Prince Philip retires

A pity you had to make such unpleasant bitter comments about someone who has done so much for this country especially for young people, and been a loyal consort for 70 years to our head of state. No one can help the family or circumstances they're born into, and he did not 'bag a marriage', so to be so sneering and downright horrid about an old man of 96 simply because of who he is, is particularly obnoxious. But judging by your other posts paddyann, hardly surprising!

I've never been over-keen on PP mainly due to his foot in mouth syndrome. I have to say that he reminds me of my late father who shared many of his traits, mainly making tactless and sometimes hurtful comments without any notion of how upsetting they can be. So it's goodbye from me and don't look back.

Oh lovebeigecardigans, I 'm sure the people who make those sort of remarks ( including PP ) are perfectly aware of the effect their words have. Sadly , some people are able to get away with it.

Well said pogs

Prince Philip has undertaken over 22,000 solo official engagements in 64 years - even without Diane Abbot's help I estimate that averages 346 per year - virtually one a day. In addition he has all the royal duties accompanying the Queen.
I think he has worked tirelessly over the last 64 years - as has the Queen. Their sense of duty is admirable.
We need a head of state and I prefer the Queen to a President - with all the election madness we've seen in the USA & now in France.

Glad he's going. Rude, but he has no need to consider how hurtful his comments can be. Cosseted from real life by his privilege and wealth.
Once the Queen has gone (and I do respect her devotion to duty) the whole lot of her vast extended family need to cease living on state handouts, and find meaningful employment like the rest of us.

I think you'll find that since 2011, only the Queen and Prince Phillip benefit from the civil list. The Prince of Wales and his sons draw their income from the Dutchy of Cornwall which generates its own income and not from the state. Other members of the family work and /or get their income from their own portfolios, the only time the state coughs up is for official duties, just like anyone else on official business.

I don't find his rude remarks amusing as because of his privilege no one can answer him back and I would like them all to be made redundant. Orf with their heads.

We should remember that the media circus was always there ready to pick up, and frequently out of context, anything he said. I think that if we had been there at so many of those interminable events with the inane questions we would have been relieved that at least someone was ready to say what we could not. I am given to understand that the Chinese still think he is great. They venerate old age.

I'll never forget the look on a child's face when he crushed their dreams. The child said he wanted to be an astronaut when he grew up and the ignorant man told him that he would never be an astronaut because he was too fat. What a terrible thing to say to a child.

It wasn't funny. It wasn't thoughtless. It was downright cruel.

Good riddance imo.

I am over 30 years younger the the D of E and my body and mind just couldnt have kept going so long. Although I am not monarchist. I think his awards are an amazing achievement. Unfortunately I think they keep the class system going.

Maybe you could have if you hadn't the cooking , cleaning, gardening, worrying about money and having to organise everything etc.

Give the man a break, there are different stresses and strains than domestic issues. He has lived his life in the public eye and supported HM for over 60 years let him have his retirement without carping.

Quite happy for him to retire and I hope he enjoys it. I just don't happen to think he is anything special.

Whatever his faults Prince Philip is the Queen's rock and hopefully soul mate.
Neither will go on for ever.
'The shifting of the sands'

i like him - i liked him years ago and still like him now. he's done a fantastic job supporting the queen in her role. i hope he has a happy retirement and survives to make his sometimes not so nice remarks for many years.
and i hope the queen is able to manage without his support in future engagements.
i've got a lot of time for most of the royal family - always have and always will.

I sometimes cringe when I hear him being interviewed. He is often downright awkward, to the point of rudeness.

I think he has a wicked and totally un PC sense of humour. Look at any picture of him making one of his "gaffes", there is a definite twinkle in his eyes! We must remember he comes from a generation who were unafraid to say what they think, my parents and grandparents were the same.

I think someone should produce a book with Prince Philip's sayings and give proceeds to charity.

He never did 'bland'. The Royal Family need a feisty character or they'll become like gransnet monotonous.

You mean 'boring' merlot? Come on, call a spade a spade!

His witty, funny, non-PC, say it like it is statements are often hurtful and/or racist.

He gets away with saying nasty things that others would be castigated for simply because he's a Royal 'character'.

If some ordinary old man said such things he'd not be seen as a 'character'. He be a horrible old man.

Ana