As the heiress to the throne, the King of England and British public had to support Elizabeth's choice of husband, and reports from the time indicate that neither monarch, family members nor country found Prince Philip a suitable match for the Queen.
Philip's Greek royal family had been deposed by a Republican revolt and as a result were essentially penniless, while his mother Princess Alice's struggles with mental health and his siblings connections to Nazism also created concern among British royals.
Three of Philip's sisters, Princess Margarita, Princess Cecilie and Princess Sophie were all married to German Princes and members of the Nazi party.
Philip's status as a Prince of Greece and Denmark was also a bone of contention, but despite everything love prevailed and in 1946 Prince Philip asked King George VI for permission to marry his eldest daughter.
Philip adopted the name of his relative and guardian, Lord Louis Mountbatten, a surname used by his descendants to this day.
Prince Philip married Her Royal Highness the Princess of Windsor at Westminster Abbey in London in 1947, two years after the end of World War II.
On her royal wedding day, broadcast across the world by the BBC, the future Queen wore a bridal gown designed by Norman Hartnell made from fabric bought with ration coupons.
The royal couple were married for five years before the death of King George VI in 1952 thrust the crown into their lives forever.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip went on to have four children - Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward - but before their royal marriage was sealed, author Rhys Hoffman claims Henry Herbert, 7th Earl of Carnarvon was the only other contender for Elizabeth's hand.
Lord Carnarvon's family owned the Highclere Estate, also known as Downton Abbey, according to Express.co.uk, and the Earl - best known as Lord Porchester or 'Porchey' - went on to be a lifelong friend of Her Majesty and the racing manager of her beloved racing stables.
Their enduring friendship was documented in the Netflix drama The Crown, where Queen Elizabeth tells Philip: "I have nothing to hide from you. Porchey is a friend."