How Prince Philip broke royal protocol at a state banquet to to comfort a wounded woman

Following the death of Lord Tebbit on Tuesday at the age of 94, a story has resurfaced highlighting Prince Philip’s quiet compassion towards the politician’s wife, Margaret, during one of the most difficult periods of their lives.

In 1984, shortly after the Brighton bombing that left Lady Tebbit severely injured and paralysed, the couple attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. It was one of Lady Tebbit’s first major public appearances since the attack by the IRA, which had targeted the Conservative Party conference and claimed five lives.

Amid the grandeur and formality of the Palace setting, Lady Tebbit faced the challenge of eating with limited mobility. Observing her difficulty, Prince Philip discreetly set aside his cutlery and began eating with his fingers.

The gesture was subtle but powerful. It allowed Lady Tebbit to feel more at ease, shifting the focus away from her condition and removing any potential embarrassment of not being able to use cutlery in a setting governed by royal protocol. 

Those who witnessed the moment recalled it as a striking example of the late Duke of Edinburgh’s instinctive kindness and human sensitivity beneath his famously blunt public persona.

Lord Tebbit, a former Cabinet minister and close ally of Margaret Thatcher, spoke of the moment in later years with deep appreciation. He revealed the story in his autobiography.