Prince Philip’s rumoured ‘love-child’ ‘snapped’ after Prince fuelled speculation with an ‘awkward’ visit
Rumours have swirled over the decades about a friend to Philip
Max Boisot, a professor at a Chinese university and rumoured love-child of Prince Philip, snapped on a random day in 1988 when he issued a bombshell statement about the rumours surrounding his parentage.
The respected professor had been plagued throughout his lifetime, with speculation over who his father was. And finally, he had his say.
Prince Philip’s ‘love-child’ spoke out
Boisot, the son of Philip’s childhood friend Hélène Cordet, was the subject of scrutiny over the years and the victim of outlandish speculation that he was Philip’s secret child.
Naturally, his sister Louise was also victim of the speculation.
Boisot’s school fees for Gordonstoun, a Scottish boarding school famously attended by Philip and his three sons Charles, Andrew and Edward, were paid for by the prince himself.
Not only that, Philip was his godfather. The young prince even supported his mother Hélène when she sought out a showbusiness career in London.
On the day Boisot chose to speak out, the speculation over Philip being his father had been long forgotten.
Max Boisot addressed rumours about Prince Philip being his father
Consequently, Boisot drew attention to himself. An unsurprising moment, as a memoir by his mother had already fuelled the fire.
Her book, ‘Born Bewildered’, seemed to point towards Max having royal blood.
“Unfortunately, far from quelling innuendo, Miss Cordet’s autobiography merely fanned it,” penned Philip’s biographer John Parker.
He added: “That way her book sold more copies.”
Philip and Boisot’s mother had been childhood friends, with both of their families being thrown out of Greece after the king of Greece was forced to abdicate.
Hélène’s wealthy family settled down in Paris and the pair were said to have remained close.
Philip even acted as her best man when she she married an Englishman, William Kirby, in 1938.
Hélène Cordet’s romances
Hélène and William’s marriage didn’t last and during the war, Hélène welcomed her first child, Max, then a second, Louise.
She later married a Frenchman, Marcel Boisot, who was almost immediately posted to Cairo. Further adding to the speculation over her children’s parentage.
After the end of the war and her second marriage, Hélène moved to London.
With the help of Philip, she landed herself a career in showbusiness. Hélène even appeared on TV hosting a show called Cafe Continentale.
Meanwhile, Philip had joined the notorious club, Thursday Club, where he rubbed shoulders with artists, businessmen and glamorous women.
Prince Philip fuelled speculation
His attendance meant Philip met a slew of contacts who were able to help get Hélène set up with her own nightclub.
She subsequently opened the Saddle Room, which was said to be a popular haunt in the 1950s and 60s.
Of course, with Philip giving a helping hand with Hélène’s career and paying for Max to go to his former school, gossip columnists at the time were all over the rumours that Elizabeth II’s hubby had a “mystery blonde,” on the go.
Hélène Cordet ‘banned’ from Elizabeth II’s coronation
To avoid further speculation, Hélène was reportedly barred from Elizabeth’s coronation ceremony in 1953.
Hélène’s children attended with their grandmother and when asked why she had failed to attend, she simply claimed she had “overslept,” therefore missing the enormous occasion.
It seemed Hélène enjoyed keeping people guessing and in an interview, as per Christopher Wilson’s claims via Mail Online, said she “got hot under the collar” watching Philip on TV.
“[The way she spoke] was quite enough to spark off a story of major proportions,” admitted Philip’s biographer John Parker.
It later emerged that although Max and Louis carried the Boisot name, their father hadn’t officially claimed parentage of them until years later – not long before their mother released her memoirs.
Prince Philip’s visited ‘love-child’ on royal tour
Years later, in the mid-1980s, Max was a Professor of Economics at the EuroChinese Business Centre in Beijing.
At the time, he sent the rumour-mill churning again when Philip jetted over in October of 1986 whilst he was on a tour of China.
Philip seemingly went out of his way to visit Max, only adding to the stories.
It was then that Max spoke out.
“I have heard these rumours all my life,” declared at the time, “But they are ridiculous. My father – my real father – lives in Paris and it is silly to say otherwise.
“All this goes back to [Philip and Helene’s] childhood friendship and there’s nothing more to it than that.”
Well, that settles it then!
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