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Philip and Charles have struggled to see eye-to-eye over the years. The Duke of Edinburgh was determined to ‘toughen up’ his son in his youth, believing that he was too soft, while the Prince of Wales felt his father was too forceful during his upbringing. Charles has been very open with his thoughts on his father’s behaviour in the past, but Philip usually remained tight-lipped about any difficulties with his son.

However, writer and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, who has been close to Philip for years, revealed what the Queen’s husband truly thought divided him and his son in an extract from his book, ‘Philip & Elizabeth: Portrait of a Marriage’.

Featured in The Telegraph back in 2004, Mr Brandreth recalled how Philip once explained their relationship “with a slightly despairing laugh” to him.

The Duke of Edinburgh allegedly said: “Charles is a romantic — and I’m a pragmatist.

“That means we do see things differently.

“And because I don’t see things as a romantic would, I’m unfeeling.”

The writer added: “In my experience, Prince Philip is pragmatic and unsentimental, but far from unfeeling.

“Prince Charles begs to differ.”

Charles told his authorised biographer Jonathan Dimbleby in 1994 that he often felt “emotionally estranged” from his two dutiful parents.

He said that he had desired affection that he believed they were “unable or unwilling to offer”.

Instead, he appeared to turn to his grandmother, the Queen Mother, who saw his sensitive side and understood him.

Unsurprisingly Charles’ openness which broke the “stiff upper lip” mantra embodied by the Royal Family irked his parents.

However, Mr Brandreth added: “All that Prince Philip will say to me on the record about his and his wife’s parenting is, ‘We did our best’.”

Philip’s first cousin Countess Mountbatten also told Mr Brandreth: “No question about it, Philip was a very good father to his children when they were young.”

The Duke of Edinburgh is said to be particularly good with babies and toddlers.

Yet, when they grow up and become teenagers, he was known to tease his own children.

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Charles has previously revealed one particularly scarring event when he played the protagonist in Macbeth in Gordonstoun’s school play.

Just 17, he had invited the Queen and Philip to watch his performance — but during one scene, when he had to pretend to have a nightmare, Charles’ father’s response humiliated the heir.

He recalled: “My parents came and watched along with other parents.

“I lay there and thrashed about and all I could hear was my father and ‘ha, ha, ha’.

“I went up to him afterwards and said, ‘Why did you laugh?’ and he said, ‘It sounds like The Goons’.”

Philip came from a turbulent background, raised away from his intimate family members for the majority of his childhood, he learned to fend for himself at Gordonstoun before pursuing a naval career.

Charles, in contrast, was sensitive from a young age and disliked being away from his parents so much, especially as his mother ascended the throne when he was just four years old.

Yet, Philip simplified their struggles when discussing the matter with Mr Brandreth on another occasion.

In a “somewhat exasperated” manner, the royal explained: “We are a family. What do you expect?”

Philip & Elizabeth: Portrait of a Marriage, by Gyles Brandreth, published in 2004, (Century, Random House, £3.13)

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