The Wit and Humour of Prince Philip


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I think the explanation is rather simple: Prince Philip - and the other members of the Royal Family - work hard for their country, but where is the news here? There isn't any news, it's their duty and of course they work hard. It's normal.
But whatever gaffe of Prince Philip, or wathever scandal involving the Royal Family, isn't or shouldn't be normal, hence the news.
I'm in a similar situation to ClaudiaE's; here in Italy medias and newspapers don't report anything about the many activities of the Duke of Edinburgh, they report only some of his gaffes; they don't report anything about the many activities of the Prince of Wales, but only the scandals involving him.
 
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Well. You can count on me, and my family, and my friends for this testifying because everyone was hurt an humiliated by his statement that we all (Romanian people) make babies to leave them in orphanages. Nobody I know did or do such a horrible thing.
If you say that this is British humour this is it but we were not amused and I don't think I lack the sense of humour. So...we have to agree that we desagree and live it.
 
MAfan said:
I'm in a similar situation to ClaudiaE's; here in Italy medias and newspapers don't report anything about the many activities of the Duke of Edinburgh, they report only some of his gaffes; they don't report anything about the many activities of the Prince of Wales, but only the scandals involving him.
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Then Mafan is not a similar situation. Because Prince Charles has a very good press here. He visited Romania a few times and has some projects here related to saving the environment and is apreciated about that. Despite the sad and old story Diana-Camilla. They (and I) overpassed that and appreciate his work.
But on the other hand Prince Charles is always polite and warm (as much as he can be :)) and careful with his statements . Like any public person should be.
 
This remark by the Duke was insensitive, ClaudiaE. I well understand why Romanians were hurt by it. Generally I find the Duke's remarks humourous, but this one was too much.:ermm:



ClaudiaE said:
Well. You can count on me, and my family, and my friends for this testifying because everyone was hurt an humiliated by his statement that we all (Romanian people) make babies to leave them in orphanages. Nobody I know did or do such a horrible thing.
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ClaudiaE said:
Well. You can count on me, and my family, and my friends for this testifying because everyone was hurt an humiliated by his statement that we all (Romanian people) make babies to leave them in orphanages. Nobody I know did or do such a horrible thing.
If you say that this is British humour this is it but we were not amused and I don't think I lack the sense of humour. So...we have to agree that we desagree and live it.
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I had never heard this until you posted it here so it mustn't have made it to the media down under whereas most of his so-called gaffes do. I say so-called because a lot of the time the actual comment is taken out of context and thus the gaffe sounds like a mistake but in the context of the full conversation actually makes sense.

Having never heard that he ever said this I don't know about this particular one. Can you post a link to this gaffe so I can investigate the story further.
 
I am sorry you and your family were hurt by Prince Philip´s remark but I can´t understand why. If your family and friends had never done anything like this it was definitely not directed at you.
I am a defensor of Prince Philip´s humour, he is so often so funny but I admit some of his jokes I do not find funny but in this case I wonder if his thoughts had gone back to the past, he is 90 years old remember and sometimes the past seems closer than the present and perhaps he was remembering those dreadful images we were shown of the conditions long ago in the Romanian
orphanages. Black humour shouldn´t be taken seriously, I realise that it is difficult to understand for the non-British, and some British.
There are people who just don´t get Monty Python and there are others that laugh until they cry.
I had better not mention what I think of the humour of Mr Bean or there will be an outcry as it was one of the most popular series on TV for some time.
Iluv, don´t bother about investigating, he most probably did say that, it could have been quoted out of context or not, Prince Philip is 90, he was what has been described as a blunt down to earth seaman, so everything anyone finds funny that he says should laugh at it, and anyone who takes offense should ignore it. At the moment he is here to stay and he will be missed when he goes and he is a wonderful support for HM and she obviously finds his sense of humour amusing.
 
The pictures from the Romanian orphanages weren't that long ago. It was after the fall of Nicolae Ceausescu, which would mean that the orphanages were discovered sometime in or after 1990.

The implication was that Romanians were deliberately negligent about their children, which is something that I think would offend anyone.

I think that Prince Philip just says whatever comes into his head. I'm actually fond of Prince Philip and think that he's done a fine job as the Queen's consort. It's just this statement that I found too much.

Wisteria said:
I am a defensor of Prince Philip´s humour, he is so often so funny but I admit some of his jokes I do not find funny but in this case I wonder if his thoughts had gone back to the past, he is 90 years old remember and sometimes the past seems closer than the present and perhaps he was remembering those dreadful images we were shown of the conditions long ago in the Romanian
orphanages. .
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You are right Mermaid, he does just say what pops into his head and sometimes it is just not funny. I didn´t take this remark as an insult to all Romania but obviously some people did, and I am sorry about that but I doubt that Prince Philip would care.
He sounds a bit like my old grandmother who said " now I am 92 I can say what I want and not care".
1990? I hadn´t realised it was so recent. Soon I will be saying whatever comes into my head but the newspapers will probably not print it. LOL:
 
Mermaid1962 said:
I think that Prince Philip just says whatever comes into his head. I'm actually fond of Prince Philip and think that he's done a fine job as the Queen's consort. It's just this statement that I found too much.
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He has done a very fantastic job not only in support of the Queen, but also carving his own niche into the history books. His gaffs will probably be remembered for generations to come such as the Queen Mum's remark "when you two Queens are done discussing.. THIS Queen would like a gin and tonic" (or similar.. can't remember it verbatim).

The thing is, even though some of the remarks he does make can or do seem rude and/or off color, I really don't see Philip as the type to be intentionally that way.. it just comes out. I think I saw it here somewhere on TRF that at one time HM was at the beach and this woman walks up to her and says "Oh! Did you hear? The Queen is to visit this beach today!" I guess HM quipped back something to the effect "Oh how nice... let me know if you see her?" That story isn't verbatim either but gives a sense into the humor.

Its been said too that HM has quite a sense of humor too. I'd love to hear some of the exchanges that go on between those two sometime. :ohmy:
 
I can see where ClaudiaE was offended by the Romanian gaffe.

And saying that if her or her family aren't like that than they shouldn't be offended is a little ridiculous IMO. Phillip whether he realizes it or not made a generalization that might be funny in a comedy show but is not funny when you are meeting Romanians. Its a generalization that people who are not as worldly or educated or just plain rude and ignorant can take to heart.

Let's face it there are a lot of people who non educated (in terms of actual education and wordly knowledge if that makes sense) or who are just bigoted. They are not familiar with Romanians. All they know is what they see on television and in the news and if someone is well known (such as Phillip) makes such a comment about Romanians and these people who don't know Romanians but know of Phillip.....welll.....they are going to think that ALL Romanians dont' know how to take care of their kids, etc. Why, because Phillip says so.

I would say that a lot of us on the boards and in the world are bright enough to know that this is not the case. Iluvbertie for example, wasn't aware of this and wanted some documentation. That is prefectly acceptable and legit. He/She wasn't taken ClaudiaE's word for it (and that is not a slight) but he/she wants to judge and read it so he/she can form her own opinion.
Not everyone does this. All you have to do is read any of the message boards or opinions on newspaper/magazine article etc. You read the comments and you are thinking....did these people even READ the article and how did they come to that assumption?

Some people don't think for themselves...they see it on the news and the newspapers and it must be true. How many of us have caught some of the errors that are reported by the media? You know it isn't true but some people don't.

Same thing with the Romanians comment.

ETA: Prince Phillip does do outsanding work and he has been a great support for the Queen. I realize that he is a man of his times, and I TOTALLY agree with Wisteria about the age comment. My grandmother turned 70 and lost her filter....she would say ANYTHING to family and friends that could be considered Rude. She didn't mean harm but some of it could be considered hurtful.
 
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I agree with the age comment. My late father lived to be 90 and was a wonderful man with a heart of gold but some of the comments that could come out of his mouth...he had no idea how rude and hurtful they could be.

I also believe that everyone from time to time makes comments that just don't come out right. A comment that you wish you hadn't made or didn't really express what you were thinking or feeling. It's also easy to take one statement out of context and make it sound terrible, when that's not what you were trying to say at all. Or to say something in jest and have someone take it seriously.

In the overall scheme of things, Prince Phillip has supported the Queen and faithfully served his country for many, many years. The good he has done, far outweighs the few comments he shouldn't have made.
 
This particular gaffe may have been mentioned up-thread: when Prince Phillip met a woman who was trying to publicise the dangers of not having a functioning smoke alarm (two of her children died in a fire) he said "My smoke alarm is a damn nuisance. Every time I run my bath, the steam sets it off and I’ve got firefighters at my door."

I found this funny in a cringeful way -- I think the D of E just sometimes says things before he thinks, and in front of the wrong people and/or cameras.

By the way, the smoke alarm outside my bathroom does that occasionally, too. Of course there are no firefighters, just a rather piercing noise. Good to know the thing works, just not when you take a shower at one in the morning.
 
isayoldboy said:
This particular gaffe may have been mentioned up-thread: when Prince Phillip met a woman who was trying to publicise the dangers of not having a functioning smoke alarm (two of her children died in a fire) he said "My smoke alarm is a damn nuisance. Every time I run my bath, the steam sets it off and I’ve got firefighters at my door."
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I hadn't heard about this particular "gaffe" and I think this goes in the inappropriate category.
 
Definitely....its a funny comment but not to someone who lost children as a result of a faulty smoke alarm.

Phillip has clearly lost his filter in some instances. Like my grandmother, once she reached a certain age...if a thought was in her head it was out of her mouth. Regardless if it offended someone.
 
The man seems in danger of saying something inappropriate whenever he opens his mouth. IMO it's a filtering issue: it's not that bad to find cause to complain about a sensitive smoke alarm, but bringing it up at this event... didn't he think before he said it?

Or he may just care less about what people think as he gets older. He certainly never fails to try to break the ice -- but perhaps an awkward silence would be better than yet another cringefully offensive remark.
 
I don't honestly think Phillip has ever cared what anyone thought about him except Elizabeth.
 
I really love most of what Prince Philip says although some of it is inappropriate. There has to be some kind of medical terminology for what he's going through and, from experience, what most old people go through: not having any kind of filter! I also think that since people feel awkward around him he tried to say something funny to lighten the mood...
 
I think he's always been like that, though. It's easy to blame some of his comments on old age but I think he's always been quite outspoken, and he's never given a fig for what anyone but the Queen cared about, as said upthread.

He made the "bloody amoeba" comment and the "British women can't cook" comments way back in the 50s and 60s.

Some of his comments are just so awkward and insensitive but I find some terribly amusing -- like when he asked Cate Blanchett if, since she was in the "film industry", she could help him fix his DVD player.
 
isayoldboy said:
I think he's always been like that, though. It's easy to blame some of his comments on old age but I think he's always been quite outspoken, and he's never given a fig for what anyone but the Queen cared about, as said upthread.

He made the "bloody amoeba" comment and the "British women can't cook" comments way back in the 50s and 60s.

Some of his comments are just so awkward and insensitive but I find some terribly amusing -- like when he asked Cate Blanchett if, since she was in the "film industry", she could help him fix his DVD player.
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Thinking about this.. I know he's said some things that would really set people off and want to remark "how rude!"

But did they? I've never ever met a member of the BRF or any royalty or celebrity.. ok ok.. I do get to hug a hero every night but that's my job.

Most people that are faced with meeting Philip I think would do a good job of imitating Bertie (George V) and be awkward and shy and have no clue what to say or do. Philip opens mouth and inserts foot and the ice is broken.

I do think a lot of what he says is um...crass. But he does have the knack for breaking the ice.

And I agree with what a previous poster said about dating that man. He's 90 and still looking good and it'd not be boring. :D
 
Osipi said:
Most people that are faced with meeting Philip I think would do a good job of imitating Bertie (George V) and be awkward and shy and have no clue what to say or do. Philip opens mouth and inserts foot and the ice is broken.
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George VI was called Bertie among family and friends. George V was George. :whistling:

And I have to agree, it's certainly a way to break the ice -- whether or not people are laughing or bristling with indignation.
 
My current favourite "Philip" gaffe happened at the Pope's visit to Edinburgh.

Philip stood next to Annabel Goldie (the leader of the Scottish Conservatives). He pointed out to her the tartan tie worn by Iain Gray (leader of the Scottish Labour Party) and asked Ms Goldie: "Do you wear tartan knickers?" Annabel responded: "I could not possibly comment".
 
:previous:
This was a 'Philip, do shut up' moment
 
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Trubie said:
:ohmy: I don't see the humor in children having dead parents. :ermm:
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I'm one of those Romanian Orphans and I found the joke funny. Suppose it depends on your humour. :)
 
Lumutqueen said:
I'm one of those Romanian Orphans and I found the joke funny. Suppose it depends on your humour. :)
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I really don't understand why he says half of these things, though. A lot of them come off as mean IMO. :sad:
 
Trubie said:
I really don't understand why he says half of these things, though. A lot of them come off as mean IMO. :sad:
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They may come off as mean to you, but not everyone.
 
Trubie said:
I really don't understand why he says half of these things, though. A lot of them come off as mean IMO. :sad:
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Of course some of the comments are quoted out of context and that makes them sound worse than they are. Sometimes they are genuine questions taken badly e.g. do you still spear people to Australian Aborigines - taken as an insult but he was genuinely asking particularly as recently there had been a case where native law had overruled white law in allowing an Aborigine to be speared as punishment for his actions rather than go to gaol.

Sometimes people take them as offensive who weren't there but the people who were actually saw it as a joke.

And sometimes they are foot in mouth comments.
 
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