Prince Philip, from an foreigner's perspective

[Kishkashta]

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?

@TheSpottedZebra

Well his uncle was head of the Navy so it's not a stretch to think that that helped his career. Also, the fact he was a Prince from birth.

Of course, I'd never thought of that.

That confirms it, doesn't it? He spent WWII enjoying cocktails on the deck, the elitist twat. Couldn't possibly have actually done anything, being a toff, and all.

Simply, you don’t get it. But you should. Read a newspaper.

Technically not British. Ended up in the UK from Greece via France.

I wouldn’t say he’s done nothing but all the stuff about him giving up his career to support his wife gives me the eye rolls. Big deal! How many women have done this to support men over the years? Same as the heavy eye rolls I got with all the Bollocks about Princess Margaret and how she put “duty to her country above personal happiness” when she didn’t marry Peter Townsend. Didn’t want to give up the cushy lifestyle more like

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).

He was born royal, his father sentenced to death and then the family made basically refugees (albeit very posh ones). He was effectively orphaned very young as his parents just left. His favourite sister and probably a quasi mother figure died when he was a child. His sisters married Nazis and he fought against them in the war.
How is this not overcoming hardship? And quite “normal” a person?

I think you’re being deliberately obtuse OP

My grandad was a very interesting man, died aged 98.

Thing is, he married a normal woman from a normal background. I don't see why people get all up themselves with offence at the idea that Prince Philip is of greater interest than other nonogenarian deceased.

I've learned several interesting things about his life and a out my country's recent past from the coverage over the weekend, and it didn't interfere with LoD either.

The other thing is that generational divides appear to be sharpening, and public debate more polarised. I think that appreciating people of different opinions and different generational attitudes is quite important - and a figure like Prince Philip exemplifies that. The role he made for himself was a distinct thing in those times. Some of his comments would have got him fired today, but I don't know that anyone has produced a single story of him acting in a discriminatory fashion. I didn't know about his conservation work. You don't have to view him 100% positively to appreciate the good and the bad. And beware what others might think of you when you're 90+ and "out of touch".

Basically if you're unable to see that a divisive figure in a hugely public role might attract a lot of attention on his death then I don't think Mensa will come knocking any time soon.

His early life is fascinating and his naval career - he was mentioned in dispatches during the war, when he was only in his early 20s - took off long before he was married. As for a life full of hardships, if your mother disappeared into an asylum when you were nine (I think it was nine) and your father swanned off with his mistress, most people these days would still be spilling their guts to a shrink.
What have you achieved?

@GCAcademic

Is there a reason why you've put "Navy career" in inverted commas?

Just because it is not the same kind of career an ordinary person could enjoy if we enlisted in the Navy.

Essentially his military career seems to be an attribute of his social position, much like Prince Harry's military career.

I agree with your analysis OP and I am British. The DofE scheme is good, but he hardly dreamt the whole thing up and set it going himself - he put his name to a worthy initiative, which I guess is something.

I can't get behind seeing him as a conservationist as he was so into shooting - which is really bad for our native habitat, Scotland should not be moorland, it is the result of deforestation and maintaining grouse habitat damages native flora and fauna.

The off colour and racist remarks are typical of a privileged man of his class and don't add up to much of a personality. So all in all - just a typical posh bloke and the fact he did anything vaguely decent is bigged up to ridiculous proportions.

I don't agree with all the fawning and forelock tugging but I do think he had a pretty extraordinary life. I have enjoyed reading about it. However I'm not mourning but I do feel for his family and friends who are grieving, as I would with any loved one who died.

@tonystarksrighthand

He married the Queen of England.

Maybe educate yourself around the British Monarchy.

The Queen of where?

Feel exactly the same OP.

Rich old man dies. Sad for his family, but apart from that....

I agree with you, OP, but English people are incredibly, unquestioningly sentimental about the Royal Family.

For me his gaffes, especially the racist and sexist ones, coming from someone of his privilege, put me right off, combined with the fact that he really hasn't done anything extraordinary. As you said the Duke of Edinburgh Award was actually the idea of someone else who did all the work...

Put your hard hat on!

So OP by your analysis nobody can climb the ranks in the navy or forces in general unless they are from the aristocracy?
What a ridiculous comment.

Your post is extremely ill informed, ill timed and very, very crass

It is reported that he could have gone really high up in the navy if he hadn't had to step down once his wife became Queen, so that is the complete opposite to what you are arguing

What a nasty and sneering thread to start OP, but I guess you knew that and decided to do it anyway. What exactly was the point of it other than to be goady?

When someone dies we say nice things about them. There is no rule that says that we can only comment on qualities that were unique to that person.

@enigma16

I agree with you, OP, but English people are incredibly, unquestioningly sentimental about the Royal Family.

For me his gaffes, especially the racist and sexist ones, coming from someone of his privilege, put me right off, combined with the fact that he really hasn't done anything extraordinary. As you said the Duke of Edinburgh Award was actually the idea of someone else who did all the work...

Put your hard hat on!

I agree with your second paragraph but I know loads of English people who aren't Royal fans, including me, so I don't agree with your assessment of English people

He was far from ordinary OP. Among other things he was the longest serving consort, a war hero, environmentalist, artist and designer and wrote several books.

Maybe you should read up about him.

@Thedogscollar

So OP by your analysis nobody can climb the ranks in the navy or forces in general unless they are from the aristocracy? What a ridiculous comment.

Of course people do climb the ranks... The whole point is that certain people don't have to. Do you yourself actually believe PP "climbed the ranks"? I don't think anyone would claim that :)

so I don't agree with your assessment of English people

Sorry.

Do you know what he did in the Navy @Kishkashta