As any
serious royal watcher knows, there’s far more to Prince Philip than the gaffes
which afford him rare media coverage of his exhaustive diary of engagements.
Tonight, though, the wider world will finally enjoy an insight into the life and work of
the man who has for more than six decades walked the obligatory two steps behind the world's most famous lady.
Highlighting just how little TV coverage is afforded to Prince Philip, it was almost
a decade ago, in June 1999, that the last in-depth documentary - Channel Four's The Real Prince Philip - was broadcast on
British TV.
In what we can maybe interpret as the main reason for the production of this new
series, it’s known that the 86-year-old Duke is exasperated by the fact his
public profile is based primarily on his periodic gaffes or speculation about
his private life and whether or not he's remained faithful to the Queen.
The ITV documentary will see cameras following Prince Philip on public
engagements, as well as in private.
The two-part series also includes footage shot by the Duke during his travels across the globe.
The Duke: A Portrait of Prince Philip will also highlight the prince’s interest in environmental matters, a
topic which is today far more associated with his eldest son, Prince Charles.
Amongst those interviewed for the series are TV environmentalist Sir David
Attenborough, as well as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
