“Philip liked to portray himself as an old grump, but the truth was he was very warm, especially with the little ones,” a palace insider shares.
Prince Philip especially took a special interest in his eldest great-grandson, Prince George, who is third in line to the throne. Having stood beside the Queen’s side during the entirety of her reign, he understood what it takes to rule and saw kingly qualities in William and Kate’s seven-year-old.
“He had a lot of time for George in particular, and often took him on outings in his buggy,” adds the source.
“Philip remarked a couple of times that he’s already showing signs of being an excellent king – he’s a boy who knows what he wants, and the duke appreciated that.”
Their close bond has never been more evident than in a new photo released by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, featuring Philip and George sitting in a carriage.
“I will never take for granted the special memories my children will always have of their great-grandpa coming to collect them in his carriage and seeing for themselves his infectious sense of adventure as well as his mischievous sense of humour,” Wills said.
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