The Archbishop of Canterbury called him 'bloody rude', courtiers feared he was 'a foreign interloper out for the goodies', daughter-in-law Sarah Ferguson found him 'very frightening' and the Queen Mother labelled him 'the Hun'. Journalists have continually portrayed him as a gaffe-prone serial philanderer, with European outlets going way off-piste and claiming he has fathered 24 illegitimate children. Prince Philip says 'the impression the public has got is unfair', though there is no self-serving autobiography and his interviews with broadcasters or writers are done grudgingly. The Duke sets out to explore the man behind the various myths, drawing on interviews with relations, friends and courtiers and the Duke's own words. It brings to life some rare aspects of his character, from a love of poetry and religion to his fondness for Duke Ellington and his fascination with UFOs. It also explains why for over seven decades he has been the Queen's 'strength and stay' - and why he is regarded by many as a national treasure.

IAN LLOYD has spent twenty years as a full-time writer and photographer, specialising in the British Royal Family. He has had two books in the Sunday Times bestseller list (both 2011) and writes regular features for the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, Hello Magazine and Majesty Magazine. Ian is also the Royal Correspondent for The Sunday Post and a regular royal pundit on Sky News, BBC News and BBC Radio 5 Live. He lives in Oxford. For the recent death of the Queen, he appeared in over 50 hours of TV coverage for Sky News, including three newspaper reviews as well as two appearances on BBC Breakfast and three on GB News. He was also interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live, Times Radio and TV networks in the USA, Australia, Italy, Mexico, Brazil and Qatar.