How Accurate Is ‘The Crown’s’ Version of the Relationship Between Philip, Norton, and Penelope?

One of the many controversies facing The Crown is the way it treats the relationship between Prince Philip and his younger cousin, Penelope Knatchbull, as an affair. Especially since Penelope’s husband, Norton, is Prince Philip’s godson.

Norton Knatchbull is the son of television and movie producer John Ulick Knatchbull, 7th Baron Brabourne, and Patricia Knatchbull. Patricia was a Mountbatten. She was third cousin to Queen Elizabeth II, and a first cousin of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The Baron produced several notable films including Death on the Nile, The Tales of Beatrix Potter, and a few other classics. Norton would do what most nepotism kids would do and worked on films with his father in the 70s.

Eventually, Norton would marry Penelope Eastwood. Her father, Reginald Eastwood, is responsible for Angus Steakhouse. Their marriage took place only a few months after the assassination of Lord Mountbatten and their union would lead to three children and three grandchildren. Their youngest child, Leonora, died of cancer when she was five—something depicted in The Crown. It is this loss that causes Philip to decide to reach out to the family for comfort. He ends up becoming friends with Penelope and gets her into carriage racing. Penelope was the only non-family member to be invited to the Duke’s funeral.

While there is no evidence that the Duke and Penelope had any affair, Norton did have an affair with a Lady Nuttall and moved in with her in the Bahamas from 2010-2014. The couple is back to living together and are still alive and married at the family estate where their youngest child is buried.

(image: Netflix)