Penny Knatchbull's Real Relationship With Prince Philip — What The Palace Knew

Penny Knatchbull, daughter of a self-made businessman, married into the royal family's inner circle through her union with Norton Knatchbull, Prince Philip's godson. The friendship with Philip was forged after the death of her five-year-old daughter Leonora from cancer in 1991 — Philip reached out to the devastated mother and drew her into his great passion, carriage driving, giving her something to engage with through her grief. The friendship deepened over three decades into one of the closest bonds of Philip's life: genuine companionship rooted in shared sport and serious conversation. It was known and welcomed by the Queen. Penny's inclusion among just thirty mourners at Philip's pandemic-restricted funeral was the family's clearest acknowledgment of her place.