Who was Pat Kirkwood, what were the Prince Philip affair rumours, who were her husbands and what movies did she appear in?
The actress was accused of having a brief relationship with the Queen's husband while she was pregnant with Charles
FOR better and for worse, Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip have remained united for 70 years in marriage.
But Prince Philip’s monogamy has often been the subject of speculation since rumours circulated about his relationship with Pat Kirkwood.
Who was Pat Kirkwood?
Pat Kirkwood was born on February 24, 1921 in Pendleton, Lancashire.
She was a British stage actress, singer and dancer who performed on stage, as well as on radio, TV and films.
In fact, she became the first woman to have her own television series on the BBC.
She died at Kitwood House nursing home in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, on Christmas Day 2007, aged 86 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
What were the Prince Philip affair rumours?
While infidelity has never been proven, Prince Philip has often raised eyebrows when seen spending time with particularly attractive women.
In 1948, the Duke of Edinburgh, 27, was introduced to Pat in her dressing room at the Hippodrome Theatre in London.
That evening Philip drove Pat also 27, erratically to a Mayfair restaurant in his sports car — nearly causing an accident in the process - where the pair enjoyed dinner together at Les Ambassadeurs.
Afterwards they headed to a nightclub, where they stayed up until dawn dancing cheek-to-cheek.
At the time, reporters said the pair shared breakfast together the next day. The Queen, Princess Elizabeth at the time, was eight months pregnant with Charles.
Kirkwood was later quoted as saying: "He was so full of life and energy. I suspect he felt trapped and rarely got a chance to be himself. I think I got off on the right foot because I made him laugh"
Philip and Pat are said to have enjoyed each other's company a further six times - sparking alleged romance rumours.
But the time spent together soon turned sour when their friendship resulted in headlines worldwide such as “The Prince and the Showgirl".
Pat always denied there was any affair, and even went as far to say their friendship "ruined her life" as the Palace refused to deny the rumours.
Her friends believe that her association with Philip is the reason she never received any official honours, despite 60 years of stardom.
Letters between her and Philip that came to light after her death in 2007, aged 86, referred to the gossip as a “ridiculous rumour” spread by “evil-minded” people, indicating an affair never happened.
Who were her husbands?
- Pat's first husband was theatrical manager Jack Lister in 1940. The marriage broke down when Pat suffered a nervous breakdown and spent eight months in a New York sanatorium.
- In 1952, she married Greek shipowner, Spiro "Sparky" de Spero Gabriele. He died two years later from a heart attack.
- Actor, playwright and composer Hubert Gregg became her third husband in 1956. He wrote hit songs such as Maybe It's Because I'm A Londoner. Their marriage ended 23 years later.
- Pat met husband number four just two years later. Peter Knight, a retired lawyer and president of the Bradford & Bingley Building Society, survives her.
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What movies did she star in?
- 1938 Save a Little Sunshine
- 1939 Come On George!
- 1940 Band Waggon
- 1945 Flight from Folly
- 1946 No Leave, No Love
- 1950 Once a Sinner
- 1956 Stars in Your Eyes
- 1957 After the Ball
In 1981 she staged her own one-woman show, An Evening With Pat Kirkwood, and in 1989 starred at the Barbican in A Talent To Amuse.
Pat also took on many television roles, including the music hall artiste Marie Lloyd in Our Marie (1953), The Pat Kirkwood Show (1954), Pygmalion (1956), The Great Little Tilley (1956) and her series Pat (1968).