Only Eileen Parker could write a book like Step Aside for Royalty with its intimate portrait of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in the early years of their enduring partnership. Eileen was inside Buckingham Palace for all the grand state occasions as well as the private moments of crisis and joy.

Eileen knew Prince Philip before his marriage. Later, her husband Mike Parker became the Prince's first private secretary and the ‘Parkers of the Palace’ became part of the furniture at Court. Prince Philip even gave them his car.

The events that tested Mike and Eileen's marriage to breaking point have been seen in fiction in the Netflix television series, The Crown. Here’s the real story in Eileen's own words.