Duchess of Edinburgh recalls Queen Elizabeth II's reaction to Olympic hockey final

The Duchess of Edinburgh has shared personal memories of watching the 2016 Rio Olympics women’s hockey final at Balmoral. While attending dinner with the royal family, the Duchess was unable to hide her anticipation as Team GB competed for the gold medal.

According to the Duchess, Queen Elizabeth II eventually noticed her excitement and told her to ‘just go!’ so she could watch the match. The Duchess joined Prince Philip in the library to watch the conclusion of the game. She recalled that the tension of the penalty shootout became so intense that the Queen had to leave the room, stating, ‘She couldn’t cope with pressure. She had to take herself away again.’

During the dramatic final, the Duchess described herself as ‘living and breathing every moment,’ leaping and screaming as the match progressed. She noted that Prince Philip appeared to be laughing at her enthusiastic reactions while they watched the victory unfold.