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The royal family
Original poster

Prince Philip, from an foreigner's perspective

489 replies

Kishkashta · 12/04/2021 14:00

I am not English, but have been living here for quite a while. And I just don't get what all the fuss is about with prince Philip.

Every single article I read (there are a lot of them lately...) mentions his unconventional personality and sense of humor. But the thing is, from my experience, this is just cookie cutter behavior of the (especially older male) members of the British upper class. These politically incorrect jokes that kind of just stir the water a bit and slightly off kilter behavior. I just find it weird how in these articles it is presented as something unique about him whereas in reality all these stories are just something that describes essentially his class rather than his personality.

Also I don't know how anybody can take seriously the attempts to paint his life as full of hardships (had to give up his "Navy career" to support the Queen - the only reason he had his kind of career is obviously his background and marriage, etc).

To me, from these descriptions, he just seems to be an extremely ordinary person who literally did nothing special other than existing until age 99...

Is there something I don't get about this?

OP posts:
JaneJeffer · 13/04/2021 01:29

Not into general vengeance for other crimes, real or imagined.
There have been other incidences of child molesters being attacked by both the IRA and loyalist paramilitaries.

ZoeCM · 13/04/2021 01:36

If they targeted Mountbatten because they suspected he was a paedophile, why did they kill two young lads with him? Seems a bit counter-productive...

JaneJeffer · 13/04/2021 01:39

Because they're terrorists and have no regard for the life of others.

Enrosadira · 13/04/2021 01:52

What bollocks is this about “if you don’t like it this is the door”. Seriously????

DeeCeeCherry · 13/04/2021 02:22

I can understand the fuss. He was married to the Queen of England.

I don't get why he's being presented as this wonderful character, I've seen him described as if he was saintly. He made lots of shitty racist offensive remarks to foreigners. Sexist remarks too. He had a privileged life, still made sure he took time out to be racist though. Doesn't speak of a good nature to me.

That seems to have been airbrushed out of the telling of his 'wonderful life story'.

But that's the way of it in England, unacceptable behaviour (albeit racism is acceptable to some so they won't hear of you mentioning it when it comes to dear PP) is suddenly acceptable, it's brushed off and there's avoidance of challenging it, when it involves White upper-class men/Royalty.

LivingOnAnIsland · 13/04/2021 02:37

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Snugglepiggy · 13/04/2021 05:51

As well as the D of E awards he founded St George House .An interfaith meeting place which has done fantastic work at breaking down barriers. Doesn't seem the sort of things a racist would do.Maybe read up on that OP.

Snugglepiggy · 13/04/2021 06:11

Oh and forgiving Mountbattens killers.It is no secret the Queen has a deep Christian faith and a huge respect for other faiths. And PP had hundreds of books on religions and other cultures and was very well read.I think forgiveness is something both would see as central to their faith and I really admire that.
I take it we're all perfect and have nothing in our past we would have done or said differently?

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 13/04/2021 06:43

Could I just say for the umpteenth time that the Queen is not the Queen of England and England is not another way of saying UK. There are four nations in the UK. The title Duke of Edinburgh might be a clue.

Phrenologist · 13/04/2021 07:04

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Could I just say for the umpteenth time that the Queen is not the Queen of England and England is not another way of saying UK. There are four nations in the UK. The title Duke of Edinburgh might be a clue.
Yes, but in relation to your second point, not necessarily. There are still numerous extant British peerages that relate to places now in the Republic of Ireland. The Earl of Cork is an English peer whose family seat is in Sussex. The Duke of Leinster likewise but in Oxfordshire. Those titles indicate a relationship to Irish territory that hasn’t existed in a century.
Brazilianut · 13/04/2021 07:08

I find his racist comments disrespectful and hard to excuse with quirky humour tbh.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 13/04/2021 07:22

Yes, I know, but for the time being at least Scotland is still part of the UK and Edinburgh is its capital. The Republic of Ireland hasn't been part of the UK for a century. Like most Scots (and I'm sure Welsh and Northern Irish people) I get very tired of our existence being overlooked.

SmiledWithTheRisingSun · 13/04/2021 07:23

Lol @TashieWoo 🤣

SmiledWithTheRisingSun · 13/04/2021 07:26

I'd absolutely love to be a royal - never having to do any work and being fawned over. Fancy an egg McMuffin at 3am in the morning and it's yours!

Wow! Living the dream @VladmirsPoutine 🤣🤣🤣

Marmaladeagain · 13/04/2021 07:41

Very well said RickiTarr, lots is well said - but that in particular regarding IRA above.

SteppedOnBloodyLego · 13/04/2021 08:19

I agree with you OP

derxa · 13/04/2021 08:57

I can understand the fuss. He was married to the Queen of England. Why do people keep saying 'Queen of England'? Such an insult.

Phrenologist · 13/04/2021 09:37

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Yes, I know, but for the time being at least Scotland is still part of the UK and Edinburgh is its capital. The Republic of Ireland hasn't been part of the UK for a century. Like most Scots (and I'm sure Welsh and Northern Irish people) I get very tired of our existence being overlooked.
Well, just as Irish people in general aren’t wildly thrilled by the fact that many English people. — I would hope it’s different forWelsh and Scottish people, but not having lived in either, I’m speculating — are entirely unaware that Ireland isn’t part of the UK. When I moved to England first,I swear the first time I contacted a Jobcentre to get an NI number,I had three people on the phone in succession telling me I could ‘just use my home number’, despite me pointing out clearly that I didn’t live in NI, I lived in Ireland, an entirely separate country. It made as much sense as thinking I could use a French or Dutch national insurance number.

I would see the continued existence of peerages that make implicit territorial claims over an independent country as part of the same continuum of ignorance as the one you’re referring to. Personally, I’m not sure I understand your irritation in that while I entirely get your frustration re Scotland and Wales’ general ‘invisibility’, I would not be enthusiastic about being subjects of a monarch, in any case — regardless of opinions about independence.

Lauren15 · 13/04/2021 10:39

I’m Scottish but not pro independence or particularly patriotic. However I see red mist when I hear the Queen called the Queen of England. She’s not even Queen Elizabeth the second of Great Britain. Queen Elizabeth Tudor was only Queen of England. Queen Elizabeth Windsor is the first Queen of Great Britain to be called Elizabeth. There was a huge outcry in Scotland when she ascended to the throne, despite the Scottish population being generally more pro union than now. Postboxes with E.R. II on them were firebombed.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 13/04/2021 10:39

Not bothered about the monarchy too much, except when it delays the Masterchef final by five days Grin. Totally accept that the continued existence of those 'Irish' peerages is absolutely bizarre. I think we're on the same page when it comes to English people being Anglocentric and how irritating that is.

Phrenologist · 13/04/2021 10:46

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Not bothered about the monarchy too much, except when it delays the Masterchef final by five days Grin. Totally accept that the continued existence of those 'Irish' peerages is absolutely bizarre. I think we're on the same page when it comes to English people being Anglocentric and how irritating that is.
Absolutely. (I had no idea it was delaying the Masterchef final. Outrageous!)
derxa · 13/04/2021 11:23

@Lauren15

I’m Scottish but not pro independence or particularly patriotic. However I see red mist when I hear the Queen called the Queen of England. She’s not even Queen Elizabeth the second of Great Britain. Queen Elizabeth Tudor was only Queen of England. Queen Elizabeth Windsor is the first Queen of Great Britain to be called Elizabeth. There was a huge outcry in Scotland when she ascended to the throne, despite the Scottish population being generally more pro union than now. Postboxes with E.R. II on them were firebombed.
Exactly
toffeebutterpopcorn · 13/04/2021 12:03

QEII - I’d never actually thought of that... d’uh. God and I studied history too... (granted not that period)

DynamoKev · 13/04/2021 12:13

@DeeCeeCherry

I can understand the fuss. He was married to the Queen of England.

I don't get why he's being presented as this wonderful character, I've seen him described as if he was saintly. He made lots of shitty racist offensive remarks to foreigners. Sexist remarks too. He had a privileged life, still made sure he took time out to be racist though. Doesn't speak of a good nature to me.

That seems to have been airbrushed out of the telling of his 'wonderful life story'.

But that's the way of it in England, unacceptable behaviour (albeit racism is acceptable to some so they won't hear of you mentioning it when it comes to dear PP) is suddenly acceptable, it's brushed off and there's avoidance of challenging it, when it involves White upper-class men/Royalty.

He was married to the Queen of England. The Queen of where?
DynamoKev · 13/04/2021 12:18

I’m Scottish but not pro independence or particularly patriotic. However I see red mist when I hear the Queen called the Queen of England.

I am English and get the same. Is it an American misnomer?