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    The Strange Reason King Charles and Prince Philip "Never Completely Trusted One Another" Involves Women, Says Royal Biographer

    One source "remembers Philip screaming abuse at his son when he made some minor mistake."

    Amy Mackelden#039;s avatar
    By Amy Mackelden
    Published 16 May 2026 In News

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    King Charles and Prince Philip at the Epsom Derby looking somber
    (Image credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
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    Much has been written about King Charles's relationship with his father, Prince Philip. According to one royal biographer, there was a specific reason why Charles and Philip didn't always agree with one another.

    In the book My Mother and I, royal expert Ingrid Seward discussed Charles and Philip's rather differing outlooks on life.

    "Charles and his father were so totally opposite that they never completely trusted one another," Seward wrote. "Prince Philip was brought up in a world run almost entirely by men and Charles was brought up in a world run almost entirely by women." As a result, the father and son apparently ended up at odds and with different expectations.

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    Per Seward, "Charles was forever trying to please his father, but had a perverse knack of doing exactly the opposite."

    The royal biographer continued, "On the polo field, Philip would be particularly brutal to Charles when they played together, and polo player Johnny Kidd...remembers Philip screaming abuse at his son when he made some minor mistake or missed a shot."

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    My Mother and I

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    Queen Elizabeth sitting on a blanket with Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at Balmoral in 1960

    "It was particularly embarrassing for the other players to hear him rant and rave at his son."

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    While Philip was known to lose his temper with just about "everyone," Seward revealed "it was particularly embarrassing for the other players to hear him rant and rave at his son."

    Sadly, Charles and Philip's relationship was never totally repaired and the pair allegedly found it difficult to talk openly to one another.

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    King Charles#039;s father Prince Philip reportedly didn#039;t believe he would make a good king

    "Charles loved his father, but I am not sure he ever liked him."

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    "Unfortunately, Prince Philip was never able to communicate with Charles in the way he was able to with God," Seward wrote.

    The royal author continued, "The lines of communication between them were far too tenuous and they were not used to speaking about their feelings until it was too late. Charles loved his father, but I am not sure he ever liked him."

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    Weekend Editor

    Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.

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