Who Is Penny Knatchbull? Prince Philip's Close Friend in 'The Crown'

Penny Knatchbull is a member of the British aristocracy and related by marriage to the royals, including both Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

During the 1990s, Philip and Knatchbull became close friends, sharing a passion for carriage driving, the sport that Philip effectively helped create. Their friendship was so close that when the prince died in 2021, Knatchbull was included among the 30 mourners at his funeral.

The friendship between the royal and Knatchbull, 69, has been dramatized in Season 5 of Netflix's The Crown, alluding to rumors that a deeper relationship may have formed between them.

Philip, portrayed by Jonathan Pryce, 75, is shown comforting Knatchbull, played by Natascha McElhone, 52, while she is mourning the death of her daughter Leonora, 5, from kidney cancer in 1991.

The pair become close and the series shows her helping him learn more about his own Russian ancestry. Philip is then depicted asking Queen Elizabeth II, played by Imelda Staunton, to meet Knatchbull to stave off rumors of a romance.

The queen is seen confronting Philip who states in no uncertain terms that their connection is purely a platonic friendship.

But who is the real-life Penny Knatchbull and what was her relationship with the prince? Newsweek has the answers.

Who Is Penny Knatchbull?

Penelope "Penny" Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, was born on April 16, 1953, the daughter of Angus Steakhouse restaurant chain founder, Reginald Eastwood, and his wife, Marian.

Penny grew up in Britain and Switzerland before marrying Norton Knatchbull, Lord Romsey, in October 1979, who was a grandson of Earl Mountbatten, Prince Philip's uncle.

Norton was close to his cousin Prince Charles, with whom he had been at school in Scotland, and the royal was best man at his wedding at Romsey Abbey, Hampshire, England.

The ceremony was a large event, attended by a number of members of the royal family, including Queen Elizabeth II, Philip, the Dukes and Duchesses of Kent and Gloucester, Princess Alexandra and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.

The wedding took place just two months after the assassination of the groom's grandfather, Earl Mountbatten, who it was reported had highly encouraged the union.

The newlyweds moved into Mountbatten's former home, Broadlands in Hampshire, where Philip and the queen had spent their honeymoon in 1947.

The Knatchbulls were regular guests at royal family events including weddings, Royal Ascot and the Royal Windsor Horse Show. They had three children; Nicholas, born in 1981; Alexandra, born in 1982; and Leonora, born in 1986.

Leonora died at just five years old, having been diagnosed with kidney cancer. In their grief, the Knatchbulls founded the Leonora Children's Cancer Fund in 1994, which provides funds for nurses looking after children with cancer.

In 2017, Penny Knatchbull became the third Countess Mountbatten upon the death of her mother-in-law. This followed a period in the 2010s where her relationship with husband Norton was reported to have been strained, and in recent years, the earl has not been seen in public after reportedly being diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

The countess runs the Broadlands estate and was last seen in public at the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19.

The Story of Leonora Knatchbull

Leonora Knatchbull was the third and youngest child of Norton and Penny Knatchbull, born in 1986.

Leonora fell ill while on a family holiday in Majorca, Spain, in 1990 where Prince Charles and Princess Diana were among the party. She was diagnosed with kidney cancer.

Reports from the time state that both Charles and Diana regularly saw Leonora and her parents throughout her illness, with the little girl being given prime place on the balcony of Buckingham Palace beside the princess just four months before her death.

Though Diana was very close to Leonora, reportedly visiting her in her final days, she was not her godmother as depicted in The Crown. The princess was in fact godmother to the child's elder sister, Alexandra Knatchbull.

Leonora died on October 22, 1991, at the age of five. She is buried at Broadlands, the country home of the Mountbatten's where the queen and Prince Philip spent part of their honeymoon in 1947.

The Leonora Children's Cancer Fund was named in her honor.

What Was Penny Knatchbull's Relationship to Prince Philip?

Penny Knatchbull is married to Prince Philip's cousin and godson, Norton Knatchbull.

She met the royal in the 1970s, and the prince is reported to have been instrumental in helping her after the death of her youngest child, Leonora.

Philip was a supporter of the cancer charity founded by the Knatchbull's, and it is after this that they were seen more regularly at public events together such as the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

When the prince retired from playing polo as he got older, he took up carriage driving, a team equestrian sport. He is reported to have taught Penny Knatchbull the rules and how to participate, which she did alongside him on a number of occasions.

During the later years of his life, Philip and Knatchbull remained in contact, reportedly seeing each other socially following his retirement from royal duties in 2017.

Though there has been speculation that a romantic relationship could have at one time existed between the royal and Knatchbull, there has been no evidence to confirm this.

Knatchbull attended the prince's 2021 funeral and remained in contact with Queen Elizabeth II, being seen with the monarch just four months before her death in September 2022.

Knatchbull has never spoken publicly about her relationships with royal family members and has not commented on her portrayal on The Crown.

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Update 11/10/22 3:16 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional context.