The Wit and Humour of Prince Philip

[politikgirl]

Originally Posted by Elspeth

I don't think it matters if they approve or not. The Queen just has to give her consent, which I assume she'd do unless there were major problems with the proposed marriage. I have no idea how the various members of the royal family would react (I presume Prince Philip would manage to keep his "slitty-eyed" comments to himself if Prince William did take up with an east Asian girlfried), but it wouldn't make any difference in practical terms.

What's this about the slitty-eyed comment? Did Prince Philip say that recently?

[pollyemma]

Originally Posted by politikgirl

What's this about the slitty-eyed comment? Did Prince Philip say that recently?

well i hadnt heard that one but i am sure he said it. he's said many worse racist things.

[kaydura0717]

He probably said it though I haven't heard it. Let's be honest so many people want William to become King because he willl be a "breath of fresh air" then the law on who he can marry or can not marry will definitely change for his favor. The queen and parliament know that it's possible he may fall in love with a catholic and if she doesn't want to change her religion then they should just amend the law saying that their kids should be raised in the Church of England.

[BeatrixFan]

What's this about the slitty-eyed comment? Did Prince Philip say that recently?

That wasn't recent. It was in the 90s. He said to a group of students in China, "Don't stay here for too long - you'll end up slitty eyed". I thought it was terribly funny but HRH's humour is of an acquired taste I think.

[selrahc4]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

That wasn't recent. It was in the 90s. He said to a group of students in China, "Don't stay here for too long - you'll end up slitty eyed". I thought it was terribly funny but HRH's humour is of an acquired taste I think.

It was in 1986

[BeatrixFan]

That's right. I later looked at a 'Prince Philips Wit' page which said it was 1986. My favourite was to the young boy who said, "I want to be an astronaut". To which Prince Philip said, "Well you'll have to take some weight off first".

[politikgirl]

That wasn't recent. It was in the 90s. He said to a group of students in China, "Don't stay here for too long - you'll end up slitty eyed". I thought it was terribly funny but HRH's humour is of an acquired taste I think.

Wow, I guess my sense of humour isn't quite compatible with those who find this funny, but this, to me, just screams of racism. Not quite funny, but that's just me.

[BeatrixFan]

We're straying off topic here - is there a topic for this discussion elsewhere? I'll make one.

[BeatrixFan]

Prince Philip's 'Gaffes'

Whilst on a tour of a factory in northern England, Prince Philip pointed out a fuse box that looked quite old. He said "It looks like it was made by an Indian"

When talking to some British students in China, he joked with them "you shouldn't stay here too long, or you'll turn slitty-eyed"

During the 1981 recession he said, "Everybody was saying we must have more leisure. Now they're complaining they're unemployed."

On being introduced to the chairman of Britain's Channel 4, HRH said, "So YOU'RE responsible for the kind of crap channel 4 produces."

On Sarah Ferguson he said, "Her behavior was a bit odd. I don't see her because I do not see much point."

In 1967, he was asked to go to Russia to improve diplomatic relations with Britain and the USSR. He said, "Are you bloody mad? The bastards murdered half my family."

Whilst speaking to the World Wildlife Fund he said, "If it has four legs and it's not a chair, if it has two wings and it flies but it's not an airplane, and if it swims and it's not a submarine, the Cantonese will eat it."

In Canada, someone asked him why he had bothered to come, HRH said "We don't come here for our health. We can think of other ways of enjoying ourselves."

He then said, "British women can't cook"

He asked Sir Tom Jones, "What do you gargle with - pebbles" after the Royal Variety Performance.

In Budapest in 1993, he said to a Briton, "You can't have been here that long - you haven't got a pot belly."

In Scotland in 1995 at a Driving School he said, "How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to get them through the test?"

When it was suggested all guns were banned after the Dunblane shooting he said, "If a cricketer, for instance, suddenly decided to go into a school and batter a lot of people to death with a cricket bat, which he could do very easily, I mean, are you going to ban cricket bats?"

At a reception in 1998, a student told Prince Philip that he had been trekking in Papua New Guinea. The Prince replied, "You managed not to get eaten, then?"

In Australia in 2002, he said to an Aboriginee, "Do you still throw spears at each other?"

On the Jubilee tour in 2002 he said, "If you travel as much as we do you appreciate how much more comfortable aircraft have become. Unless you travel in something called economy class, which sounds ghastly.."

He also said, "The problem with London is the tourists. They cause the congestion. If we could just stop tourism we could stop the congestion.."

-------------------------------------

Now, I find all of the above amusing or actually intelligent. I think that the British find him amusing. Our humour is quite select and we find him funny. But foreigners don't and it's usually the foreigners who make the biggest deal out of what he says. His comments aren't racist, sexist or cruel - they are funny and I think that's how he intends them to be taken.

[selrahc4]

"I declare this thing open...whatever it is."

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in Vancouver, 1969, when he forgot the name of a new annexe to city hall. Supposedly it has been known as "East Thing" ever since.

[pollyemma]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

In 1967, he was asked to go to Russia to improve diplomatic relations with Britain and the USSR. He said, "Are you bloody mad? The bastards murdered half my family."

Ok this one is pretty cool. I love historical rivalries. and they did murder half his family

[Smilla]

If you are a PR person (which he is in a way) you should be able to open your mouth without appearing to be offensive. If he goes to another country he should research what kind of jokes are acceptable there and which aren't.

[Will's princess]

I honestly don't think he means to be offensive. I just don't think he thinks before he opens his mouth. I found most of these gaffes quite amusing but I'll admit a lot of things he said weren't really acceptable.

[BeatrixFan]

But is he a PR person Smilla? He married the Queen because he loved her, not because he wanted to represent Britain. That comes with the territory and he's done a good job. He's done wonders with Windsor, he's been a rock to the Queen and he works extremely hard given that he's 25 years past legal retirement age. If he used a different persona for each country, people would say he's false. At least he is himself and he says what he feels and thinks. That's admirable surely?

[selrahc4]

And to give a little credit, many of these things were said privately and were not intended to be repeated, besides often being taken out of context. (By privately, I mean although some of the statements may have been made at or during a public appearance, they were made in private conversation such as a walk-about or when speaking to people one-on-one at a reception.

[selrahc4]

Considering the number of bores he must have had to make conversation with during his career, it's amazing that he's managed to have just these few quotes available. At least he tries to make the time go by with something more than empty platitudes.

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by Smilla

If you are a PR person (which he is in a way) you should be able to open your mouth without appearing to be offensive. If he goes to another country he should research what kind of jokes are acceptable there and which aren't.

That would be impossible as everyone has different tastes, most of my American friends have my own sense of humour, although they wouldn't dare utter some of it back in the states apparently. A couple are horrified and in deference to their sensibilities, we try to tone it down.
I think his sense of humour is brilliant and some of it, is no more than calling a spade a spade!

[Elspeth]

Well, Charles's comments about the Chinese leaders seem to fit right in with his father's tell-it-like-it-is attitude!

[pollyemma]

Originally Posted by Elspeth

Well, Charles's comments about the Chinese leaders seem to fit right in with his father's tell-it-like-it-is attitude!

right...but those comments were not intended for general consumption whereas most of the Prince Philipisms posted above were made in public places.

I'm sure royals say the most wicked things about some of the people they meet. I'd love to be a fly on the wall

[Smilla]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

But is he a PR person Smilla? He married the Queen because he loved her, not because he wanted to represent Britain. That comes with the territory and he's done a good job. He's done wonders with Windsor, he's been a rock to the Queen and he works extremely hard given that he's 25 years past legal retirement age. If he used a different persona for each country, people would say he's false. At least he is himself and he says what he feels and thinks. That's admirable surely?

The point is that to some extent he IS a representative of his country, whether he wants or not, and he should take this into account before opening his mouth. (BTW, I suppose I should give him some credit because when he grew up political correctness was not an issue and he's at an age where you don't change your ways anymore.)