A Royal Presence: How Prince Philip Inspired Awe and Respect

As Queen Elizabeth II's husband, Prince Philip held a crucial position within the British Royal Family for decades. But according to some accounts of the former Duke of Edinburgh, Philip was known to make people cry—including his son, King Charles.

In his book, The Royal Insider: My Life With The Queen, The King, and Princess Diana, former butler Paul Burrell discussed working for the Royal Family. In a chapter with the subheading, "The Cantankerous Prince," the former royal butler explored what it was like working for Prince Philip.

"Respected, revered, and feared in equal measure by most who knew him, Prince Philip became famous for his 'short fuse,'" Burrell explained.

The former butler continued, "Over the years, I saw grown men leave his study in tears but I also saw him being incredibly kind to others. I saw the two sides of this incredibly articulate, devoted, loyal husband and consort."

As for what made Prince Philip so potentially scary to some people, Burrell noted, "He was a hard-hitting, no-nonsense man who would shoot from the hip. He never minced his words and was always forthright. He put the fear of God into me at times. I tried to steer clear of him as much as possible."

Burrell also suggested that Prince Philip "admired tough and inspirational men and tried to surround himself with similar-minded people," which likely influenced his demeanor.

According to the former butler, Prince Philip "didn't want the fuss or attention that surrounded the court, which engulfed his wife." Per Burrell, "The constant fawning and obsequious attitude of servants and their ways, bowing and scraping, wasn't his style."

Essentially, Prince Philip was, by all accounts, a complicated person who was required to adjust to a particular way of life as The Queen's husband. And sometimes, he was seemingly responsible for making people cry.

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