Prince Philip’s Gaffes: The Definitive Collection

Everyone knows that the Queen’s better other half Prince Philip has a terrible tendency of jamming his foot into his mouth whenever he has to interact with the common folk. To celebrate his ninetieth birthday, The Independent have compiled an excellent list of the greatest hideous things he’s said. They managed to restrain themselves enough to list just ninety of these faux pas. Here are just a few highlights for your reading pleasure.

“Deaf? If you’re near there, no wonder you are deaf.” Said to a group of deaf children standing near a Caribbean steel drum band in 2000.

“If you stay here much longer, you will go home with slitty eyes.” To 21-year-old British student Simon Kerby during a visit to China in 1986.

“People usually say that after a fire it is water damage that is the worst. We are still drying out Windsor Castle.” To survivors of the Lockerbie bombings in 1993.

“A few years ago, everybody was saying we must have more leisure, everyone’s working too much. Now that everybody’s got more leisure time they are complaining they are unemployed. People don’t seem to make up their minds what they want.” A man of the people shares insight into the recession that gripped Britain in 1981.

“Do you know they have eating dogs for the anorexic now?” To a wheelchair-bound Susan Edwards, and her guide dog Natalie in 2002.

“So who’s on drugs here?… HE looks as if he’s on drugs.” To a 14-year-old member of a Bangladeshi youth club in 2002.

“You could do with losing a little bit of weight.” To hopeful astronaut, 13-year-old Andrew Adams.

“Do people trip over you?” Meeting a wheelchair-bound nursing-home resident in 2002.

“If it doesn’t fart or eat hay, she isn’t interested.” Of his daughter, Princess Anne.

You really must go and read the whole list.

(Thanks to Vera for the heads up – excellent work!)