India Hicks Shares Photo from Royal Tour in 1954 & Recalls a Moving Anecdote about Prince Philip

Former model and goddaughter of Prince Charles recently paid tribute to the late Prince Philip with an incredible throwback photo and a beautiful story told by her mother, Lady Pamela Hicks.

Prince Charles’ goddaughter, former model India Hicks recently melted hearts in a tribute to Prince Philip. She shared a sweet post from one of Queen Elizabeth II and the late Prince Philip’s Commonwealth tours with her mother, Lady Pamela Hicks, and captioned:

“Goodness, they look serious here. Well, it was serious, it was the opening of parliament in Ceylon.”

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on May 15, 2014 in Windsor, England | Photo: Getty Images

Continuing her lengthy tribute, India pointed out that her mom, Pamela, was the lady standing behind the Queen in the photo. She wrote that Lady Pamela loved to talk about how instrumental the late Prince Philip was to the Commonwealth tours.

According to India, Lady Pamela also praised Prince Philip for his brilliant way of mixing teasing and humor with kindness and thoughtfulness and his dedication to the Queen’s successful reign.

The former model also recalled one of her mom’s stories narrating the events of one particularly hilarious parliament opening with the royal couple.

During the serious civic reception, the Queen and the Prince were delightfully surprised when a little dog made its way to their thrones from the crowd.

Besides being there during the good times, Lady Pamela has also been with the royal family through the not-so-great times.

Prince Philip burst out laughing, instantly lightening the formalities and making everyone ease up a bit. Lady Pamela also said that a press correspondent later told her that the Duke was the best investment the Royal family ever made.

Now 92 years old, Lady Pamela is the daughter of Lord Louis Mountbatten and Countess Edwina Mountbatten. Her great-great-grandmother was Queen Victoria, making Prince Philip her cousin and the Queen her second cousin.

For many years, Pamela has been close with the royal couple. In fact, when they got married, she was there to witness it firsthand. She was a bridesmaid at the Queen and the Prince’s wedding in 1947.

Years later, at the age of 13, India got to witness the wedding of the late Princess Diana and Prince Charles as a bridesmaid too. Lady Pamela must have been proud to have such a sweet and unique shared experience with her daughter.

Besides being there during the good times, Lady Pamela has also been with the royal family through the not-so-great times. The royal couple tied the knot in 1947, barely two years after World War II ended.

Philip, who had German heritage, was forced to keep his German relatives out of the wedding ceremony as the heat between Germany and Great Britain was perceived to still be strong.

Lady Pamela narrated the tension between Philip’s German relatives and the British family, claiming that Prince Philip understood but some of his relatives, including his sisters, did not.

The Duke of Edinburgh was laid to rest on Saturday, April 17, at St. George’s Chapel, in Windsor. The tributes, however, like Lady Pamela’s, continue to flow in honor of the great life he lived.

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