His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh: irascible, controversial, outspoken, forthright and funny; the Gaffer, the Prince of Political Incorrectness, the Duke of Hazard, Phil the Greek. Whatever you call him – and he doesn’t give a damn – you’ve got to love him! Now in his nineties, on he goes – undaunted, unrepentant and, if less active, just as amusing.
This compilation is a celebration of the wit and wisdom of a man whose unique style, down-to-earth humour and no-nonsense approach have brought colour into our lives. With delicious disregard for public opinion, his quips and faux pax have provided fodder for cartoonists and columnists for decades, and his one-liners are globally famous. But less well known, perhaps, is his perception about the state of the world we inhabit and his thoughtfulness about the lives we live.
Prince Philip: Wise Words and Golden Gaffes is a collection of quips, quotes and comments from our beloved British institution, Prince Philip: his latest remarks on the events of 2012 and corkers from years gone by, as well as his more thoughtful opinions. With everything from frustrated beards and bloody great mechanical copulators to a bit of French bashing (and that ghastly place Stoke), it will have you holding your sides.
Phil Dampier and Ashley Walton, seasoned court reporters who have both followed and written about the royal family for decades, present an affectionate portrait of an extraordinary figure who is in many ways ahead of his time.
Illustrated by the popular cartoonist Richard Jolley, chapters include: The Prince of Political Incorrectness; Blasted Birds and Bloody Bunny Huggers; Media Monkeys; A Sporting Life; On Himself and His Family – Royal Reflections; The Commander: Splice the Mainbrace!
PHIL DAMPIER has been writing about the royal family for 26 years. Between 1986 and 1991 he covered the royal beat for The Sun, Britain’s biggest-selling daily newspaper.
As a freelance journalist for the last 20 years, he has travelled to more than 50 countries, following members of the House of Windsor, and his articles have been published in dozens of newspapers and magazines worldwide. He frequently appears on radio and TV, and gave expert analysis for Global National TV of Canada during their coverage of the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in April 2011.
ASHLEY WALTON was the royal correspondent of the Daily Express from 1979 to 1992. He travelled to every continent covering numerous tours, including the Queen and Prince Philip in India, Africa and China. He was one of the first reporters to identify a young Lady Diana Spencer as a future royal bride, and covered her last tour with Prince Charles to South Korea in 1992. He was also among the first to reveal the romance between Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.
