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The royal family

Why was Prince Philip allowed to keep saying offensive things?

482 replies

SewANeedlePullingThread · 06/01/2026 10:30

There are so many examples of Philip saying offensive things such as:

"If you stay here much longer you'll all be slitty-eyed." This was said to a group of students during a royal visit to China.

"If a cricketer, for instance, suddenly decided to go into a school and batter a lot of people to death with a cricket bat, which he could do very easily, I mean, are you going to ban cricket bats?" This was said in response to calls to ban guns after the Dunblane incident.

"It looks as if it was put in by an Indian." This was Philip talking about a fuse box in a factory.

There are so many more examples. Why was he allowed to act this way whilst representing the Royal Family? I like a laugh, I can take a joke, but he was so often just really offensive.

OP posts:
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Housewife2010 · 07/01/2026 06:08

Zippedydodah · 06/01/2026 10:57

It was pretty much acceptable at that time, it’s easy to look back and criticise what happened nearly 50 years ago. Many people made similar comments, no one batted an eyelid generally. I was brought up surrounded by people who I now realise would be considered racist and bigots, that was society where I lived, including my parents, grandparents and their friends.
Yes, it’s highly offensive and illegal now, but society now bears no resemblance to what it was then.
No one batted an eyelid at The Black and White Minstrels Show, Some like it hot, golliwog dolls and badges and many other things verboten today.

Edited

Some Like it Hot isn't "verboten" today. It's a classic film that is still shown regularly on the main channels and is still considered one of the best films ever made.
You'll be horrified by The Producers.

Copperoliverbear · 07/01/2026 06:24

Old school things were different

ThisOldThang · 07/01/2026 06:36

SerendipityJane · 06/01/2026 15:59

Even if that is true it's performing monkeys who are your betters. I mean you are never going to be King or Queen are you ? Or even related to one.

Danny Dyer discovered that he is a descendent of William The Conqueror.

If you think about it, that's not actually surprising.

After 20 generations, somebody will have a million ancestors. If you flip that, somebody would have a million descendents if everybody in their lineage had two kids. It's been almost a thousand years since the Norman conquest, so there's maybe been 40 generations, which would be a trillion ancestors/descendents.

There's obviously going to be some inbreeding, but pretty much every white British family that lived here in 1900 will have royal ancestors.

hellowhaaat3632 · 07/01/2026 10:07

CremeCarmel · 06/01/2026 16:59

Many of the people who are defending Prince Philip make me laugh. He probably wouldn't spit on most of them if they were on fire. Do you really think he gave a toss about what any of us think of him, or that he needs you to defend him? He probably looked down on the whole lot of us (and if he was the man you say he was he probably had more respect for people who would take him to task than all the brown nosers). Hahahaha!

There's a difference between finding him amusing, letting him say what he wants, and agreeing with him. "Defending" is not what this is.
If you're too busy on your high horse thinking you're morally superior to others, you wouldn't understand this.

Elbowpatch · 07/01/2026 10:22

Housewife2010 · 07/01/2026 06:08

Some Like it Hot isn't "verboten" today. It's a classic film that is still shown regularly on the main channels and is still considered one of the best films ever made.
You'll be horrified by The Producers.

I think they may have meant “It ain’t half hot mum”. An extremely popular TV comedy series from the 1970s.

Housewife2010 · 07/01/2026 10:25

Elbowpatch · 07/01/2026 10:22

I think they may have meant “It ain’t half hot mum”. An extremely popular TV comedy series from the 1970s.

Great song over the closing titles.

SerendipityJane · 07/01/2026 10:58

Danny Dyer discovered that he is a descendent of William The Conqueror.

If you have one European descendant in your family tree then you are a descendant of Charlemagne.

Where's my fucking crown ?

CurlewKate · 07/01/2026 11:34

Even if, as some people are insisting, his style was universally accepted and routine at the time, the fact that there are people who still find it acceptable/amusing/defendable is a bit depressing….

Gloriia · 07/01/2026 12:12

CurlewKate · 07/01/2026 11:34

Even if, as some people are insisting, his style was universally accepted and routine at the time, the fact that there are people who still find it acceptable/amusing/defendable is a bit depressing….

Oh for goodness sake what is 'depressing' about different opinions.

He was abrasive, didn't suffer fool and occasionally made inappropriate comments.

He also did a lot of good and was still called 'Phil the Greek' not in a good natured way but in a sneery way. Unclench and try to be a bit more Prince Philip, learn how to be offended about more important matters.

Ukisgaslit · 07/01/2026 12:46

Racism IS an important matter

He was rude and racist . He DNGAF .

CurlewKate · 07/01/2026 13:22

People in positions of power being overtly racist IS an important matter. People thinking it was and is OK IS depressing.

YourBrickTiger · 07/01/2026 13:52

OakElmAsh · 06/01/2026 15:36

I mean they couldn't exactly put him on a Performance Improvement plan, give him 2 written warnings and then terminate his employment if he didn't comply, could they.
He was who he was, in the family he was in. Forced to divorce for being ignorant so that QE2 could marry comeone more suitable wasn't really a runner

Performance Improvement plan 😂

YourBrickTiger · 07/01/2026 13:55

CurlewKate · 07/01/2026 13:22

People in positions of power being overtly racist IS an important matter. People thinking it was and is OK IS depressing.

It is ridiculous. People are losing their jobs over something they said that was even mildly unacceptable 10 years ago. It's a state of hierarchy. He was not the only one to get away with it though. In a roundabout way Jade Goody has too because she highlighted the importance of cervical smears, and now her son who hadn't an acting credit to his name is piggy backing off her fame. It all depends on who you are.

I was abroad a few years ago and the coach driver I tried to communicate with said to me 'You're in Spain, speak Spanish'. If I did that to someone where I work, I'd be fired on the spot. But I was never married to Queen Elizabeth ;) and never went on Big Brother pretending to be stupid to get famous.

TheDogParade · 07/01/2026 14:40

He had a role. He worked. No one else got to behave like this at work without being answerable to someone. Why does being part of the RF mean he was able to say whatever he liked without consequence? When people are left to behave like this without consequence, it never leads anywhere positive.

Minjou · 07/01/2026 14:47

TheDogParade · 07/01/2026 14:40

He had a role. He worked. No one else got to behave like this at work without being answerable to someone. Why does being part of the RF mean he was able to say whatever he liked without consequence? When people are left to behave like this without consequence, it never leads anywhere positive.

Edited

You are mistaken. A great number of people got to (and get to)behave exactly like that, because it's actually very difficult to stop people making whatever jokes or comments they like.

It wasn't his job, he didn't have a boss. It was hus life, and his wife. He could and did say what he pleased

Minjou · 07/01/2026 14:48

CurlewKate · 07/01/2026 13:22

People in positions of power being overtly racist IS an important matter. People thinking it was and is OK IS depressing.

It's not very important when they're already dead and we're talking about comments from decades ago.

justasking111 · 07/01/2026 14:53

When the government recently mentioned that bar staff in pubs, restaurants, clubs, could report customers that they thought were being offensive. Hate speech, racism etc. I remembered my bartending days at a big working class pub and a posh club. The conversations were pretty identical. I thought then that men pretty much agreed on many things no matter their background or income.

THisbackwithavengeance · 07/01/2026 14:54

Why don’t you cancel him OP? He was Prince Phillip. He said what he wanted and he didn’t give a shit.

TheDogParade · 07/01/2026 14:55

Minjou · 07/01/2026 14:47

You are mistaken. A great number of people got to (and get to)behave exactly like that, because it's actually very difficult to stop people making whatever jokes or comments they like.

It wasn't his job, he didn't have a boss. It was hus life, and his wife. He could and did say what he pleased

At work, certainly in large workplaces and institutions, if they heard of you saying these things, you would face some sort of investigation/action.

I was just reading that he said ‘I would get arrested if I unzipped that dress’ to a 25 year old woman who worked for a council, on a Jubilee visit. In 2012!

He was carrying out a job/role.

CurlewKate · 07/01/2026 15:00

Minjou · 07/01/2026 14:48

It's not very important when they're already dead and we're talking about comments from decades ago.

Well, the obvious thing for people to say is “Yep-he was an insensitive racist. Still, he’s dead, so he won’t do it again” End of thread.

Tooobvious · 07/01/2026 15:02

How do you suggest they could have stopped him?

Whosthetabbynow · 07/01/2026 15:11

THisbackwithavengeance · 07/01/2026 14:54

Why don’t you cancel him OP? He was Prince Phillip. He said what he wanted and he didn’t give a shit.

All he did was walk around with his hands behind his back making offensive remarks. Absolute idiot

Diamond7272 · 07/01/2026 16:00

Whosthetabbynow · 07/01/2026 15:11

All he did was walk around with his hands behind his back making offensive remarks. Absolute idiot

Were you mentioned in despatches for gallantry and meritorious service?

Er. No.

Gloriia · 07/01/2026 16:04

Whosthetabbynow · 07/01/2026 15:11

All he did was walk around with his hands behind his back making offensive remarks. Absolute idiot

He founded the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, he was involved in charities, he served in the Navy. He made a few abrasive comments but those who actually knew him or worked with him have been reported as saying he was a decent man so focus on that?

Snugglemonkey · 07/01/2026 16:06

Santangelo · 06/01/2026 11:16

Fabulous -

Wtf?

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