY LATER THAT YEAR, THE YOUNG PRCE JOHN’S HEAD WAS FOUND BOUND ELLA’S HANDKERCHIEF.NOT ONLY WOULD THE ATH OF THE RSIAN ROYALS IMPACT HIS MOTHER, BUT PHILIP WAS ALSO MUCH AFFECTED BY THEIR FATE. IN 1957, HE STATED, “I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO RSIA VERY MUCH—ALTHOUGH THE BASTARDS MURRED HALF MY FAY.” DES LATER, HE DONATED HIS OWN DNA WHICH HELPED INTIFY THE REMAS OF THE FAY OF NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA.THE FATHER: PRCE ANDREW OF GREECE AND DENMARKDEBONAIR, CHARMG, AND TRAGILLY RELS, PRCE ANDREW, ACRDG TO ONE RELATIVE, ULD TREAT ANYTHG LIFE THREW AT HIM AS A JOKE. HIS SON PHILIP AGREED, CLAIMG THAT HANGG OUT WH HIS FATHER AND UNCL WAS LIKE WATCHG THE MARX BROTHERS. IT WAS LGHTER BORN OF GREAT DISRD.IN 1903, ANDREW, THE SON OF KG GEE I OF GREECE, MARRIED THE BETIFUL ALICE, DGHTER OF VICTORIA (THE OLST CHILD OF PRCS ALICE AND LOUIS OF HSE). IT WAS A “WEDDG OF THE CENTURY,” PAID FOR BY TSAR NICHOLAS II AND ATTEND BY THE CREAM OF ROYAL EUROPEANS. DURG THE UPLE’S HONEYMOON, ’S SAID THAT HE TOLD HIS PROFOUNDLY AF BRI THAT HER WEDDG GIFT WAS A MOTORCYCLE, G HER TO BURST TO TEARS.IT DID NOT TAKE LONG FOR THE TROUBLE TO BEG. GEE I WAS ASSASSATED 1913, AND ANDREW’S GROWG FAY WAS THROWN TO PERDS OF EXILE. AS AN ARMY LEAR DURG THE GRE-TURKISH WAR OF 1919-1922, HE WAS ACCED OF DISOBEYG ORRS, LEADG TO THE CIMATN OF THE GREEK ARMY AT SMYRNA. HE WAS URT-MARTIALED, AND FLED WH HIS FAY (CLUDG AN FANT PHILIP) ABOARD THE WARSHIP CALYPSO, SENT BY KG GEE V OF ENGLAND.MOST POPULARTHE ELVIS PRLEY WE DIDN’T SEE ELVISBY KATEY RICHRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHELON MK’S TWTER WANTED TO TELL TMP ABOUT A SEALED SEARCH WARRANT AND POTENTIALLY F--K UP JACK SMH’S CRIMAL INVTIGATNBY BS LEVPUBLICLY, ANDREW APPEARED TO TAKE ALL STRI. NO DOUBT THKG OF HIS BLOODY FAY HISTORY, HE TOLD THE LOS ANGEL TIM 1923 : “AS IS I AM BANISHED FOR LIFE, BUT IS BETTER TO BE BANISHED FOR LIFE THAN TO QU BREATHG FOR THE RT OF YOUR LIFE.” HE ALSO JOKED THAT HE HAD ENOUGH FUNDS AND WOULD NOT HAVE TO “GO TO THE MOVI OR ENTER BS.”ANDREW, ALICE AND THEIR FIVE CHILDREN EVENTUALLY MOVED TO A BORROWED HOME SAT-CLOUD, FRANCE. IN 1930, HE WROTE TOWARDS DISASTER, HIS VERSN OF THE EVENTS THAT HAD LED TO HIS URT-MARTIAL. THAT SAME YEAR, THE FAY DISTEGRATED. ALICE WAS SENT TO A SANARIUM, ALL FOUR DGHTERS WERE MARRIED, AND PHILIP WAS SENT TO LIVE WH RELATIV ENGLAND.PERPETUALLY SH STRAPPED, ANDREW BEME A JET-SETTG DRIFTER, OCSNALLY APPEARG PHILIP’S LIFE TO JOKE WH HIM OR TELL HIM PLATUS LIKE: “TO BE A PRCE ONE HAD TO EXCEL LIKE A PRCE… A PRCE FACT MT ALWAYS PROVE HIMSELF.”THE EXILED PRCE’S LAST YEARS WERE SPENT MONTE CARLO WH HIS FASCATG MISTRS, THE (SELF-TLED) COMTSE ANDRéE LA BIGNE. THE GOLN HAIRED ANDRéE WAS A WELL- KNOWN ACTRS AND THE DGHTER OF A FAMO PARISIAN URTAN, VALTSE LA BIGNE. ANDREW DIED 1944 OF A HEART ATTACK AFTER A PARTY, UNABLE TO SEE HIS CHILDREN DUE TO THE WAR. THOUGH THE MATERIAL POSSSNS HE LEFT HIS SON CLUD ONLY SOME CUFFLKS AND ENGRAVED HAIRBSH, MANNER THEY WERE VERY MUCH ALIKE.“HE WAS SO LIKE HIM,” HIS DGHTER SOPHIE RELLED. “PHILIP HAD THE SAME MANNERISMS, MOVEMENTS, WAY OF STANDG, WALKG AND LGHG—THE LOSSAL SENSE OF HUMOR, REALLY SEEG THE FUNNY SI OF THGS ALWAYS, AND MAKG EVERYBODY ELSE LGH.”THE MOTHER: ALICE OF BATTENBERG, PRCS ANDREW OF GREECEWHILE HER TRANGED HBAND WENT THE PLAYBOY ROUTE AFTER THE TURMOIL THAT DISPLACED THEIR FAY, PHILIP’S MOTHER, ALICE, WENT TO THE OTHER EXTREME, DRIVEN BY A RELIG ZEAL AND FAY LEGACY OF NURSG AND SERVICE.MUCH HAS BEEN WRTEN OF THE ECCENTRIC ALICE, DGHTER OF HER NAMAKE ALICE OF HSE, OLST DGHTER OF VICTORIA. ACRDG TO HUGO VICKERS, THOR OF THE FIVE ALICE: PRCS ANDREW OF GREECE, AFTER S OF WAR AND DISPLACEMENT AS A MEMBER OF THE GREEK ROYAL FAY, THE EXQUISELY BETIFUL ALICE BEME CREASGLY OBSSED WH OTHERWORLDLY IAS, CLUDG THE OCCULTIST PRACTICE OF TOMATIC WRG. BY 1929, HER NDN HAD BEE SER. ACRDG TO VICKERS:SHE BEME TENSELY MYSTIL AND WOULD LIE ON THE FLOOR ORR THAT SHE ULD VELOP ‘THE POWER NVEYED TO HER OM ABOVE’. SHE BELIEVED THAT SHE HAD VELOPED THE POWER TO HEAL HER HANDS AND SHE ED THIS EFFECTIVELY ON THE RHMATISM OF THE CHILDREN’S NANNY... BY JUNE SHE WAS CLAIMG THAT SHE ULD STOP HER THOUGHTS LIKE A BUDDHIST.ALICE WAS SENT TO A SANARIUM SWZERLAND, WHERE SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WH THE DUB DIAGNOSIS OF A “NROTIC-PREPSYCHOTIC LIBIDO NDN” AND SUBJECTED TO HORRIFIC TREATMENTS, CLUDG THE “EXPOSURE OF THE GONADS TO X-RAYS, ORR TO ACCELERATE THE MENOPSE.” PHILIP WAS OCSNALLY TAKEN TO VIS HIS AILG MOTHER, WHICH HE OFTEN FOUND IGHTENG.MOST POPULARTHE ELVIS PRLEY WE DIDN’T SEE ELVISBY KATEY RICHRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHELON MK’S TWTER WANTED TO TELL TMP ABOUT A SEALED SEARCH WARRANT AND POTENTIALLY F--K UP JACK SMH’S CRIMAL INVTIGATNBY BS LEVHOWEVER, THE TRAGIC ATH OF HER DGHTER CECILIE 1937 APPEARS TO HAVE LED TO A TURNG POT ALICE’S LIFE. SHE SISTED ON STAYG OCCUPIED ATHENS DURG THE WAR, SAVG THE LIFE OF THE JEWISH COHEN FAY AND AIDG THE SICK. WHEN ASKED BY ONE GERMAN GENERAL (PROBABLY AWARE OF HER DGHTER SOPHIE’S MARRIAGE TO A PROMENT NAZI) WHAT HE ULD DO FOR HER, SHE REPLIED: "YOU N TAKE YOUR TROOPS OUT OF MY UNTRY.”IN HONOR OF HER MARTYRED AUNT ELLA, ALICE FOUND THE GREEK ORTHODOX ORR OF THE CHRISTIAN SISTERHOOD OF MARTHA AND MARY, AND BEGAN DRSG AS A NUN WHILE NOT GIVG UP ALL EARTHLY PLEASUR. AS HER MOTHER, VICTORIA, NOTED WRYLY, “WHAT N YOU SAY OF A NUN WHO SMOK AND PLAYS CANASTA?”ALICE’S LAST YEARS WERE SPENT WH HER SON AT BUCKGHAM PALACE. BEFORE HER ATH 1969, SHE WROTE HIM A LETTER: “DEART PHILIP, BE BRAVE, AND REMEMBER I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU, AND YOU WILL ALWAYS FD ME WHEN YOU NEED ME MOST.”SHE WAS BURIED NEXT TO HER HERO ELLA AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNT OF OLIV JESALEM. WHEN HER DGHTER SOPHIE OBJECTED, SAYG WAS TOO FAR OM ENGLAND, ALICE REPLIED. "NONSENSE, THERE'S A PERFECTLY GOOD B SERVICE!”THE AUNT AND UNCLE: GEE AND NAJDA (NADA) MOUNTBATTEN, MARQUS AND MARCHNS OF MILFORD HAVENAFTER THE DISSOLUTN OF HIS FAY 1930, A NE-YEAR-OLD PRCE PHILIP WAS EVENTUALLY PLACED THE LOVG RE OF HIS MOTHER’S BROTHER GEE MILFORD HAVEN. A BRILLIANT, BOHEMIAN NAVAL HERO, GEE WAS MARRIED TO THE AVANT- GAR, GLOBE-TROTTG NADA, GRANDDGHTER OF THE POET ALEXANR PHK. THEY WERE MEMBERS OF THE CHAMPAGNE SOAKED “PALACE GANG,” A GROUP OF JETSETTERS LED BY THE MILFORD HAVENS, GEE’S BROTHER DICKIE AND HIS FASCATG WIFE, EDWA.AT THE MILFORD HAVEN TATE OF LYNN MANOR, PHILIP WAS EE TO PRACTICE HIS JAZZ SAXOPHONE, PLAY BADMTON ON THE URT MA JT FOR HIM AND HIS DAVID, AND TKER WH HIS UNCLE’S $60,000 MIATURE RAILROAD. HE ALSO MAY HAVE E ACROSS THE MILFORD HAVEN’S LEGENDARY PORNOGRAPHY LLECTN. ACRDG TO BGRAPHER BARBARA GOLDSMH, THE LLECTN CLUD BOOKS FEATURG CT, BTIALY, BONDAGE AND FLAGELLATN WH TL LIKE LADY GAY: SPARKLG TAL OF FUN AND FLAGELLATN.WHATEVER THE UPLE’S ADULT PECDILLOS, THEY TREATED PHILIP LIKE A SON, PAYG FOR HIS BOARDG SCHOOL AND SHOWERG HIM WH LOVE. IN 1934, NADA MA NATNAL HEADL WHEN SHE WAS DRAWN TO THE EXPLOSIVE CTODY BATTLE OVER HEIRS GLORIA VANRBILT. DURG A URT HEARG, A FRENCH MAID ACCED LTLE GLORIA’S MOTHER, ALSO NAMED GLORIA, OF KISSG HER AR IEND NADA A CANN HOTEL.“MRS. VANRBILT WAS BED READG A PAPER, AND THERE WAS LADY MILFORD HAVEN BI THE BED WH HER ARM AROUND MRS. VANRBILT’S NECK- LADY MILFORD’S ARM AROUND MRS. VANRBILT’S NECK—AND KISSG HER JT LIKE A LOVER,” THE MAID SISTED.THE STORY BEME AN TERNATNAL SNDAL, AND THE MILFORD HAVENS WERE SUMMONED TO THE PALACE FOR CRISIS TALKS. NADA NOUNCED THE CLAIM AS A MALIC LIE, WHILE PHILIP’S OLR SISTER MARGARA ALSO PUBLICLY FEND HER AUNT AND GLORIA SR. THE SNDAL EVENTUALLY BLEW OVER, BUT THE LM WAS SHORT LIVED. GEE DIED OF NCER 1938, PAVG THE WAY FOR HIS BROTHER, THE LEGENDARY LOUIS “DICKIE” MOUNTBATTEN TO BEE THE DOMANT PATERNAL FLUENCE PHILIP’S LIFE.THE FAVORE SISTER: PRCS CECILIE OF GREECE AND DENMARKPHILIP WAS DOTED ON BY HIS FOUR OLR SISTERS, THEODORA, MARGARA, CECILIE AND SOPHIE. HIS FAVORE WAS CECILIE, LOVELY, CHEERFUL AND TEN YEARS HIS SENR. IN 1931, CECILIE MARRIED THE HANDSOME GE DONAT, GRAND DE OF HSE, WH HER LTLE BROTHER SERVG AS TRA BEARER.MOST POPULARTHE ELVIS PRLEY WE DIDN’T SEE ELVISBY KATEY RICHRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHELON MK’S TWTER WANTED TO TELL TMP ABOUT A SEALED SEARCH WARRANT AND POTENTIALLY F--K UP JACK SMH’S CRIMAL INVTIGATNBY BS LEVBUT TRAGEDY STCK ON NOVEMBER 16, 1937, WHEN WHAT TIME MAGAZE REFERRED TO AS THE “THE CURSE OF HSE” STCK AGA. DONAT AND EIGHT-MONTH PREGNANT CECILIE WERE ON THEIR WAY TO ENGLAND TO ATTEND THE WEDDG OF HIS BROTHER PRCE LUDWIG AND MARGARET GEDS. TWO OF THEIR THREE CHILDREN WERE ON BOARD AS WAS DONAT’ MOTHER, ELEONORE.ACRDG TO REPORTS, THE PLANE WENT DOWN OUTSI OF OSTEND, BELGIUM AFTER CRASHG TO A SMOKTACK. IT APPEARED THE PILOT HAD BEEN ATTEMPTG A BLD EMERGENCY LANDG, AND THE WRECKAGE GAVE A CLUE AS TO WHY. NEXT TO THE BODY OF CECILIE WAS A NEWBORN BABY- LEADG VTIGATORS TO BELIEVE CECILIE HAD GONE TO PREMATURE LABOR WHILE THE AIR, G THE PILOT TO ATTEMPT TO LAND.STUDYG AT GORDONSTOUN, 16-YEAR-OLD PRCE PHILIP WAS PROFOUND SHOCK WHEN TOLD OF HIS BELOVED SISTER’S ATH. HE WENT TO THE FUNERAL, HELD NAZI NTROLLED DARMSTADT, AND WALKED NEXT TO HIS SISTER SOPHIE’S HBAND, CHRISTOPH OF HSE, A FUTURE LUFTWAFFE OFFICER DRSED AN SS UNIFORM. HE LATER SAID THAT CHRISTOPH WAS “A VERY GENTLE PERSON,” AND WAS “KD AND HAD A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOUR. SO, HE WAS ACTUALLY THE PLETE OPPOSE OF WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT.”ACRDG TO INGRID SEWARD, OTHER ROYAL FAY MEMBERS WORE THE FAMO BROWN SHIRTS, AND THRONGS OF MONERS GAVE THE NAZI SALUTE AS THE FUNERAL RTEGE PASSED. THE REPERCSNS OF HIS FAY’S NAZI TI HAVE REVERBERATED THROUGHOUT THE S, EVEN THOUGH PHILIP VALIANTLY SERVED FOR THE BRISH DURG WWII. ACRDG TO SEWARD, DURG THE 2008 QUT TO PRCS DIANA AND DODI AL-FAYED’S ATHS, MOHAMED AL-FAYED CLAIMED PHILIP WOULD NEVER ACCEPT DODI TO THE FAY. DURG ONE EXAMATN, MOHAMED DISPLAYED HIS “PROOF.” SEWARD WR:“ALL THIS STEMS OM YOUR BELIEF THAT PRCE PHILIP IS NOT ONLY A RACIST BUT A NAZI AS WELL?” AL-FAYED REPLIED: “THAT’S RIGHT. IT IS TIME TO SEND HIM BACK TO GERMANY WHERE HE ME OM. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HIS ORIGAL NAME, ENDS WH FRANKENSTE.” HE STARTED WAVG ABOUT A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN 1937 AT THE FUNERAL.THOUGH HIS SISTERS WERE BANNED OM HIS 1947 WEDDG BEE OF THEIR GERMAN HBANDS, THEY WERE VED TO THE QUEEN’S 1953 RONATN. HIS LAST SURVIVG SISTER SOPHIE, SAID TO BE FUNNY AND FORTHRIGHT, OFTEN JOED HIM AT THE ROYAL WDSOR HORSE SHOW. SHE DIED 2001, PHILIP’S LAST REMAG LK TO HIS FASCATG FAY.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— THE SHOCKGLY MELANCHOLY BRNEY SPEARS DOC YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF— R.O. KWON’S LETTER TO ASIAN WOMEN WHOSE HEARTS ARE STILL BREAKG— ANGELA JOLIE OFFERS TO TTIFY AGAST BRAD PT DRAWN-OUT DIVORCE— THE 14 BT RETOL PRODUCTS FOR A SK REBOOT— A BRISH CONSTUTN EXPERT EXPLAS WHY THE ROYALS ARE TRAPPED— CRACKG THE CASE OF LONDON’S ACROBATIC RARE-BOOK THIEV— HOW A JURASSIC PARK ROLLER COASTER GOT ATTACKED BY ACTUAL RAPTORS— FROM THE ARCHIVE: THE OMO SIGNS TED AMMON’S EAST HAMPTON MURR— SERENA WILLIAMS, MICHAEL B. JORDAN, GAL GADOT, AND MORE ARE G TO YOUR FAVORE SCREEN APRIL 13–15. GET YOUR TICKETS TO VANY FAIR’S COCKTAIL HOUR, LIVE! HERE.HADLEY HALL MEAR

Stay ahead of the trend fashn and beyond wh our ee weekly Liftyle Ed newsletterStay ahead of the trend fashn and beyond wh our ee weekly Liftyle Ed newsletter The first same-sex royal weddg has taken place - a historic ocsn for the Ivar Mountbatten, a of Queen Elizabeth II, and his partner Jam Coyle married over the weekend, after announcg June that they would be tyg the pair, who have been a public relatnship sce Lord Mountbatten announced he was gay 2016, reportedly exchanged vows Bridwell Park chapel Devon ont of 60 fay and iends, acrdg to the Daily Mountbatten celebrated the ocsn by sharg photos of the weddg, which he upload to Instagram wh the ptn: “Well we did fally! But Ella’s gay life of balls, sleddg, and chary events end 1905, when her hband was assassated by revolutnari. Acrdg to bgrapher Barbara Goldsmh, the llectn clud books featurg ct, btialy, bondage and flagellatn wh tl like Lady Gay: Sparklg Tal of Fun and Flagellatn.

We do know that FBI documents om the 1940s revealed shockg claims that Mountbatten was secretly 'a homosexual wh a perversn for young boys. Manvendra Sgh Gohil beme the first openly gay prce the world when he me out 2006. Queen Elizabeth's Lord Ivar Mountbatten me out as gay  September 2016.

Philippe I, the De of Orléans, was known and often cricized for drsg women's clothg and his homosexualy was monly acknowledged. " While the terms gay, queer, or even bisexual were rarely directly ed to scribe the royal, his relatnships wh men were well-documented. Philippe later married Prcs Palate Elizabeth Charlotte, who slept separate bedchambers and was generally fivg of what she lled "the Italian vice, " a lloquial term for homosexualy that era.