Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, arrive at the opening of the Royal Ascot, on June 19, 1956.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1956

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This year marks the first Christmas that Queen Elizabeth since her husband Prince Philip's death in April, but it's not the first time she's spent the holiday without him.

The couple spent Christmas Day apart in 1956, when Prince Philip was traveling aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia. He boarded in October of that year for a voyage lasting over three months, during which he opened the Olympic Games at Melbourne, Australia.

In photos from ITV's documentary Philip: Prince, Husband, Father, which is airing in the U.K. on Tuesday night, Philip is seen laughing with the crew members as a balloon with the words "A Happy Christmas, Dukie" is displayed in the background.

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Queen Elizabeth was back in the U.K. with the couple's two eldest children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, for the holiday. However, the couple made sure to chat — Prince Philip called his wife by radio from the Royal Yacht Britannia.