I used to get told off for saying “what?”
“Pardon” or “could you repeat that please?” were what I was brought up to say. And my driving instructor told me to add “because I have a head cold” to the latter if I misheard something during my driving exam. 
I’m pretty sure I always say “Sorry?” if I mishear something.
Me too. Pardon? is overly polite, and What? is rude.
It’s my friends’ fault, one was in the OTC, the other is ex-army.
And to answer your question Frank, you’d be thought of as military, and that’s not exactly ‘Upwardly Mobile’
I say, “What?” to my husband, and “Excuse me?” to everyone else. What class does that make me?
On a related note, since we have British Dopers in here answering language questions, I was reading a book recently that talked about public schools and how much they cost the parents. Eh? In the U.S., public schools are paid for by taxation and are free to the parents (incidental fees aside). Private schools are paid for by tuition payments from the parents. I assumed from context that “public school” in the U.K. meant something like “private school” in the U.S. Is that correct? If so, what do you call a school like our “public school” in the U.S.?
I suspect that the stories about Kates mum and her relationship with the Windsors are being spread by those envious of Kate becoming the g/f instead of their own daughters/sisters/nieces etc.
And now is payback time .
Of course that is only my opinion, but some of the people the R/F respect the most are Highland Ghillies and race horse trainers who tend on the whole not to practice upper class usage in conversation.
Britains “Loony Left” always gleefully leap on any disparaging rumours about the Royals and work hard to spread them far and wide no matter how unsubstantiated they are and no matter how absurd they are .
This says alot about them and nothing at all about the Windsors.
We call them State schools usually,Public schools are indeed fee paying and posh in the U.K…
Public school doesn’t mean any old private school though, it means one of the top ones in the country. Definitions vary from the top 250 odd (Headmasters’ conference) to the top 30 or so. Note that top does not refer exclusively to examination results here, although they are excellent in almost all public schools.
You’ll have to be patient. Not as young as I used to be. 
And as far as toil;et/bathroom lavatory; I have heard “WC” (water closet). Is that Britspeak?
I suspect the list of things Liz is actually offended by is very short. A woman who actually talked to man who broke into her room.
Especially being married to Phil the Greek, someone not known for his tact.
I dispute this. To most of us commoners, ‘public school’ means any posh private school.
‘WC’: very rarely used in speech.
can’t say I’ve ever heard anyone say I’m going to the WC. Going to the bog, yes 
Fascinating. Thanks to all the Brit Dopers for educating me!
I dispute your disputing
And in Scotland, a public school is a state school.
Do you have a link to the ad. I really must purchase one of those newfangled picture radio boxes.
(The name of the company would be enough for me to search.)
I thought ‘loo’ was the common parlance, no? Or ‘Ladies’ or ‘Men’s’ alone.
“Loo” is a bit icky I think.
Going for a Gypsies is used also.
Gypsies=Gypsy Rose Lee= Pee
In a classic British way we often convey the info by what we don’t say rather than what we do.
“I’m just going upstairs” or “I’ll be right back” convey what you’re off to do and would rather not mention in public.
In private a TMI approach is often used by people I know. “I gotta pee” or “Gonna take a shit”.
Loo is unfashionable. Ladies & gents (not ‘mens’), yes, but normally if you can find one but not the other (“Where’s the gents?”)
Actually it’s gypsies’ kiss.
Rose Lee = tea, and nobody uses it in real life.
Or going for a snake’s {hiss}.
I was always brought up to consider “pardon?” less confrontational than “what?”, and my reading of this question is that the upper-class reversal of this is a shibboleth.