Prince Philip Had a Special Relationship with John F. Kennedy Jr.

After Prince Philip's death last week, members of the royal family, public figures, and historians alike have been sharing stories about the long-serving consort. Recently, one particular encounter gained traction on Twitter. The thread details the unexpected friendship between the Duke of Edinburgh and a young John F. Kennedy Jr., President Kennedy's son.

Author Paul Brandus tweeted the story, pulled from the book The Death of a President. In 1963, the weekend of President Kennedy's assassination, Prince Philip flew to Washington, D.C. for the funeral. On Sunday, November 24, Jacqueline Kennedy was wandering the White House, looking for her son, John Jr. She opened the door to his playroom to find the Prince playing and laughing on the floor with the almost 3-year-old.

"John had said earlier that he 'didn't have anybody to play with' (also: 'where's Daddy?') and her Majesty's husband decided that he would entertain the boy," Brandus said.

Two years later, the Prince and JFK Jr. got to reconnect in Runnymede, a district in the British countryside. The Kennedys ventured to England for a special memorial, held in honor of the late president.

"In May 1965, the British government gave an acre of land to the United States for a memorial to the murdered president at Runnymede—site, 750 years earlier, of King John signing the Magna Carta," Brandus wrote.

In addition to this story, Brandus also shared a photo of the group at Runnymede. In the picture, John Jr. holds hands with his mother, Jackie Kennedy, and Prince Philip. A young Caroline Kennedy holds her mother's other hand while watching the service.

Members of the royal family are also remembering the late Prince by sharing photographs. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, and Princess Eugenie all posted pictures of themselves with the Duke of Edinburgh on April 14. The royal family's official social media channels also shared a never-before-seen photo of the Queen and Prince with seven of their great-grandchildren. Prince Philip's funeral will take place this Saturday, April 17 in Windsor.

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