The Wit and Humour of Prince Philip


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Let's be blunt. Philip is a rude man. His manners and observance of protocol are spot on but he has an impatience and lack of courtesy. His aim is not to make the other person feel valued and content within themselves but rather to impress his own views on others by expressing his prejudices and views as if they were universally accurate. He can do that because he is royal and has reached the highest level possible. There is nowhere better for him to aspire than as consort to the British queen so he has nothing to lose with his unwanted opinions; other than reputational damage. He is prevented from overstepping the limit to excess because he could harm the dynasty. He has a chance to say in public what the royals think in private - quote useful.
 
There's a horrible TV show on CBS right now called "Bleep My Dad Says" that's all about the horrible, politically incorrect things an elderly man says to the people he meets. I think I'd rather watch a show called "Bleep Prince Philip Says." Philip would be far more entertaining and the jokes he made more intelligent.

He's an old soldier and a product of his time and class. I would assume he holds all of the attitudes about race and class and politics that you'd probably expect and they are decidedly politically incorrect. Based on what I've read about his grandmother Victoria, it probably runs in the family. She was gruff and said anything she felt like and didn't suffer fools lightly either. Princess Anne is much the same way.
 
As so many people are..... very well stated!

"He's an old soldier and a product of his time and class. I would assume he holds all of the attitudes about race and class and politics that you'd probably expect and they are decidedly politically incorrect. Based on what I've read about his grandmother Victoria, it probably runs in the family. She was gruff and said anything she felt like and didn't suffer fools lightly either. Princess Anne is much the same way."
 
bluestocking said:
There's a horrible TV show on CBS right now called "Bleep My Dad Says" that's all about the horrible, politically incorrect things an elderly man says to the people he meets. I think I'd rather watch a show called "Bleep Prince Philip Says." Philip would be far more entertaining and the jokes he made more intelligent.
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My goodness, it's strange to hear William Shatner described as elderly! But I suppose he is (he's almost 80, I believe). His character has children who are closer to 30, though, and I think he's supposed to be playing 60 (the character is based on some person's twitter feed about their father).

Certainly Prince Philip is elderly, though. The character on the show mainly says terrible things to his own family, and is often shown trying to reign it in (as for example, when he was around his military buddies). I wonder what the DoE is like when we cannot hear him, I'll bet his wry sense of humor is less inhibited around family. My intuition is that Prince Charles also has a sense of humor that can be acerbic, but that he does not exhibit in public as his father does.

I don't think it would be kingly to do so, regardless of how funny many people think it is. Somehow, it's better coming from the Queen's Consort. I can't even imagine what would happen if one of the younger royals tried to be funny in this way. Age (and status) have their prerogatives.

Many Americans find Bill Shatner funny in the same way that British people seem to find Prince Charles funny; different cultures.
 
bluestocking said:
. Based on what I've read about his grandmother Victoria, it probably runs in the family. She was gruff and said anything she felt like and didn't suffer fools lightly either. Princess Anne is much the same way.
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Was Prince Phillip's grandmother Queen Victoria, or someone else with the same name?
 
Queen Victoria was Phillips' great great grandmother.

Victoria > Alice > Victoria > Alice > Phillip

The Victoria that is bluestocking is talking about is Victoria, Marchioness of Milford Haven. Formerly Princess Victoria of Battenberg. She is also the mother of Earl Mountbatten and Louise, Queen of Sweden.
 
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I tip my hat to the Duke for saying what he thinks.... more people need to do that... we are far to "pc"
 
On the contrary I think we are struggling to have the right balance.

There is no doubt that some people take certain things too far. Likeswise its also reasonable that people might be offended some of the things that come out of Phillip's mouth. Isn't there a saying...Unless you have walked a mile in my shoes...you don't know where I am coming from?

The shame IMO is that both sides don't recognize the other's point.
 
Points of view, yes! I agree..... I respect any and all points of view!!
But I do, IMO, think that when you say what feel - you are on the level & people don't have to guess this or that...
Opinions are a great thing, right?? :flowers:
 
Opinions are a great thing. And I agree with you regarding your statement about people beling on the level and you don't have to guess this or that but look at it this way. I am African American and I would rather know that I am dealing with someone who doesn't like me just because of the color of my skin rather than my personality, work ethic or character. Not to say that I am not going to do my best work or job, but I will keep it professional, distant or whatever.

However,

If you are just reading Phillip's statements without knowing him personally or the work he does or if was just said that person X said this.....Would you think that some of the stuff that comes out of his mouth is just being on the level. Or if you would you think that he doesn't like people that don't look like him. Not because of their character, work ethic or personality, etc. Just because they have a different skin color?

With that being said, I do believe that Phillip is a man of his times and as such he might have diffferent views. I think sometimes the criticism of what he says is a little over the top and other times I think its right. Of course, not everyone thinks that same. That's why some people are offended and to other's its nothing or nothing that they have never experienced or heard before.
 
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This is more or less my point... and yours: sometimes we all (and I am pointing my finger at myself) are products of our times and we all have certain opinions about all manner of subjects... from dress, to religion, to sexuality, etc... I am a gay white male from the rural South....

"With that being said, I do believe that Phillip is a man of his times and as such he might have different views. I think sometimes the criticism of what he says is a little over the top and other times I think its right. Of course, not everyone thinks that same. That's why some people are offended and to other's its nothing or nothing that they have never experienced or heard before."
Prince Philip has the world change alot in his lifetime.... and as is the case with most people (again - myself included b/c I hate change - LOL), change is sometimes hard to deal with.
 
a spade a spade

Skydragon said:
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!
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the Duke of Edinburghisn't funny really, he's quite serious and would be abhorrant of thinking the americans found him funny, i think he prefers to be seen as serious - a spade a spade indeed, who can dig for bodies
 
Okay.

With that being said, I will state that we both have the same opinion more or less.My grandmother who was (until she died last year) is around the same age as Phillip. I do think as you get older, you lose that filter and say whatever is in your mind. Also, she had WAY MORE different experiences than I did, a child of the 30's and 40's. And some of the stuff that came out of her mouth made me snap my head back. And I would say, Grandma! But that was because of her experiences...she didn't trust everyone who didn't look like her.

And honestly, I am more offended by your Clemson stuff as I went to University of Maryland at College Park!

GO TERPS!:lol:
 
"With that being said, I will state that we both have the same opinion more or less.My grandmother who was (until she died last year) is around the same age as Phillip. I do think as you get older, you lose that filter and say whatever is in your mind. Also, she had WAY MORE different experiences than I did, a child of the 30's and 40's. And some of the stuff that came out of her mouth made me snap my head back. And I would say, Grandma! But that was because of her experiences...she didn't trust everyone who didn't look like her."
And that was the norm..... for folks of that generation!

Sounds like my grandparents, who were children of the 20's/30's.... and may father who was a child of the 40's.....
Mama was a child of the 50's and far different in her temperament than Daddy.


"And honestly, I am more offended by your Clemson stuff as I went to University of Maryland at College Park!"
See... we all have a common bond - for us, its the ACC!

BOO TERPS! GO TIGERS!!
 
response

Zonk said:
Okay.

With that being said, I will state that we both have the same opinion more or less.My grandmother who was (until she died last year) is around the same age as Phillip. I do think as you get older, you lose that filter and say whatever is in your mind. Also, she had WAY MORE different experiences than I did, a child of the 30's and 40's. And some of the stuff that came out of her mouth made me snap my head back. And I would say, Grandma! But that was because of her experiences...she didn't trust everyone who didn't look like her.

And honestly, I am more offended by your Clemson stuff as I went to University of Maryland at College Park!

GO TERPS!:lol:
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same opinion more or less I agree though I've always though Philip says things for political reasons, his statements in Labour's tenure might be deemed different to conservatism, if not mis-quoted which I believe much is

think your college quote is to do with someone else
 
I think that we have to keep in mind when discussing Philips attitude with reference to his "gaffes" that many of the "gaffes" are taken out of context or are being isolated by the media without knowing the full conversation before or after. Not that I want to downplay any of what he is supposed to have said or what kind of character he is, but I believe that in a changing media world - Philip has been known as "gaffer" for more than 50 years - his gaffes have been continuously "spiced up" in order to produce a storm in a teacup or serve the stereotype of himself or the SRF in order to get another good headline.

Very often, the people directly involved in the gaffe have a completely different view on how things were supposed to be understood but the image sticks and the public will always believe the gossip interpretation, not asking for facts or context.
 
I think Philip himself knows well the context, and that he knows that people who understand him will find the "gaffes" funny or at least endearing.

Personally, I do not welcome "all opinions" into my life, not at all. I am very glad that this forum also deems certain ideologies and opinions unacceptable. If someone is dear to me, I am more tolerant, but not tolerant enough that I would gladly suffer certain extreme or foolish opinions in my presence. Perhaps when I was much younger, it would have amused me or given me entertainment for an hour or two.

To me, most of what Prince Philip says seems to be based on the idea that he expects the other party to find him amusing, he doesn't intend to be rude.
 
My favourite:

The Pope was visiting Holyrood House. Philip was standing next to Iain Gray (Scottish Labour leader) and noticed Gray's tartan tie.

Turning to Conservative leader Annabel Goldie, the Prince asked:
Have you got a pair of knickers made out of this stuff ?"

To which Annabel quickly replied:
"I can't possibly comment, and even if I did, I couldn't possibly exhibit them!"
 
From the 90th birthday BBC interview:
In a clip when a pressman asked him if he felt well he replied: "Why, do I look ill?"
When the interviewer asked him if it had been hard to set limits on the media during the filming of Royal Family, he said:" Well, we did not let them film us in the bathroom".
In a clip from HM and the DOE's 60th wedding aniversary visit to Malta, the DOE watches the newswoman give her report. She does not know that he is behind her.
He makes his presence known with the comment, " Are you quite finished?"
:lol:;)
 
:previous: Oh what a laugh! Priceless!! Reading all his quips is a good way to end ones day.
 
Prince Philip is a legend; I'm so glad he didn't allow PC to change him and just speaks his mind.
And let's face it - he isn't wrong about that dress, is he? :lol:
 
Some people just go out of their way to be offended.
 
I loved the one recently- he was talking to a disabled person in an electric wheelchair, and said " How many people have you run over today?":lol:

I get that one all the time myself- great icebreaker!:D
 
I think I speak for most Brits when I say we'd be pretty disappointed if Philip didn't make the odd slightly inappropriate joke from time to time. It's something we'll miss about him when he's gone.
 
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