The image of the royal family

Anniebach

On this forum we have often had to hear the racist ‘Phil the
Greek’ but only from one poster

Are you not Annie?

What's happened to my comprehension skills?

Alegrias1

Can anyone tell me why "Phil the Greek" is racist but "Prince Phillip of Greece" isn't?

The former may be rude and dismissive (and wrong, of course) but trying to pretend things are racist when they're not just minimises real racism.

I find myself in the unusual position of disagreeing with you.

If the intention –and I’m not pinning this on the OP, the sobriquet is in common use – is to be rude and dismissive by using his nationality, rather than using one of his many actual faults, then I would argue it is racist.

Fair comment Petera, but we will agree to disagree.

There's no Greek race. So at best, (worst?) its xenophobic.

Racism is often how a phrase is used, but I’ll accept that you feel R was just being rude.
I refer to people I know as Ahmed, not Ahmed the Sudanese or the the Ahmed the African, or Phil not Phil the Chinese, but then again, they aren’t royal.

Wasn't "Phil the Greek" a term used by the RF for him when he first courted the Queen? Doesn't that make it completely acceptable because we all know the RF can't possibly be at all racist

I doubt that, as they would know that he was’t Greek.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/09/prince-philip-the-greek-duke-of-edinburgh

Was it trisher ? Where can this information be found ? In a letter available on line ?

Wasn't it Private Eye, or something similar?

Private Eye ? I thought ‘The Crown’ only watched one episode
but the lies poured forth

The Crown only watched one episode of what ?

Enough is enough Alegrias1

Alegrias1

Wasn't it Private Eye, or something similar?

It may have been, although for some reason lost in the mists of my memory Private Eye also called him 'Keith'.

But it's now actually in Brewer's Dictionary of Modern Phrase and Fable. I don't know when it went in, it's not in my 2000 print edition, but is in the online edition.

I once said Phil the Greek seemed racist to me, but I was told by others on the thread that it’s not racist, so I accepted that. I suppose it’s only racist if the writer means to diminish Prince Philip in some way. I accept it’s rude.

Anniebach

Enough is enough Alegrias1

Yes it is, isn't it Annie?

RVK1CR

@Gabrielle. I agree with all you write. I remember old Titchmarsh wondering aloud how the queen did "it all". I could have explained, servants for EVERYTHING no cleaning, cooking, clearing up, washing, ironing, mending, bed making, queuing in supermarkets, trying to get a medical appointment, worrying if her pension will cover the utilities and food, no inheritance tax on her mothers money, the queen has no idea how the majority of people live. For the record when Phil the Greek retired he went to live at Wood Farm in Norfolk, they didn't see much of each other until the pandemic when they were together at Windsor

This I agree with. The Queen is a lucky woman to have lived such a long life. I don’t understand how people wonder how she does so much. If she lived in an ordinary house or apartment, with a pension to manage on, she’d be lucky to get a couple of carer visits a day, given her level of mobility and health. She wouldn’t be thought disabled enough to get any free care. Of course, if she had managed to save a few thousand over her lifetime, she could choose to have carer visits and pay for them at around £30 an hour.

A mistake to use the term. Doesn't mean the rest of the post should be ignored.

I agree natateturbe. I wouldn’t use the term, I don’t like it.

Is she lucky ? She can go horse riding everyday or watch daytime tv all day everyday and has a weekly visit from Boris,
that’s it .

I forgot, she has two holiday homes, no one should have one
holiday home.

The Queen may not do physical work such as housework but she does a great deal of mental work, attending to the red boxes every day, even when on holiday, meeting the PM every week whether IRL or virtually to discuss matters of State, having to converse and make small talk with countless dignitaries, other Heads of State etc etc. Personally I would find that, and the responsibility that goes with her position, totally impossible and exhausting - and I’m 25 years younger than her.

Agree Germansheperdsmum but the republicans will not
accept it.

Anniebach

Agree Germansheperdsmum but the republicans will not
accept it.

I fully accept it, as I believe do others. We just don't think it's the best way to do things.

No one will say what should change, it’s post after post about
comparing wealth

Anniebach

No one will say what should change, it’s post after post about
comparing wealth

What should change is that we should have an elected head of state. Many people have said this, although maybe not in this thread.

greenlady102

The Queen dedicated the whole of her life to service when she became Queen. Yes she is becoming frail but that doesn't mean that she is gaga or unfit. In the UK we don't "skip over generations to get to a young one" What about the wisdom and experience that comes with age?

I like this reply.
Younger does not necessarily mean better.
Sure, our Queen is old, but she earns respect far and wide AND brings in the tourists!
She's doing just fine, altho having to slow down of late but give her her due, as the old gal is still able and willing!!
I'm waiting for her to receive her telegram.