Book Review: Prince Philip, Wise Words and Golden Gaffes

If you’ve been looking for a compendium of Prince Philip’s gaffes and quips, then Prince Philip, Wise Words and Golden Gaffes is the perfect book for your shelf.

The Duke of Edinburgh, who recently announced his retirement after 70 years of dedicated service to the Commonwealth and his wife, the Queen, has made headlines for just as long – some good, some bad. But one thing you can count on with the Duke is that he always has something to say.

Phil Dampier and Ashley Walton have compiled some of his most famous quips and gaffes, as well as wisdom on a variety of topics. Dampier and Walton are seasoned royal reporters – Dampier for The Sun before going freelance, and Walton for the Daily Express.

The tongue-in-cheek book is divided into sections, including “Media Monkeys” which focuses on the press, “Blasted Birds and Bunny Huggers” which focuses on the environment and green living, and “On Himself and His Family” which focuses on, you guessed it, the Royal Family.

There are serious quotes as well, such as when he talks about his service to the Queen.

There’s also a section on his political incorrectness, because there couldn’t be a book of gaffes without it (it’s the largest section in the book, too, for what it’s worth).

Populated with cartoons of the Duke drawn by Richard Jolley, this is the perfect book for any royal watcher or fan who thinks Prince Philip is a breath of fresh air, funny, or just wants to recall any of these moments.

Some highlights include:

• When told he’d won the Oldie of the Year Award in 2011, he responded, “Well, so what? You just get old?”
• On a Brazilian visit in 1968, “The man who invented the red carpet needs his head examined.”
• When former SNP leader Alex Salmond left a meeting, he asked the servants “Have you counted the spoons?”
• And just simply: “Partridges are incredibly stupid birds.”

Prince Philip, Wise Words and Golden Gaffes was published by Barzipan Publishing and is available to buy in all good retailers.