Yes, it's true – Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II were cousins. Actually, they were cousins a couple of times over, however they were fairly distant cousins.
Both Prince Philip and the Queen were direct descendants from Queen Victoria and King Christian IX of Denmark.
Prince Philip is descended from Victoria through his maternal line. His great-grandmother was Princess Alice, Queen Victoria's second daughter – while he can trace his his lineage to King Christian IX of Denmark through his paternal line.
Prince Philip was the grandson of King George I of Greece, himself the son of King Christian IX of Denmark.
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Queen Elizabeth II was also a direct descendant of both Queen Victoria and King Christian IX of Denmark through her paternal side. Her father King George VI was the great-grandson of Queen Victoria and also the great-grandson of King Christian IX of Denmark, as Edward VII married Christian's daughter Princess Alexandra.
So this makes them third cousins AND second cousins once removed!
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