Prince Philip's Funniest Moments Revealed
Prince Philip, who died on April 9 at 99 years old, has been portrayed in The Crown as having a dry and witty sense of humor, often making snippy remarks to the queen and other royal family members. As it turns out, this depiction was quite accurate. He was recorded many times over the course of his life making sarcastic comments and snide jokes, as reported by the Express.
While many people viewed the Duke of Edinburgh's humor as sexist, racist, and simply offensive, others remembered his jokes affectionately, including locals from Edinburgh. "He used a lot of humor," one local, Peter Moir, recalled. "Quite often when young people were in their groups receiving their awards there was raucous laughter coming from where he would be" (via Edinburgh Live). Moir also remembered that Prince Philip would use humor to ease any tension in conversations.
Curious about some of his quotes? One fan favorite, according to The Telegraph, occurred at the 1969 Royal Variety Performance. In speaking with singer Tom Jones, Prince Philip joked, "What do you gargle with? Pebbles?" Discover other Prince Philip quotes below.
Prince Philip made some very controversial jokes, including sexist and racist ones
The Duke of Edinburgh was not one to hold back a joke, even if it was sexist or racist. "You are a woman, aren't you?" he once asked a Kenyan woman in 1984, who had offered him a small gift.
At a 1986 World Wildlife Fund meeting, he remarked, "If it has got four legs and it is not a chair, if it has got two wings and it flies but is not an airplane, and if it swims and it is not a submarine, the Cantonese will eat it" (via The Telegraph).
Prince Philip's comments did not get better over the years. "It looks like a tart's bedroom," he said in 1988, after viewing the plans for the Duke and Duchess of York's Sunninghill Park home. In 2002, he told a young female officer in a bullet-proof vest on Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, that she looked like a "suicide bomber."
Some conservative commentators have expressed anger on Twitter at news outlets, including the Associated Press, for reporting on Prince Philip's "deeply offensive remarks" in his obituary. Others have Tweeted praise for the news outlet in telling the "whole truth."