Royal Trauma Resurfaces: How Prince Philip Died Tormented By Horrific Death of His Favorite Sister Princess Cecilie — Who Died in Plane Crash While in Labor
Prince Philip was tormented by his 'favorite' sister's tragic death.
Nov. 22 2024, Published 7:00 p.m. ET
Prince Philip was haunted for years by the tragic plane crash death of his beloved sister.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the late Duke of Edinburgh’s heartbreaking words about his sister, Princess Cecilie of Greece and Denmark, long after the November 1937 accident that left him "profoundly shocked".
Prince Philip said he had the 'clearest recollection of the profound shock' he felt when learning of Princess Cecilie's death.
Roughly 90 years ago, Cecilie – who was eight months pregnant at the time – was killed in a plane crash along with six others.
Cecilie, Philip's "favorite sister", was the third of Princess Alice of Battenberg and Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark’s five children.
Philip was only 16 years old when his sister died in a plane crash at the age of 26.
She married Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse – her first cousin once removed – and joined the Nazi Party with him in May 1937.
They welcomed three children: Prince Ludwig, Prince Alexander, and Princess Johanna.
In November 1937, Cecilie and her family traveled to the UK to attend the wedding of her brother-in-law, Louis, Prince of Hesse, and Margaret Campbell Geddes.
Tragically, the aircraft they were traveling in crashed after striking a factory chimney in dense fog near Ostend.
Others killed included her mother-in-law, her husband, their two young sons, a lady-in-waiting, and the best man.
Cecilie was only 26 years old at the time.
Firemen on the scene found the remains of an infant near Cecilie's body, who appeared to be prematurely delivered when the plane crashed.
At just 16, Prince Philip was profoundly affected by Cecilie’s death. He later described the moment when his headmaster at Gordonstoun summoned him to deliver the news as one of the most painful experiences of his life.
Philip's story was depicted in Season 2 of 'The Crown', which he was not happy with.
He wrote years later: "I have the very clearest recollection of the profound shock with which I heard the news of the crash and the death of my sister and her family."
Cecilie was buried alongside her husband and three children (including her stillborn son) at the Rosenhöhe in Darmstadt. Funeral photos showed Philip standing among mourning relatives, all dressed in Nazi uniforms.
Cecilie and Georg's surviving daughter, Johanna, was adopted by Prince Ludwig and Princess Margaret following the loss of her parents and siblings.
Unfortunately, her life was cut short when she succumbed to meningitis just two years later.
The plane crash was depicted in Season 2 of the hit series The Crown, which showed Prince Charles' school days at Gordonstoun and included flashbacks of his father's time there.
The series suggested Philip was set to spend half-term with his sister Cecilie in November 1937 to avoid her flying to London for a wedding.
The late Duke of Edinburgh shared four children with Queen Elizabeth II: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
However, after Philip punched a student and was punished by being kept at school, Cecilie was forced to go to London with her family. Philip called her, hoping for sympathy, but she agreed with the headmaster's decision and said she must fly to the wedding.
The scene ended with her boarding the plane.
However, Philip was reportedly "very upset" at how the tragedy was portrayed in the series.
According to the Sunday Times, he reached out to royal lawyers Farrer & Co regarding the scenes but chose not to take further action.
Have a tip? Send it to us! Email RadarOnline.com at tips@radaronline.com.
