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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Prince Phillip stepping back in his "work"

50 replies

bupcakesandcunting · 10/06/2011 10:14

I am so relieved for you, Phil, that you are taking a step back in your work. It must have been very tiring for you, being chauffered about in a big gold carriage, waving at the proles. I expect that sometimes you had some handshaking to do. Maybe so glass-clinking to do with foreign dignitaries. Then there were all of those racist gags to think up.

I, for one, am greatly relieved that you are stepping back from your work. I've been worrying myself sick about your for years.

P.S did you get my birthday card? You can spend the bond at Debenhams/Boots/B&Q/Robert Dyas. Enjoy it!

OP posts:
reelingintheyears · 10/06/2011 10:20

Aha....
Will you be knitting beside the guillotine along side me then...

Come the day..Grin

fgaaagh · 10/06/2011 10:37

I saw this in the newspaper today.

Wasn't there a comment about how he wants to "step back" and "enjoy his years" with more leisure activities/hobbies or some such nonsense?

What has he been doing the last 90 years?

He hasn't been toiling in a coal mine from what I can tell.

I understand that he might not enjoy all the balls and state events/entertaining that he has had to do - fair enough. But to pretend that he hasn't had a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge amount of leisure time in the previous 90 years and now he's finally being able to get some time for himself...

well it made me laugh!

HowlingBitch · 10/06/2011 10:59

Leave the poor man alone! He has been battling a gravy addiction for years. I am delighted he has decided to sort himself out he was looking a little brown around the edges at the wedding.

Original poster
bupcakesandcunting · 10/06/2011 11:06

He should have his own tele programme. Like a posher, more racist Idiot Abroad.

OP posts:
Sensi · 10/06/2011 11:09
Grin

I do think the royal family should be subjected to the same retirement laws as everyone else, mind.

Original poster
bupcakesandcunting · 10/06/2011 11:11

You can only retire from work if you've actually done some fucking work, Phil!

OP posts:
ShatnersBassoon · 10/06/2011 11:12

Come on! How many 90 yr olds are obliged to do anything? I don't think he's ever claimed to have had a hard life, to be fair to him.

sue52 · 10/06/2011 11:16

His racist rantings are now being held up as evidence of his fantastic sense of humor, he doesn't make me laugh.

valiumbandwitch · 10/06/2011 11:17

oh come on! he's ninety years old.

He may not have been working for £7 an hour, but a life time of trotting along behind somebody else and having to rein yourself in constantly, or try to is work. He was playing the part of somebody in public his whole life. LOADS of people are so rich they've never done a day's work in their whole life, but they've been free to spend their money as they wish, and they haven't been subject to media scrutiny their entire life.

I am Irish, and amongst his many gaffes he's insulted the Irish, but I've read his long list of gaffes and I think although he's not exactly politically correct, he is irreverant accross the board. I think he would have been very good company!

I hope he enjoys his cocoa and flicking through those supplements that fall out of sunday papers. Maybe he should treat himself to some plug in slippers or a magnifying glass with a built in torch!

Original poster
bupcakesandcunting · 10/06/2011 11:21

Aw shucks. I don't begrudge the old gaffer enjoying his "retirement". I just reckon that announcing that one is stepping back from gurning on the balcony at Buck House before retreating to quaff champers with the Sultan if Brunei is rubbing it in a bit, like.

OP posts:
valiumbandwitch · 10/06/2011 11:23

it was probably some comment he made to fill an awkward silence and it's being reported.

ShatnersBassoon · 10/06/2011 11:29

Just liften this from the BBC report of his interview shown last night:

In the interview with the BBC, he talked about his advancing years, saying it was better to get out "before you reach your sell-by date".
"I reckon I've done my bit so I want to enjoy myself a bit now, with less responsibility, less frantic rushing about, less preparation, less trying to think of something to say," he said.
"On top of that, your memory's going - I can't remember names and things."

I'd say he's being pretty modest about the work he's done. Poor old chap, he just needs to sit back and enjoy Countdown.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 10/06/2011 11:38

YABU... Having watched a documentary on the Queen's trip to the US a few years ago, I was staggered by how full-on the schedule was, not to mention all the travelling about. It may just be shaking hands, sitting through speeches or chatting to dignitaries, but it looked like a complete arse-ache to me.

Sn0wflake · 10/06/2011 12:07

Leave the old guy alone.

OfflineFor30Years · 10/06/2011 12:11

He does work hard - several engagements per day, having to swot up for all of them, make small talk, travelling round here there and everywhere. DF has been on the receiving end of one of his visits and had nothing but praise for all the effort he made, despite it being his 2nd engagement of the day, with another one afterwards.

Easy to mock though when all you see is the television coverage of him dressed up in his finery performing his state dignitary role.

shinyrobot · 10/06/2011 12:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

saffronwblue · 10/06/2011 12:58

at 90 he works a hell of a lot harder than his new grand daughter in law ever has!

CogitoErgoSometimes · 10/06/2011 13:30

I liked the story yesterday of a conversation between HRH and an MP. When asked what he did before being an MP the reply was 'Trades union leader'. HRH responds 'You didn't do anything much then, did you?'. Bristling, MP comes back with 'So what did you do before you got this job?'. Answer... 'fought in WWII'. As Eric Morecambe might have said.. there's no answer to that.

whatsallthehullaballoo · 10/06/2011 13:34

I also think YABU - his life has been one long organised schedule. I think the man deserves his last few years in peace fgs.

Saltire · 10/06/2011 13:40

He's a 90 year old WW2 veteran. I'd say being in the Navy counts as work

He is also Patron or President of 800 organisations

BeattieBow · 10/06/2011 13:42

Perhaps he should retire, but on a state pension like millions of others have to do.

BeattieBow · 10/06/2011 13:43

i work for an organisation that has a royal as its patron - that person does bugger all. so hardly ardous "work"

ivykaty44 · 10/06/2011 13:45

I heard on the radio he was having trouble thinking up ways of opening his mouth and putting his foot in it - so with a lack of flexability in his legs he was going to have to slow down a bit more.

Thank feck for that then

Mutt · 10/06/2011 13:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

onagar · 10/06/2011 13:58

Those people who have to get up in the dark to trudge off to their jobs as miners, fisherman, policeman and teachers in order to feed and clothe their kids don't realise how hard it is to eat a state dinner while making conversation. To have to live a life of luxury and privilege with no end in sight. We have been cruel to force the royal family to do it this long and it's time we let them all go.

It could be like those films where they free the bird/cub/fox/dolphin/whale etc into the wild "off you go! you are free to do all those things which have been denied you for so long!.... Like working for a living"