Queen Elizabeth’s ‘anti-press secretary’: How former Navy commander treated journalists with ‘scorn and contempt’ – and went into attack mode when media saw monarch shout at Prince Philip

Richard Colville was first employed by Buckingham Palace in 1947 as press secretary to King George VI and dedicated more than 20 years to royal service.

However, the former Royal Navy commander had no experience with journalists – and it showed. 

He treated the media ‘with a mixture of intolerance, scorn and contempt,’ Valentine Low wrote in his book, Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown. 

Colville, who was even dubbed by journalists as ‘The Incredible No-Man’, was Queen Elizabeth II’s first press secretary after her accession in 1952 and served her until his retirement in 1968.

Martin Charteris, the Queen’s assistant private secretary, referred to Colville as ‘an anti-press secretary,’ Robert Lacey told in his 2002 book, Royal: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  

During the Queen’s tour of Australia in 1954, Colville abrasively dealt with a royal bust-up that the press witnessed.

Prince Philip was seen dashing outside as the Queen angrily shouted after him.

Filmmaker Loch Townsend was making a documentary on the trip and recalled how Colville told photographers to turn off their cameras and give him any film taken. 

Colville accompanying 11-year-old Prince Charles as he returns to school after Christmas in 1959

Afterwards, the Queen sheepishly thanked them for co-operating. 

In another instance around two years later, rumours began circulating that Prince Philip had been involved with another woman. 

Colville publicly denied the tales, though this only further fuelled the stories. 

Philip was away on a long trip with courtier and Royal Navy friend, Michael Parker, around the Commonwealth territories and was said to be ‘deeply hurt’ by the rumours, Ms Seward wrote.

At the same time, news came out that Parker’s wife was suing him for divorce and he flew back to resign.

However, Sarah Bradford wrote how Parker was greeted by Colville at the airport in her biography, Elizabeth.

Colville is said to have told him: ‘Hello Parker, I’ve just come to let you know that from now on, you’re on your own.’  

Colville, right, with Harold Evans, press secretary to Prime Minister Harold MacMillan, 1959

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip attending a garden party during their Australia tour in 1954

Prince Philip, right, with his private secretary Lieutenant Commander Michael Parker in Gibraltar in 1957

During his two decades of service, he also worked closely with his younger royal charges, and even took 11-year-old Prince Charles back to school after the Christmas holidays in 1959. 

The Daily Mail reported at the time how they boarded the 6pm train from London with other school boys. 

When Colville retired aged 60 in 1967, the Daily Mail described him as a ‘brisk, efficient man who tends to address callers by their surnames as if they were so many sub-lieutenants’.

He reminisced on his time working with royalty, saying: ‘Of course I’ve had some glossy times. 

‘There was the fairy-tale wedding, then the children coming along, then the fairy-tale coronation.’

The newspaper reported how he travelled more than 250,000 miles with the Queen and Prince Philip.

Colville, who was knighted in 1965, also turned down any suggestion of giving publishers his memoirs. He said: ‘Never. In capital letters – NO.’ 

His former assistant, William Heseltine, took over his role. Colville died aged 67 in 1975.