Prince Philip Shocked, Flustered With This Very Hands-On Response During Australia Tour

Prince Philip was reportedly left feeling shocked and flustered with the very hands-on response he received from the crowd during his tour of Australia in 1954.

In the book “Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life In Our Times,” author Sarah Bradford said that Her Majesty, who was just 26 years old at that time, received a warm welcome from the crowds during their visit. However, it was Prince Philip that received the most alarming level of attention from royal fans.

“Some of the crowd of 1,200,000 burst through pic barriers, halting the royal car on eight separate occasions,” Bradford wrote.

More specifically, Ben Pimlott, the author of “The Queen: A Biography of Elizabeth II,” said that men and women clutched Prince Philip’s arm, tried to shake his hands, patted him on his shoulder and tossed confetti and flags on his car.

“Later, even Prince Philip was flustered by a crowd of teenagers wolf-whistling and screaming: ‘Isn’t he nice? He’s beautiful,’” Pimlott said.

Both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh became worldwide sensations after Her Majesty’s coronation. The event also subtly altered the public’s view of the monarch. According to Bradford, the Queen’s coronation was viewed by millions, and it was a magical, mysterious, and a glittering ceremony which had elevated the central figure to the level of myth.

But despite the success of the Queen’s coronation and her six-month tour with Prince Philip, Kitty Kelley, the author of “The Royals,” said that the trip did not come without struggles.

The Queen didn’t mind standing for long hours under the heat of the sun, but she had a hard time interacting with people and making small talk. Prince Philip, on the other, proved to be invaluable during those moments because he could work the crowd and was quite flirtatious.

Royal reporter Gwen Robyns said that Prince Philip was marvelous for the Queen at that time because his good sense of humor warmed up the crowds.