Love at first sight for Queen Elizabeth

Britain's Queen Elizabeth never "looked at, or thought about another man" after she met Prince Philip.

According to her cousin Margaret Rhodes, the reigning monarch - who has been married to the Duke of Edinburgh for 53 years - was so enamoured with him when she first met him as a young teenager no other man ever caught her eye again.

Margaret explained to Britain's Daily Telegraph: "From the day Princess Elizabeth met him at the Royal Navel College at Dartmouth when she was 13, I don't think she ever, ever, ever looked at, or thought about, another man.

"At that age one didn't seriously think about being married but one always knew she had a yen for him."

The duke - who is almost five years older than his spouse - was then known as Prince Philip of Greece and was also noticed by many other girls because of his dashing good looks which were comparable to those of a "Viking god".

Margaret said: "He had absolutely god-like good looks. A Viking god. Very blonde, with piercing eyes and clean features. He was dreamlike, really."

The queen's cousin and friend - who spent many of her younger years with the royal family - also claims that although Philip has always had his infamous ability to speak his mind he has "mellowed" slightly with age.

She explained: "He was inclined to be a little newbroomish - probably an inevitable reaction to over-traditional things - but all that's melded together now and he's become a traditionalist himself. He is much mellower in his older age but there is still a spark of rebellion lying in wait, ready to pounce, which is rather refreshing."