I admired Prince Philip but he hated me and working with him was NO fun – here’s why, reveals Sun legend Arthur Edwards

ROYAL photographer Arthur Edwards has revealed that working with the outspoken Prince Philip came with its challenges.

Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, the expert claims the Queen’s late husband “didn’t like him” and used to treat him like a “telegraph pole.”

Arthur, who has snapped the royals for nearly five decades, shared: “Photographing the Queen for many years was an absolute joy.

“Photographing Prince Philip for many years was not so good. 

“I mean, he had not a lot of time for the media, and he sort of treated us a bit like telegraph poles, you know, just walk around us.”

Despite being a challenge to work with, Arthur said he had great admiration for the royal, who passed away at the age of 99 on April 9, 2021.

The royal snapper told The Sun’s Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson: “But I admired him for what he did.

“He was mentioned in despatches during the war and serving. 

“He was in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrendered. 

“And of course, he was a captain of his own ship when he was based in Malta. 

“He gave all that up to serve the Queen and the country.”

Arthur shared how he thought Prince Philip was a “powerful man in many ways.”

He added: “He was a great artist. He was a great filmmaker. 

“I mean, some of the films he made of his children, everything he did was perfect, good cricketer, a good sailor. 

“He was a good polo player. 

“He was good at everything, and he was good serving this country because, you know, for for sort of 70 years, he was walking behind the Queen, shaking hands with the mayor while the Queen was talking to the mayor. 

“And he did that with total commitment forever, until he retired a few years before he died. And that man was an amazing man.

“Even into his 90s, he was doing his duty for this country and so looking back, although he didn’t like me very much, I quite admired him a lot.”

Philip’s act of dedication

Arthur shared an example of one moment which particularly impressed him about Philip’s dedication to supporting the Queen.

He added: “The one with the picture that really sums it all up was the last time he was at the Cenotaph and he was on the balcony, and his hip was really hurting him, and he was in great pain, and the Queen pleading with him to go, but he wouldn’t do that.

“To him, being there was his duty.

“I remember as he left a puff of his cheeks, he was getting away to get some relief, that to me, summed it all up about that man.”

Prince Philip and the Queen wed on November 20, 1947, at Westminster Abbey, and it would have been their 77th anniversary this year.

Their union was an enduring success story. When Philip died, they had been married for 73 years.

On their golden wedding anniversary, the Queen said: “He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments. But he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years.”

Philip took a practical view on the monarchy. He once said: “My job first, second and last is never to let the Queen down.”