The guy is quite a character. Some interesting pages about the gaffes of Prince Philip:
The GuardianThe Windsor’s only want me for my fucking sperm.
http://monarchyout.members.easyspace.com/phil.html
IT’S GOOD TO BE THE PRINCE
BBC: Long line of princely gaffes
While it’s been bumped let me add…
I liked his reply when asked about this summers seemingly endless series of Jubilee celebrations and what he was most looking forward to: He said “August” – the celebrations, obviously, end in August.
I agree he does a lot of it on purpose but I also remind myself the press follow him around looking for the slightest thing to misrepresent/misinterpret/make up – none of which he can be bothered to respond to or clarify. But yep, he is a mischievous old duffer at heart.
Definitely no Dan Quayle, though.
I say give him a break. The guy is in his 80s and like most of his generation knows nothing about being “politically correct” and is long past giving a damn about what others think of him.
He has one of the most mind-numbing jobs on the planet (not that it isn’t extremely well-paid) and I think that everyone says stupid things they’d rather forget at times, especially if they’re expected to have small-talk for every situation. They just don’t have a pack of journalists panting over every little word out of their mouths to distort a shocked headline out of it.
And the joke is kind of funny. Obviously one that not everyone would appreciate, but I expect the only people “upset” about it were the news-editors hoping to sell a few more papers.
Prince Phillip, whether he likes it or not, is in the public eye, and shouldn’t be vocally racist. Which he is.
Yeah at least the Quenn Mum didn’t do it in public 
I’d have to disagree with that. Being “polically incorrect” is very, very different to being a “racist”. The guy is a moron. Period.
[/Tangent]
Personally, think the UK should abandon the monarchy, give Buckingham Palace to Steve Wynn so he can turn it into a casino and then give the taxes back the public.
There is a flaw in the plan though. The British government giving taxes back to the public is just such a ridiculous idea it will never, ever see the light of day. Still, the casino idea is a little less ridiculous so you never know …
[/End tangent]
No way. Keep the monarchy. It’s ALWAYS been like that.
The old boy is doing it on purpose. He likes the outrage. Hell, if I were him, I’d probably do that too.
Well unfortunately that must make most 80 year olds in the country morons too.
It’s not really fair to expect modern day standards of behaviour to those who obviously belong to a different age. You’ll find this out when you get to be that age yourself. I’ve no doubt whatsoever that there are plenty examples of currently acceptable behaviour that will draw stern condemnation in 50 years time.
Is he racist? Perhaps, but of the unthinking kind. He knows no different because these are values he was brought up into and has lived by all his life. Just like there are values you and I have been brought up into and know no different. Does that make us all morons?