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Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip on their wedding day, 1947© Getty

The Queen reacts to watching 'Granny' in unearthed 1947 wedding footage – watch

Queen Elizabeth II joined King Charles to look back at her wedding day

Nichola Murphy
Deputy Lifestyle Editor
August 25, 2023
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The late Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip were married for 73 years, but the monarch's memories of their 1947 wedding day never faded.

She sat on a cream armchair inside one of her royal residences with her son King Charles to watch unearthed footage that was aired in the BBC documentary Elizabeth at 90: A Family Tribute.

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It showed clips of Elizabeth and Philip in their wedding finery as they walked through the halls of Buckingham Palace following their ceremony, alongside behind-the-scenes clips of their close family members. 

The Queen was dressed in her beautiful star-print Norman Hartnell gown, which she purchased using WWII ration coupons, holding the long train up as she walked, while Philip looked dapper in his black naval uniform as he joined his new wife. "Still smoking a cigarette," Charles noted about his father as he watched the clip.

WATCH: Best moments from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip's 1947 wedding

After seeing her wedding guests file through the hallways, the late monarch recalled: "All these [videos] were taken by…" before pausing as she caught sight of her grandmother, Queen Mary. "Granny and Freddie, Queen of Greece," she said as her face lit up with a smile.

Her Majesty also noted other family members such as Princess Marina and Princess Alexandra, before her attention turned to her young bridal party cheekily running through the guests. "The pageboys and that's Richard as a small boy," she said, and her son replied: "The Gloucesters, yes, that's right."

Queen Mary was pictured at her granddaughter Princess Elizabeth's wedding © PA Images
Queen Mary was pictured at her granddaughter Princess Elizabeth's wedding

In the film, Anne reflects on her father's supportive role as Prince Consort. "Much more difficult to fulfil that role without the level of support that you have from a husband like my father. I'm sure that's made an enormous difference to her ability to cope," she said as footage showed horse-drawn carriages carrying the bride and groom.

the queen wedding aerial view
The monarch wore a star-print Norman Hartnell wedding dress

After royal fan account @thekingshistory shared the clip on Instagram, fans rushed to the comments section to share their thoughts on the Queen's trip down memory lane. "Nostalgic memories for her and King Charles," wrote one, and another added: "Such [a] beautiful moment to share about the late Queen… She had such a sharp memory."

Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh waving to crowds on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their wedding© Getty
Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh headed to Buckingham Palace following their wedding ceremony

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's enduring love story began in 1934 at the wedding of his cousin, Princess Marina of Greece. The teenagers stayed in contact via letters, and in 1946, they became secretly engaged but reportedly postponed announcing the news until 1947 when her father King George VI gave them permission to wed. 

Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh with their eight bridesmaids in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace.© Getty
Princess Elizabeth posed with her eight bridesmaids

Elizabeth and Philip exchanged vows at Westminster Abbey in front of the likes of The Queen Mother and Princess Alice of Battenberg. However, there were some family members missing from the celebrations. Philip's three sisters were reportedly declined an invite because they had all married German princes and tensions were still high in Britain following World War II.

READ: King Charles will be 'full of emotion' leaning on 'soulmate' Queen Camilla at Balmoral says former royal butler

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