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?

I know I think it's funny they're all getting their knickers in a twist because the Sun had a problem with PP (didn't like him) and they're using the Sun to beat him with now. It is funny they sound complete idiots, but keep repeating - as they're sure somewhere someone said it makes them a hugely intellectual to call PP a racist for slitty eye comment. You and The Sun newspaper in fine company together trying to stir up a bit of racial tension.

www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3128990/real-story-behind-prince-philips-infamous-slitty-eyed-remark

another link for them so they can keep quoting The Sun newspaper - do read, you might something out about the motives of the newspaper at the time.....

Just reading through the less educated posts, we are really living in a dumbed down society and spouting crap of FB is just pitiful.

It's increasingly clear that PP has become a sort of rallying figure for the kind of people who harp on about how You Can't Say Anything Now and Did You Know the Muslims Have Cancelled Christmas Again?

@TheFourOhFour

It's increasingly clear that PP has become a sort of rallying figure for the kind of people who harp on about how You Can't Say Anything Now and Did You Know the Muslims Have Cancelled Christmas Again?

It’s increasingly clear that some people seek offence so assiduously that they ferret out racism where it doesn’t exist and are incapable of contextualising. Fortunately these things tend to go in cycles so hopefully we’ll see the world returned to normality at some point.

But I am deeply enjoying the violent mental gymnastics some posters are putting themselves through to try to claim that PP just boogied around the world making only apparently racist/xenophobic/sexist quips which are really brilliantly incisive cultural commentaries.

Please. Don't stop. I'm waiting for explanations of how the 'Indian' fusebox, the alcoholic Scots driving test takers and the 'spear-throwing' Australian Aboriginal people are really subtle engagements with ethnic stereotyping, rather than irascible UC man with a tendency to have lapses of good manners.

One of the Aboriginal dancers who Prince Philip infamously asked if indigenous Australians 'still throws spears at each other' says the comment was not racist and he had 'deep respect' for the royal.

Warren Clements, an Aboriginal performer who greeted royal couple at an event in Far North Queensland in 2002, said the dancers went off-script to try to impress them, and were honoured by their greeting

Mr Clements met the Queen and Prince Philip at the Tjapukai Cultural Centre in Smithfield during a visit that caused controversy around the world after what were perceived as racist comments from the royal.The performer though says it was nothing but 'media sensationalism' and that he felt honest respect from the Queen's husband

'When I shook his hand, there was so much energy… you don't build fellas like that these days. He was tough as nails,' he said. 'From that moment I had a deep respect for him.

'People should not judge someone unless they have met them and, most importantly, do research before they start creating media sensationalism.'

TheFourOhFour

But I am deeply enjoying the violent mental gymnastics

Its good to know that context has become violent mental gymnastics.

Maybe we could at least settle on that he was human.

Wow thinking is now violent mental gymnastics. Sounds terribly feeble minded, very sad. You do realise you sound far more full of hate than anything I’ve read PP - context is everything for thinking people.

The context of your comments is from ignorance and everyone can see that, except you. Nice safe place to keep you warm from the violent world of critical thinking, place to be critical and fault finding.

Human is a very good description of all of us. Some think they are above that for some peculiar reason.

could you imagine PP ever complaining to the press, nobody's asked me how i'm feeling.
i reckon that mr clements above got it about right.

‘I’m just surviving not thriving. I want my Naval career back! It’s boring being second fiddle to my wife! No one offered me a lift to take me shopping and they took my passport away too!!’.

@mermaidsariel

Philip did not have to contend with modern media and particularly social media and the level of hostility, racism and death threats.

Whatever Philip did or didnt get up to in his younger days was largely kept quiet by a deferential press and a more deferential population.

Its interesting to note that the two grand daughters who have recently had babies have been largely left alone. No demands for photo calls, pictures, details of the birth etc etc.

I don’t think we can comprehend the level and intensity of the intrusion into their lives and the cyber bullying and harrassment which have driven others to suicide.

I wonder how Philip would have responded to it.

Those are good points, but the fact remains that Philip gave up a lot. He didn’t really have a choice whether or not to continue with his career, as M had.. He was on the receiving end of a lot of hostility and suspicion. His background did make him the target of racism. He put up with it and did his best, putting the Queen first. He had made a commitment to her and her role and he lived up to it. He found it very hard much of the time . He did not have the support of family around him, i.e parents and siblings. They weren’t even invited to his wedding. Meghan has had much more support than he had and far more opportunities. Yes social media is a pain, but she herself seemed to be very eager to use it as much as she could to benefit her own agenda. It’s a two headed beast, but she expected it to work for her without exception. She didn’t take time to learn the ropes or understand the country she was living in or the culture, let alone the ‘Institution’ of the RF.