The Wit and Humour of Prince Philip

[selrahc4]

He has supposedly also called her a "silly sausage".

 

[Smilla]

WIth some of the things he says you simply can't say if it's rude or funny. "You silly sausage" can be a term of endearment as well as quite rude, depending on the way it is said.

 

[pollyemma]

WIth some of the things he says you simply can't say if it's rude or funny. "You silly sausage" can be a term of endearment as well as quite rude, depending on the way it is said.

indeed. there are lots of nicknames that are like that. though...i dont know i have a hard time seeing philip say "you silly sausage" in a sweet loving way.

 

[selrahc4]

Getting away from rude and back to witty.

At one time in the 1950's, Prince Philip was visiting a textile plant or something on that order. When the phrase "man-made fibers" came up, he reached up and passed his hand over the top of his thinning hair and said, "I'm not too good at man-made fibers myself."

 

[selrahc4]

At a reception (in Australia, I believe), a couple was introduced to Prince Philip as "Mr. and DOCTOR Robinson". HRH sort of raised his eyebrows inquiringly, and the husband explained, "My wife is a doctor and much more important than I am". The Prince replied, "Ah. yes. We have that problem in my family too."

 

[Smilla]

"Where did you get that hat?"
To the queen, in 1953, shortly after her coronation

"You are a woman, aren't you?"
To a native Kenyan woman from whom he'd received a small gift.

 

[pollyemma]

At a reception (in Australia, I believe), a couple was introduced to Prince Philip as "Mr. and DOCTOR Robinson". HRH sort of raised his eyebrows inquiringly, and the husband explained, "My wife is a doctor and much more important than I am". The Prince replied, "Ah. yes. We have that problem in my family too."

oh that is adorable! what a funny and appropriate thing to say.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Why should Prince Philip be politically correct? Why should any of us? I'm certainly not and bally well proud of it.

 

[norwegianne]

At a reception (in Australia, I believe), a couple was introduced to Prince Philip as "Mr. and DOCTOR Robinson". HRH sort of raised his eyebrows inquiringly, and the husband explained, "My wife is a doctor and much more important than I am". The Prince replied, "Ah. yes. We have that problem in my family too."

I can't stop smiling at this one.

 

[Saragli]

That was very funny. I like the silly sausage one. I will have to use it one day. I know people use call othes doughnuts to mean dumb but I never heard of silly suasage.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Silly sausage is quite a common one here. Doughnut is a good one - and fish seems to be popular amongst the chav population.

 

[Will's princess]

Fish??? I use silly sausage but normally for my dog lol!

 

[Aussie Princess]

Why did he call her cabbage?

 

[Princess BellyFlop]

Why did he call her cabbage?

Could be a bad translation for «mon chou» - lovely French nickname.

 

[crisiñaki]

Are all British royals racists? Because with the comments made by some of them, I believe they are very stiff and living in the times of the British Empire so they are much better than anyone, they treat people condescently without any moral right to do it because their lives are full of nasty divorces (with the exception of Fergie & Andy) and other scandals

PD: -ducks tomatos- please I you are offended by my words stay away from sharp objects

 

[Royal Fan]

we should start a Prince Philip picture thread I Dont know how myself

 

[regardez]

Has he ever defended these comments or clarified them? I can imagine a lot of negative... reactions to his comments.

 

[Warren]

Picture thread

we should start a Prince Philip picture thread I Dont know how myself

No need to create a new thread as we already have one, here.

 

[Margrethe II]

HRH isn't known for his tact at the best of times.lol. Alas, the Duke thought people would find his comments amusing but turns out that they were funnier in his head.lol.

Poor Philip!

"MII"

 

[Saragli]

Crisinaki they are not racist and stuck in the past. It is just his humour and he thought it would be funny. But it wasnt as funny as he thought it was.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Racist? They aren't racist comments - they are funny comments and they are comments that actually could have been said by anybody. I'm afraid most British people aren't as politically correct as Europe would have us be.

 

[Skydragon]

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.)

I think it is more a case of he comes from an era when people did not repeat conversations to the press and he prefers to continue to believe (mistakenly) that most people have a sense of honour.

 

[BeatrixFan]

I agree Skydragon - it is true. In a 'Guide to Etiquette' I have from 1928, it says, "If you are privelaged enough to have a conversation with a member of our Royal Family then it is unforgivable to repeat that conversation to a newspaper. Remember that anything you say may be used against the Royal Family and that isn't acceptable".

 

[Skydragon]

Racist? They aren't racist comments - they are funny comments and they are comments that actually could have been said by anybody. I'm afraid most British people aren't as politically correct as Europe would have us be.

Nor do we want to be. I heard a good pc one yesterday (not by DoE) - It was about people who are 'aspirationally challenged'!

 

[BeatrixFan]

LOL! It beggars belief. How many people will say 'the bloody French?' when they see Jacques Chirac on the TV? The same goes for the Germans. I'd rather that than attempting the impossible, which is standing in a circle holding hands singing, "I'd like to teach the world to sing".

 

[Aussie Princess]

Could be a bad translation for «mon chou» - lovely French nickname.

that';s interesting because in the english speaking royals thread I mentioned how I heard the Queen and her husband sometimes speak French when they are in public to avoid being overhead and understood-seems they are overheard, but not understood, and thus the stories about 'cabbage' got started?
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[ysbel]

that';s interesting because in the english speaking royals thread I mentioned how I heard the Queen and her husband sometimes speak French when they are in public to avoid being overhead and understood-seems they are overheard, but not understood, and thus the stories about 'cabbage' got started?

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That's funny, Aussie Princess. It reminds me of Greta Garbo when she was living as a recluse in New York. She was crossing the street when some Swedish sailors behind her said in Swedish, "Get a move on, old bag lady" and she turned around and said to them in Swedish "This old bag lady will move when she's good and ready."

 

[Von Schlesian]

HRH isn't known for his tact at the best of times.lol. Alas, the Duke thought people would find his comments amusing but turns out that they were funnier in his head.lol.

Poor Philip!

"MII"

Very true Margrethe!! THe comments aren't meant as charactor assasinations or put-downs, simply observations made with a humourous understanding of the conversation. With the amount of time His Royal Highness is expected to maintain polite, harmless and sometimes technical conversations, it's understandable that throw-away comments are made in the hope of a humourous reaction.

 

[Skydragon]

Alas, the Duke thought people would find his comments amusing but turns out that they were funnier in his head.lol.
"MII"

Isn't that the same with everyone? Some people can take offence at something that has someone else curled up with laughter!

 

[ElisaR]

that';s interesting because in the english speaking royals thread I mentioned how I heard the Queen and her husband sometimes speak French when they are in public to avoid being overhead and understood-seems they are overheard, but not understood, and thus the stories about 'cabbage' got started?
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That's very amusing!