MBTI Type: ESTP

Philip loves to be the center of attention, and engage; he decorates their family home to the tune of thousands of pounds, paying attention to the smaller elements as well as the larger ones (complaining about doorknob heights). Whenever unhappy, Philip retreats to his club, where he drinks and carouses with his friends. Philip loves to fly, and enjoys the danger in it (“I’ve been doing dives and rolls… don’t tell Parliament.”). He pursues such things at the cost of all else, including public opinion. Philip enjoys going places and doing things. He’s also ruthless in his assessment of other people, noticing and commenting on things about them that others miss. He sees through people and situations easily (he accuses them of sending him away to see if it’ll adjust his attitude, he suspects Margaret has gotten “up to something” when she invites them to dinner with Townsend, etc.). Under pressure, Philip becomes harsh with other people, critical, and demands to know everyone’s reasons for their decisions. He is semi-detached when it comes to matters that don’t involve his name or his children. Many of his suggestions have sound reasoning behind them. He’s semi-appropriate in conversation, or tries to be, but often flubs it because he’s not entirely in tune with the people around him (making a remark about an African king’s hat instead of sensing it’s a crown and paying deference). “But what will people think?” is Philip’s mantra. He cares very much about public perception of him and his role, and doesn’t like being seen as the hanger-on. He argues that Elizabeth should allow Margaret to marry Townsend, because “the people are behind them,” and she wouldn’t want public opinion to shift against her. He brings up the children first, when hearing they’ll be out of the country for months. He intends to refuse to bow before her, because it emasculates him; but agrees, for publicity’s sake. Philip is free with his feelings, often voicing them, trying to urge his wife toward greater awareness, and urging her to stand up for herself, but he can also be petty when expressing his emotions. Philip urges Elizabeth to look toward the future, and the ramifications of her decisions; he cautions her about doing anything that threatens their stability as monarchs. But he has no real “vision” for his kingship, instead preferring to focus on fun hobbies (inferior Ni).

Enneagram: 8w7 so/sp

Philip is something of a polarizing man in the palace, someone who states his mind frankly without any scruples about how it might be received. He often draws the queen’s attention to power plays within the government, reminding her to stand firm and hold her ground and not let other people bully or take advantage of her. When he wishes he had been there to protect her the night a man broke into Buckingham Palace and entered her room, the queen chuckles and said he would have gotten “quite another” reception if he’d stumbled into Philip’s room instead. He has a difficult relationship with his son Charles, because he sees him as “weak” (a failure at military school, inclined to cry, and easily has his feelings hurt) and his bullying parenting style upsets even his wife. He engaged in power plays early on in his marriage (not wanting to bow before her, since it “demeaned him”) before he realized that all their attention, focus, and care, must revolve around “the only person that matters” (Elizabeth). He is quick to claim that his favorite of their children is Anne, the child that most resembles himself. He’s known as an adventurer, a seeker of the unknown, a risk-taker, and someone unable or unwilling to resist his desires (his wife accuses him of having had an affair with a ballerina).