Prince Philip has been accused of playing favorites among his great-grandchildren.

In its April 26 issue, New Idea claimed that Prince Philip just looked stern on the outside, but he was really a softie from the inside. And he especially had a soft spot for the youngest members of the royal family.

However, a source claimed that Prince Philip was most drawn to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s eldest son, Prince George.

The source said that Prince Philip spent a lot of time with Prince George before his passing. And one of their favorite activities was riding the buggy. 

Prince Philip also allegedly commented that Prince George has the makings of a good future king. After all, he knows what he wants and he's not afraid to express it.

However, the tabloid’s only proof that Prince Philip spent some alone time with Prince George was from the photo that the Cambridges uploaded on Instagram following his death.

In the snap, Prince Philip and Prince George are sitting on the former’s carriage. Prince William and Middleton captioned the snap by saying that they will forever cherish the moments that the Duke of Edinburgh spent with them and their children.

However, a single photo of Prince Philip and Prince George doesn’t confirm that the late royal played favorites or that the latter was his favorite great-grandchild.

Queen Elizabeth’s husband was also close to the other younger members of the royal family. And if a photo is the sole basis for this claim, it is important to note that Cambridge also released a photo of the monarch and Prince Philip with Princess Charlotte.

Prince Philip passed away earlier this month at the age of 99. And just last weekend, his funeral service was held at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Following the emotional gathering, reports revealed that the late royal also left behind a touching gesture for his youngest grandchild. Prince Philip left his ponies and carriage to Lady Louise, the daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

Lady Louise has a passion for carriage riding, and she has also competed at some horse driving events. At one point, she placed third in the competition.

The eldest daughter of Prince Edward has vowed to regularly visit Prince Philip’s ponies and to take them out for a ride especially now that her grandfather is no longer around.

As of late, it is unclear what Prince Philip left his other grandchildren and great-grandchildren behind.