Here are some photos of Queen Elizabeth II (who is 89 years old) and Prince Philip (94) doing a series of public engagements yesterday in Barking and Dagenham. If Prince William still doesn’t know what it means to be a full-time royal, perhaps he should take a glance at Liz and Phil’s schedules, because they are constantly working. The Queen looks lovely in turquoise, doesn’t she? I feel like the older she gets, the brighter her wardrobe. While I ordinarily love the Queen’s Brooch P0rn Realness, I’m actually not loving this particular brooch.
Meanwhile, as the Queen and the Duke were doing events yesterday, they stopped by the Chadwell Health Community Centre in Dagenham. It was there that Philip made his second major “gaffe” in a week’s time – it was one week ago that Philip snapped at a formal photographer, “Just take the f—king picture!” So what did Philip say to the ladies working at the Chadwell Health Community Centre? Oh, so much.
It was after a visit to the Chadwell Health Community Centre facility that Nusrat Zamir, a trustee of the centre, claimed the royal had made an embarrassing gaffe. Ms Zamir, who founded the Chadwell Heath Asian Women’s Network which meets at the centre, said: ‘The Duke said to us “who do you sponge off?” We’re all married so it’s our husbands. He was just teasing and it’s similar to what I call my husband – the wallet.’
The 35-year-old, who presented the Queen with a large iced sponge cake as the royal couple arrived at the community centre, added: ‘He also said to us “do you meet to have a gossip?” It’s a familiar question, a lot of people say what the Duke said but we do a lot of work. When we organised a fair in March that took a lot of organising and time.’
A royal aide said later that Prince Philip’s ‘who do you sponge off?’ remark was not meant to cause offence. The spokesman said: ‘There’s a context here, they were talking about a sponge cake, no offence was intended or taken. The whole visit took place in a wonderful atmosphere.’
As well as joking with the group of women, the Duke of Edinburgh also poked fun at resident Martin Shaw. He explained: ‘I told Philip I’m a professional fundraiser and he said “do you have any friends left?” I said ‘not many’.’
I think it’s quite possible that the “sponge” comment had some context, but that context did not involve sponge cake. I think Philip came across a group of mostly minority women and he just figured they were “sponges,” as in they “sponge” off the government, society and whatever man will have them. Maybe he was joking and we’re missing the wink and the nudge. Or maybe not.
Meanwhile, did you know that the Queen doesn’t want any more Corgis? She’s owned Corgis since she was just a girl and at various times in adulthood, the Queen has had a pack of more than six Corgis at her feet. Currently, she only has two Corgis, Holly and Willow, both 12 years old (which is close the lifespan of most Corgis). She recently told a friend that when Holly and Willow pass away, she’s not going to get any more Corgis because she’s 89 years old and she doesn’t want to leave any living Corgis behind when she goes. Her friend said: “She didn’t want to leave any young dog behind. She wanted to put an end to it.” Sadface.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
He was always very direct and offending, thats not going to change in his age. its not like the people could vote for someone else.
Hell, it only becomes moreso in old age!
You’re right. Here’s a very interesting BBC article from today, on precisely this topic:
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33523313
An old friend once told me, “bluhare! When you get older your bad traits get a lot worse, but your good ones don’t get any better!”
True words, there.
Not excusing Philip’s comment, though. Tact is an underrated quality.
Yes, old people have no filters. They say what they mean and they don’t try to filter it to make it politically correct or nice. At least that’s how they are in my family lol.
The irony of it that he definitely sponges off the taxpayers.
She said have answered by saying the same people you sponge off of.
I have never gotten his appeal.
PhenomenalWoman: + 1000
Phil the Greek has been sponging all his life but fails to see the supreme irony in his own question.
I know there are people who cackle at his gaffes, but I just can’t. He displays an astonishing degree of ignorance and should be kept on a short leash like an elderly snapping corgi. (Imo)
No kidding. He’s spent the last 63 years holding a job that consists of promoting charities, attending various ceremonies and recreational events, and refraining from putting his foot in his mouth. By most counts, he’s decent at the first two and awful at the third, but it’s not as if this is someone who can be fired if he gets a poor job evaluation. He shouldn’t be calling anyone a sponge.
lunchcoma: Right. All the good works shouldn’t grant him immunity from criticism when he lets rip with one of his odious “quips.”
Or she could have said, “we sponge less than your grandson and his wife!” Haha!!!
I’ve mentioned before that a former boss of mine dealt with him in her civil service days and said this fellow is a fountain of mad crass utterings that he thinks are just fine to say in humor or for someone’s good — yow.
He was always a racist @sshole, and as you said, he’s not likely to change now. I don’t think he should be allowed to make public appearances anymore. Just retire him away somewhere and don’t let him speak in public.
Yes, unapologetic racist and eugenicist. I cringe to see these things excused as “old man ramblings” and simple “gaffes.”
Awful man!
Are you joking? HRH Prince Philip has done more for the Armed Forces and assoc than the last five groups of G-7 leaders.
No.
I am not joking
“HRH Prince Philip has done more for the Armed Forces and assoc than the last five groups of G-7 leaders.”- And? What ´s your point? That´s his job and he was fairly rewarded
By the way, a lot of people ( famous or not) has done a lot for the Armed Forces , Ngo ´s and assoc…
I too am confused by this comment so, without a hint of sarcasm – can you tell me exactly what it is he’s done? Links would be appreciated as I’m genuinely interested – in respect of balance of course.
You can find details about his naval career on the Official Website of the British Monarchy. They are listed, along with loads of other facts, under the section on the Current Royal Family, The Duke of Edinburgh section. I can never get links to go through, so you’ll have to do the search yourselves.
Thank you, I think it’s a good idea to try and keep some kind of balanced perspective on these bastwards 🙂
Citresse, are YOU joking?!?!!!
Agree. His behavior has been tolerated for too long. TQ just needs to keep this bigoted relic out of the public eye until…
Prince or no, I’ve always thought he’s an obnoxious POS.
I realize he’s an old man and has a decades long history of saying nasty things as well as public service, but who does he sponge off?
I hope more context to his comment will be forthcoming. As it stands, not nice.
I think the context is the sponge cake and he was trying to be funny. He is known for having a rather odd sense of humour where he takes the piss out of people. But still he should think before he speaks.
Do you remember when he asked that exchange student who went to China if she had “developed slanty eyes yet” or words to that effect – cringe…
That comment to the student was inexcusable.
@ bluhare – amongst many, many other inexcusable comments, the mans a bully.
This really has little to do with his age. Phillip’s been an insert foot in mouth, bull in the china shop type of guy his whole life. He seems utterly incapable of empathy. Any other member of the BRF who said these things would be sent to the media dungeon, but Phillip gets away with it because the Queen was, as is, absolutely crazy about him.
Incapable of empathy or even common decency. He’s always acted as if his position gives him carte blanche to say whatever he wants about anyone. I absolutely loathe him.
Good point. One might argue the royals have been sponging off the public for centuries.
Right, very ironic coming from someone whose source of income is the taxpayer!
This is really a case of the pot calling the kettle black. And it’s Phillip’s typical foot-in-mouth disease – another tactless joke that perhaps is funny to him but not amusing to others.
I wonder if his mind is starting to go a bit. I used to work in Alzheimer’s clinic and when the mind goes and the filter is off… People start to say some mean and racist stuff.
But apparently he has a history of this so maybe it’s just his normal :-/
Philip’s always been blunt but that’s where my mind went first, too: dementia.
I was thinking dementia also. A very close relative around Philip’s age was always a caustic person, but when dementia set in it worsened. The filters were indeed off!
Nope, it’s typical Philip. If he started being gracious and kind I’d think his mind was going. Anyway, I don’t think he meant it as a serious jab. I think he was trying to be funny, but he usually totally fails (see “slitty eyes” comment. I kind of give him a bit of a pass, although perhaps I shouldn’t, as being one of those embarrassing older relatives from another time who says shocking things because they were ok when he was growing up. I think it’s very likely he was trying to make a witty remark about the sponge cake.
At any rate, he should know about people sponging off a rich spouse.
+1
He reminds me so much of my grandfather that my knee-jerk reaction is “ugh, that’s an awful thing to say”, and then *shrug* “that’s typical grandpa, ha ha”.
The trustee said that the Prince was just kidding around, and she didn’t seem particularly offended. So perhaps I’m missing something? Seems a non-story to me.
What do you expect the trustee to say : Phillips an a-hole and then be dropped from the royal patronages and lose god knows how many donors thereafter? Of course this is not a non-story.
@Maia: I will consider myself appropriately chastised. I saw it as a joke, which perhaps wasn’t in the best of taste, but more deserving of an inner eye-roll than a news article. However, I am not British and do not pay for his comfort out of my taxes, so I’ve no investment in how he conducts himself.
Prince Phillip is an a-hole. Got it.
ETA….I just came back to say that I just read another article that contained some of his past “jokes”, and yeah, he is pretty awful. I didn’t know much about him, so without that background, it seems like a gaffe. Within the context of his previous actions, it speaks to a bigger problem. They should probably keep him away from the general public.
Yes, it’s that filter being off–they might have said such things in private but the lack of filter can be increasingly public with dementia.
Seriouisly though, did Philip ever have a filter? If he does I’d hate to think what he was thinking privately because he’s said some awful things publicly over the years.
If he had never said anything like it before- but he has a long history of racist remarks. I think that’s probably also where Prince Harry got the idea to use racist slurs.
The current British royals are an odd bunch. As someone said here in this thread or another thread: William and Harry are a couple of dunces. Pretty obviously can not hold a decent conversation without resorting to their sophomorish humor. Shallow, silly and always using humor to cover up their inadequacies. William is a boy pretending to be a man. He is an embarrassment in diplomatic situations and I am pretty sure that there have been some shared laughs about him behind the closed doors of various establishments around the world. Harry at least seems to have a heart and wants to do well – which is a testament to Diana. The Queen is so obviously scared of revealing her own deficiences she would rather bury her head in the sand than engage in a conversation with her own people – seriously how can the British people be okay with the fact that she has never sat down for an interview? Has anyone ever seen an interview by Denmark’s Queen Margarethe? She seems like a thoughtful person very aware of her own position and that of her family and most importantly, confident and secure in her role. The British Queen always struck me as a bit of a quiverer – nervous, insecure and a bit of an ostrich. She seems to be adept at reading speeches prepared by others and wearing a bunch of jewels very proudly. I also think that she is super stingy – never wants to share her jewels with anyone. She has Sophie represent her all over the world and manages to give her the tiniest of jewels, and the most modest of tiaras. Charles wrangles jewels for Camilla as Prince of Wales (he is probably entitled to some big ones in his position), otherwise I am sure Camilla would have been stiffed as well. I can’t say that I have a great fascination for Elizabeth.
Phillip seems to be a bully and a brute and always has been. Has he even been educated ? When you spend your entire life surrounded by yes people who tell you that any mild criticism you read in the press is because the rest of the world is stupid I think that you tend to develop a big head and an ego the size of the planet. Especially when you probably did not have any knowledge of the world’s history to begin with. His ignorance is so monumental I don’t think that anyone ever sat down with him and taught him 2+2=4. Has anyone ever actually challenged him – probably not. I sort of want someone to cut him down to size one of these days. I find him to be quite odious.
Charles Anne and Anne’s kids are the only normal non-idiots of the bunch and actually seem to have some drive and ambition to fulfill whatever role they have chosen for themselves. I do have a great deal of regard for their public personas. The ironic thing is that Diana always deprecated herself saying that she was an idiot, yet never ever in her interviews or her speeches or the way she carried herself and interacted with others did she reveal the idiocy that you see in Phillip or even William and Harry. She commanded respect.
Maia: Very interesting analysis. I agree with you about William and Harry. The difference between them is 1) As you said, Harry at least seems to want to do some good in the world. 2) I get the feeling Harry knows his limitations. He was a poor student and is not a great intellect. But he has emotional intelligence, something William hasn’t a clue about. I think one of the reasons Harry left the Army was because he could not handle the academic load of Staff College, so he bailed at the appropriate time. He knows he’s limited, so he decided to take another path.
Also very interesting take on the Queen. She’s supposed to float above it all has Sovereign head of State. It seems she’s taken the same role with her family. She only becomes involved in a family situation when it becomes desperate. Ostrich Mum.
Maia, you said, “How can the British people be okay with the fact that she has never sat down for an interview?” We are speaking of Elizabeth R,. on the throne for so much of our history on earth; today. She has nothing (!) to share?
Personally, I’ve had the idea that she was sad about Margaret, and that she forbade her to marry a divorced man. It’s not like the perfect man walks through the doors of your life very often. But I think that she became very aware of her imperfection as “God’s Representative” on earth, when she denied her sister’s happiness, not knowing. (I know she has a title for this preeminence). Whatever…so many titles, and poor Margaret; and a Queen feeling grief that she is merely human. Perhaps she is afraid to interfere.
Maia,
Thanks for the shout-out to QMII. She’s my Queen and I respect and admire her very much. it is nice to see her good qualities appreciated. She has given a lot of interviews over the years – and she does LIVE press conferences with no restrictions on what kind of questions can be asked, which sometimes lead to supremely stupid questions.
A note on the jewels that Camilla wear, especially the large tiaras: The Delhi Durban and the Boucheron Honeycomb. These jewels are Charles’, he inherited them from the Queen Mother – so he doesn’t have the need to beg jewels for camilla from his mother. If he hadn’t inherited these tiaras, he probably would have bough Camilla some.
Maybe he should make one of his famous ‘gaffes’ to his grandson and wife about how much royal work they do! I would be down with that.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he has. It would have just been behind closed doors and never see the press. I’m kind of giggling picturing Philip dressing them down and them looking at their feet, completely chastened.
But the royals, especially the older generation, are nothing like Matt Leblanc’s dad.
If he ever did such a thing, W&K wouldn’t look chastened. They’d look angry (William) and bored and confused (KM).
I guarantee he says what he thinks to his family behind closed doors. No way could that persnickety old man bite his tongue!
Royals = sponges
Then it’s fair to say Obama and family sponge off US taxpayers?
Not even closely fair.
I can’t even believe you went there.
Well, he does get his $400k a year from somewhere.
Still an a-hole extraordinaire.
I read The Royals by Kitty Kelly. I can’t believe he would make a joke about sponging off people when that was his highest goal in life. People in glass houses…
Yikes. I read that too. I’m not sure how much we can trust Kelley. Her unauthorized biographies are worse than any gossip sites’s comment section. I wouldn’t call her a reliable source. That said, I think a lot of what she said was true. A broken clock is right twice a day, and so on.
Ah, Shitler, I do so love seeing your name. 🙂
Prince Phillip has a history of being a racist twat. I’m glad The Guardian is calling him out for his history of comments like this….
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jul/17/prince-philip-who-you-sponge-off
Even if it was just teasing, a royal really is the last person to make such a joke. Maybe thats where Prince Harry has his opinions about minorities from.
Do you suppose that’s where William got the idea to go to a party wearing black tights, draped in animal furs, and claiming to be an African native?
The Cambridge’s did some racist dressing up in Anglesey too. Kate in a black afro wig, Willy as a white van man: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2429698/What-Prince-William-Kate-REALLY-got-Anglesey-love-nest.html
I agree with this article. He has a history of doing this – and even if there was a context and the people he spoke to like this weren’t personally offended, it still doesn’t look good. It IS bad PR for the BRF in this day and age – and if any other person in public office (a non-royal) said something like this at a public function, a massive media storm would break loose.
I find it odd that some people are willing to let Philip’s tasteless jokes go while lambasting William’s equally tasteless joke at Wimbledon. The same standards ought to apply to everyone, regardless of wether we “like” them or not.
+1
AH, I think most of these are taken out of context, as explained in an earlier Guardian article. Some are related to the era in which he was raised. Going out on a psychological limb here. I think he has always been plain spoken and unpolished as a way to combat the perceived shortcoming of his background. Think of the conversation between Vesper and James Bond on the train in the first Daniel Craig reboot. He doesn’t fit in so he doesn’t try.
The one thing Philip never wants to do is let the Queen down. “My job first, second and last is never to let the Queen down.” As long as she is happy with him, he’ll continue doing whatever he’s doing.
I think the ongoing issues of Prince Henrik in Denmark are related to the era in which he was raised too. He seems to have been raised to think men are more important than women. He keeps banging on about how he should be king not a prince. When he doesn’t get his way about things, he pouts publicly which can embarrass the Queen. Recent example was him being “sick” for QMII’s big birthday celebration. He was found to be perfectly healthy and vacationing in Italy a day or two later. Henrik’s attitude is the result of the era in which he was raised.
No, I think there’s no excusing some of what Philip says, nas. Sorry. He’s been good to HM; but that’s no excuse for him insulting people.
And I’m writing this as someone who’s a fan of people saying what they think. I do like that part of Philip’s personality, but there are some things that just shouldn’t be uttered in in public and he’s said more than a few.
Being raised in a different era isn’t an excuse either. We all learn and develop as things change. He shouldn’t be held to a different standard and, frankly, tact has always been appropriate and still is.
ITA, AH and bluhare. The only excuse for him not changing with the times is willful ignorance and a sense of superiority.
I think a lot of the comments have been taken out of context. Example, the ones about deafness. Once in context, there are far fewer of these remarks than some would have us believe.
I’m not excusing everything he has said, I’m pointing out that not everything the man has ever said is as insulting as the few actual bad remarks. And yes, some of them are bad. And tactless, which is his general state of being.
bluhare: “Being raised in a different era isn’t an excuse either.”
Yup. His one outstanding quality is his unswerving public loyalty to the Queen, but his mindset belongs in a different age – the old “glory” days of Empire. Philip is an intelligent man. Even now, into his ’90s, he demonstrates amazing mental agility, but his refusal to evolve with the times makes him appear as a bygone relic, a dusty old dinosaur with medals.
(I wish those ladies had flipped the very same question back at him. That would have been pure gold!)
If he is excused just because of the era he was born, then what about Paula Deen being raised in the South during the Civil Rights era? Its no excuse. You should know better. if you can’t stop saying horrible things then learn to just shut up
I have to point out that it the problem is not just the uttering of remarks, it is also the mindset and the thoughts. I mean, if this is what is coming out can you imagine what he actually THINKS of other people ? It is not just about “tact”. It is about respecting other humans and being cognizant of other cultures and being empathetic towards them.
I don’t think that there is a single other public figure with such a grotesque history of being a bigot and a racist. Who can ever get away with making such remarks – year after year?
Of course it’s about tact, Maia. I agree with you about the mindset, but you can’t force someone to think a certain way, but you can certainly ask they keep it to themselves.
Point taken bluhare.
Nota,
My grand-mother is several years older than Prince Philip and she has never uttered anything as crass and unkind as Prince Philip has a history of doing. So no, in my book, age doesn’t give you a free pass, especially when these jokes are aimed at people who can’t really respond honestly because he is a royal.
Regarding Prince Henrik of Denmark. His whinings about not being king are ridiculous! I totally get that it is hard for him to take third place behind his wife and his son, coming from a such patriarcal society as France. However, he always knew the score when he married a Crown Princess, so I don’t really have time for him whining about something he never was going to happen.
My G_ d, he’s HOW OLD? How much does anyone REALLY expect him to change??! 😂
An earlier Guardian piece about his gaffes
Prince Philip at 90: still sees no need to apologise, or explain, or emote
The Queen’s consort does much good work – including 300 engagements a year – but all we remember are his gaffes
kcarp: Totally agree.
Phillip’s brain seems to be in a very toxic state. It makes you wonder how they think of themselves, how they got so entitled in their evaluation, and if that is healthy state for any person, royal, or not. There also seems to be a root of bitterness in this family.
Will’s complete coddling will turn him into a different kind of man – an entitled one, like his father and Phillip; which is perhaps the point of it.
I’m glad you posted the article. I was ready to go all “he’s 94, give him a break” but after that . . . yikes!
Whenever I read a story about Queen Elizabeth or her family I am reminded about how so many of us have never known a time in our lives when someone else has been British Monarch.
Whenever I sing God Save The Queen I sing it like it’s the last time. Once she’s gone, it’s God Save The King for a good 100 years, and that just doesn’t seem right!
It will be a big adjustment in so many ways! I am in Canada and some of the currency has Queen Elizabeth’s image. It will be so strange to see her image replaced by Prince Charles
And on the currency you can see her aging over the years, right down to the salt-and-pepper hair years.
He’s 94, who cares. There are actual issues to address in the world. His opinion on anything is fast approaching obsolete and irrelevant.
Sponger is a dog whistle word in the UK – like um, welfare queen? Is that what the nasties stateside say?
One of my oldest friends is here for a few days and we had the hugest and most entertaining row over this yesterday (our friendship is built on rows, and always has been so a new row means nothing – we’re both obnoxious gits). She is fiercer than fierce and makes my leftiness look positively right wing, but she’s always insisted we shouldn’t become a republic, on the basis that the UK constitutional monarchy is the crucial symbol of a gradual eroding of tyrannical power that began with Magna Carta. She loves the Queen’s Speech because to her it is an annual humiliation of a chained monarch required to read the words of the demos, as represented by the elected parliament of the day. I say this is bollocks and we need rid of the horrible rump of privilege the BRF is as soon as possible.
So, you can imagine my delight when Philip uses a dog whistle offensive word at a meet and greet for a community initiative on the very day my friend arrives!
(She still won’t have it.)
Well I could accept the ‘ritual humiliation’ argument if everyone outside of your esoteric friend recognised it as such – but they don’t do they? It’s just another part of our ‘national culture/heritage that we blindly continue without thought or consideration of what the old dear actually represents. My theory is that Philip is a bully, he knows damn well people can’t answer him back so he says what he likes, when he likes regardless of the effect it has safe in the knowledge that he’ll get away with it – the definition of bullying.
On a brighter note, the Queen’s got it right about the dogs.
She’s stuffing a sandwich across the room from me and I’m not telling her I’m talking about her – or where! Else she’ll be on here calling me out as per usual! (I am with you, dearest, of course).
*hurriedly minimises window*
OK, I can see it that way too. He’s always been prickly, and maybe he feels that he can get away with it. Anyway, thanks for pointing out that the word carries special significance in the UK.
Yep, she really does get it right about the dogs. So considerate and responsible, makes me think she probably has a somewhat gentle heart underneath all the “though lady monarch” exterior.
Bonus points for being a good human partner!
I think I’d really like your friend.
I hope so! I love her! Mr Sixer also loves her because she can keep going long enough to shut me up and he can’t. Snigger.
Anyway, we’ve had a lovely row-free afternoon talking about urban guerilla gardening, which is her new passion. Oh, and some guy she knows who lives in a tiny flat grew 70kg of fruit and veg on his flat’s equally tiny balcony last year. That is going some!
Mr. Sixer is probably in awe of anyone who can bring Great Gob Almighty to her knees!!
Mr. bluhare is also cultivating a crop this year. However, it is not vegetables, nor is it fruit, nor is it flowers. 🙂
Flippin’ ‘eck! Animal, vegetable or mineral?! 😉
Buds; perhaps I’m daft…
There was never a prohibition in Britain; that was only for the US, with lucky puritan fathers. I really fell in love with Europe, naps, church bells ringing in the am – all the stores closed for several hours in the pm, as is respectful to the siesta. Then there is strong work, followed by strong play. It can’t be better than this!
How I detest these entitled parasites.
I’m feeling the Queen on the dog situation. I’m half her age and that thought creeps into my head when medical concerns pop up.
I have a friend who says he is just working so he will have left enough money to care for his parrots when he’s gone. 🙁
Many people don’t realize that when they go out and get a parrot. A parrot’s lifespan is equal to a human’s.
He’s good to plan so carefully. Parrots are so long-lived and so emotional. I think sometimes people who first start caring them don’t realize what they’ve signed up for.
My 86 year old aunt lives with me and she has always had pets, both dogs and cats. She lost a dog and a cat about four years ago. She really, really wants another dog but she is of the same mind as the Queen. She doesn’t want to have to worry about what will happen to the dog when she is gone and she doesn’t want a pet to know grief.
I have a cat but she is definitely my cat and she and my aunt are constantly annoyed with one another.
My mother is in her late 80s and really loves animals. She always had a cat and a dog, but won’t get another because of her age. It makes me sad, but I get it.
I know it’s not the same as having your own animal, but there are foster dogs and cats that need temporary homes. Also, depending on your financial situation, there are older dogs that are abandoned by their owners (or the owners can no longer care for them) that need a “retirement” home. Many of them are healthy, but with the adoption of any pet, young or old, one should be prepared financially for whatever might happen. Just a thought. Even volunteering to socialize animals at the shelter might be a good thing.
Our 16 year old JRT is tottering about the house these days and he gets nervous every time he has to go to the vet. Seriously, next time we’re getting video of him shaking in the waiting room. His teeth chatter and he shakes from head to paw. I am only able to laugh about it because he had a significant stroke three months ago and he’s come back from it and is doing so well he’s amazed his vet. And us. We thought he was a dead dog walking.
That being said, I hope never to be without a companion animal. Ever. My sister and nephews are as bonkers about animals as I am and I do not worry about what will happen to any animal I have when I go. If they go before I do, then I’ll worry.
I’m not even 50 but have 3 dogs, and realized this year that if my husband and I go at the same time, I don’t have any provision in my quickie-done-online will for them. Time to pay money for a lawyer…sigh.
Add a codicil.
And there are programs that connect older people with older pets, you might look into these.
She stopped breeding corgis years ago because of this.
I follow many local dog rescue organizations and one of the most common reasons for surrender is that the aging owner either dies or has to go into a nursing home. In general these are awesome dogs to adopt because they’ve been lovingly treated and not abused. I think the Queen is spot on to stop adding dogs at her age.
Funny because when I was in London all I saw was minority women working and hard at that while the white brits seemed very….how shall I say….lazy.
Exactly. I work in construction (I am a white Brit) and I hear no end of comments about how it’s all Africans and eastern Europeans and blah blah jobs for Brits etc. Well, the reason my industry is chock-full of all these very hard-working foreigners is because my “own” people are mostly lazy, entitled a*seholes. I know who I prefer to employ.
I had a Prince Philip moment at a work staff meeting yesterday. My team leader and manager have been interviewing people for a vacant position at my work place and my team leader told the meeting that they’ve narrowed the applicants down to two but need to check their references. Out of idle curiosity I asked if they were men, women or one of each. My team leader snapped at me and said “does it matter? I didn’t ask them what gender they identified as but I’m pretty sure they were women” I responded by saying “I think it’s good if we have a diverse mix of staff and that’s why I asked.” Funny thing is I had to go into the city today to do some training for work and when I walked into the place where the training was being held all the other participants were female and after saying hi the trainer said “You’re the only male in this female dominated room”
Wow. Thought I’d get crucified for that. Maybe my “gaffe’ wasn’t that bad after all.
He’s just bitter because he’s had to live in his wife’s shadow. He’s as useless as Charles and the rest of his siblings.
I’m so glad the young generation of royals at least try to come across as more useful.
And I work with seniors and I’m sure Alzheimer’s as set in. Add in him being a ass and what you have is a license to be a jackass.
He should team up with Johnny Knoxville.
My grandfather passed away at 99.
He would say politically incorrect things all the time.
So Prince Philip gets a pass in my book.
I think the reason people react extra hard is because you’re basically picking on someone who deals with TWO things. Racism and sexism.
It’s like, why pick on the most vulnerable ones? And apparently he has always been this way so age is no excuse for him I’m afraid.
“Racism and sexism”
May I add other things?
And poverty, less opportunities in life, less hope…
🙂
Philip experienced poverty in his life first hand. Read up on his childhood. When he was wooing Elizabeth, he had one pair of trousers and one shirt. He couldn’t afford anything else.
That makes him racist sexist who had one shirt, once.
He shouldn’t get a pass because he’s always made racist comments. This didn’t start once he turned 90.
I agree. Just because you are older doesn’t mean you get to say whatever comes to mind and not have any consequences.
Respectfully disagree, bluhare. I think it does mean exactly that….how does one go about reprimanding a 90 yr old person in any meaningful way?
I have three kids, and I bite my tongue A LOT…as my parents, I’m sure, did with me. I was looking forward to growing older and being able to actually say everything on my mind!
The same way you do a 3 year old? Tell them it’s not polite to say that in company and don’t do it again. 🙂
When I take my 92-year-old mom out on the rare occasion I can get her out and she makes candid comments in public, I tell her that she can’t talk like that. She grumbles and says she can say what she wants, but I tell her that she can’t – not if she wants a riot to start lol!
Takes one to know one.
That old lizard should know a thing or two about sponging…
Yeah he does. That’s why he said it. And everyone in the world sponges or has sponged off someone or something at some point. Even Trump sponged off his bankers for a while in the 80s.
Do you see those as equivalent?
He’s always been offensive. I always give him the side-eye. And if you tell me what his medals and work are and have been, then that’s a different topic, not the one I’m talking about.
………………..
With the Queen and Philip basically admitting to showing their age (with no more corgi breeding and his recently saying he wants to gear down because it’s getting harder with his memory and whatnot), I think William should not say anymore to the press that he doesn’t know what work his family does.
He needs to have some empathy for his grandparents and appreciation for the unearned income he lives off of, and actually do more Royal work, even if his heart is not in it. Fake it til you make it.
He can do it on his four days off rota of being a professional seat-warmer and paid joy-rider, which is what his job is beginning to sound like, because (and allegedly to all of the following:) his co-pilot job was created specifically for him; the larger copter was bought to accommodate him and his bodyguard; and the money for his salary was donated specifically for him; and he doesn’t even need that salary so much so that his PR team has been saying he’s going to donate it, but has never told anybody to whom it’ll go.
Anyhoo.
Did you know that interview that Philip did talking about his memory and sell by date was done in 2011? 2 months after a certain couple got married.
Maybe he’s donating his salary to Jill & Derick Dillard, and that’s why he won’t say where it’s going. 😊
As I’ve said before, his salary and where it comes from and goes to is just a shell game.
Yes, this is even more reason for able and healthy William to step up to the plate – not only because his grandparents shouldn’t be working at their age, but to keep Grandpa from continuing to opening his mouth and inserting his foot!
The man has no class, just like his grandson, Willy. Being princes doesn’t give them a pass and certainly highlights the great divide between royal and pleb.
Ironic statement, too. The RF are the biggest spongers there are. Philip should give workshops at the community centre on “how to sponge more effectively so that people think you are doing them a favour”.
I think he knows this. He knows that millions call royals spongers. He had similar thoughts himself about royalty, and based on his childhood, probably thinks having a royal title is useless.
Queen Mary thought Philip was a socialist and a Republican because of his views about the monarchy. Do the work, pretend to earn it, or move along because the people will kick you out if they want to.
What on earth did Prince Philip think the response would be? “The same taxpayers that fund the BRF, sir.”
Also, his grammar is incorrect and that drives me nuts.
Ha, you caught it, HollyG! Top of the heap and he can’t speak proper English! Everyone knows it’s “Whom do you sponge off?”!
Well, regardless of context, given that Philip himself was virtually penniless, if well born (he is German-Danish royalty by blood and his immediate family was “elected” to the Greek monarchy when it found itself with a vacancy), when he married a very rich girl in 1947 whose family fortunes was based on unearned privilege and an absurdly skewed tax deal her family made with Inland Revenue early in the 20th century that allowed them to build up to what they have now, Philip’s entire lifestyle – the polo horses, the carriages he used to drive competitively, his top notch medical care (no waiting six weeks for an appointment here!), his many homes, his handmade shoes and bespoke suits, valet, equerry, personal secretary, huge homes . . . is all due to sponging, too.
i often wonder if his attitute shows how unhappy he is with his life. Yes, he lives the high life and he is a sponger and i bet he knows what he is. Look at all his “f*ck you, haha i say what i want, i´m rich, who cares”. He isn´t really interested in all this stuff, he isn´t nice, he is rude and just shows up.
I think their “big lovestory” was always one sided. Teenie Elizabeth is the one who fell for him and then threw a tantrum to get him. IMO he just did what was expected. He is an old school aristo. Marriage is duty and all that. Philip was a man, no boy, he loved the ladies and the navy lifestyle. He was with other women while Elizabeth was waiting till she finally was old enough to marry. His uncle pushed him in a marriage where the proud ladiesman Philip has to walk behind his wife… cutting ribbons and talking to “nobodies”. I bet he hates everything… except the privilege and money of course.
He comes off like a mean old, self-hating drunk.
I didn’t know Philip is a drunk. I doubt it.
Old age doesn’t change bad habits, it makes them worse. He has always made rude comments.
Yes, I am in no way excusing him, and I know he has a history of saying awful things. But at 94, I think your mind just isn’t as quick to filter your mouth. Even formerly sweet people say unkind things at that age, so someone who had little filter to begin with is only going to get worse. Maybe he should retire.
He basically asked to retire in his 90th birthday interview. W&K didn’t step into the breach, so he’s still working.
Oh, that’s terrible! They should be ashamed.
He’s absolutely revolting. Also, the press in the UK keep quite about his philandering out of respect for the Queen but once she goes all the stories will come out.
Again, absolutely no proof of him ever having affairs. He addressed it publicly with the comments about how he could never do it, because she wouldn’t be allowed to retaliate, and that wouldn’t be fair.
When the Queen’s sister died, she spent the weekend mourning alone in Windsor while Philip spent the whole weekend quad biking with a blonde. Google it.
As I said, it will all come out when the Queen dies.
HM asked to be left alone as she wanted to mourn her sister in peace. Even when you love your spouse, you may need to have time to yourself to mourn the one person you knew their entire life, the one person who was closest to you for the longest time. Philip left his wife in peace because that’s what she wanted, so she could mourn and plan the funeral arrangements. There was no affair with the blonde.
Would you happen to be the Marie from Bucks who keeps posting this identical comment on the DM trying to convince people it is true?
Weren’t there rumors of the queen having an affair? There’s always been the rumor that Andrew isn’t Philip’s son. Andrew doesn’t look like Philip ,Charles or Edward. He also has a full head of hair.
Andrew is also rumored to be the make up baby after their fight about the last name issue. That’s why he’s HM’s favorite.
Most male pattern baldness is carried on the X chromosome, so it comes through female line, not the male. HM’s father was balding, so she *could* pass along the genetic material for her sons to end up with male pattern baldness – but is no guarantee. Some get the gene, some don’t, but it is mostly passed via the female partner. However, some male baldness can also come through the male line but is less prevalent.
Andrew looks like the QM’s side of the family as does Eugenie. His nose and big teeth come from Philip’s side of the family.
The Bowes-Lyons resemblance is so strong though, that it trumped the Windsor genes.
In your case, Phil, that would be we the taxpayers.
LOL exactly ! Those women should have asked him the question right back !!!
Curmudgeonly old Coot that he is. Ugh
Pots and black kettles spring to mind ……and as a Greek pensioner his life coud be ooo sooo different!! Th old codge isnt going to change now…..
He has always been a racist and anti semite. His entire family was part of the Nazi movement. All his sisters married Nazi officers. Elizabeth and her cousin FIRST cousin/husband are both of German decent. No wonder they could careless about the English.
The woman is planning for her death while William claims he doesn’t know what is full time royal work and insinuates he’s not needed because his 89 year old grandmother’s incredible leadership. I usually have a sense of humor about the Windsors but this is gross. I think it’s permanently changed my opinion of William.
Agree. I think William sunk to a new low with the almost flippant comment about full time royal work. IMO, if he had chosen a stronger spouse with a proper work ethic and greater sense of purpose, and one with a family that minded their own business instead of grasping for recognition and perks, he may have turned out to be a better man. Sometimes it really is about the company you keep and he’s been influenced by the Middletons for 14-15 years. And, a good part of that time, he was in the military and didn’t take his service as seriously as he should. His mid-to late 20s were important formative years when he should’ve been establishing himself as a responsible adult and leader. That didn’t happen, though, and I think as others have mentioned, his father and grandmother over-indulged him and remain too timid to shake things up and demand more accountability from him and Kate.
Sponge off?
I’ve read all of these comments, and respectfully, I think you all have missed the trope: this comment was made to Asian women, and it insinuates sex and prosititution, it has nothing to do with sponging off a financial system. Does anyone see this?
I thought about that, not that he said it to women of Asian heritage, but that maybe he meant it in a sponge and water sense. Ugh though, thinking of what he could have been insinuating because these women are of Asian heritage.
No. I think it’s because there’s a lot of talk in Britain right now about foreigners coming and getting government benefits. I think it’s more to do with that. I hope it is, anyway.
It sounds like they took what he said as a joke?
I have always enjoyed him.
I don’t blame the Queen. Her descendants aren’t worthy of her Corgis.
Miserable man.
Am I the only one who took it as a joke about sponge baths? After reading about his history of being offensive I’m having second thoughts.
Someone should toss a brick filled sponge at his pie hole
These people suck that’s all I have
That’s all you need.
I hope the anti Phillip comments extend to the queen as well? How can you dislike him and love her? He is her spouse and if you don’t think that is very telling about her, then you are unfortunately extremely naive. And it’s not old age. We are who we are from cradle to grave.
^^ THIS.
I’m not into her or the institution. She picked him and upholds that? Queen of Jamaica and Queen of Canada? Oh gee, thanks for dragging us into your wars.
racer: It’s possible to be married to someone without sharing identical views. The Queen’s mother and sister were gobsmackingly racist (if the Kitty Kelley book is to believed) as is Philip, but the Queen has never given any indication of racism nor has she been overheard to be racist – that we know of.
I dislike both. What’s more, I’ve seen nothing much in the younger royals to suggest they’ve fallen far from the family tree.
It’s possible to be married to someone and not even like them, nonetheless not share their views. Seriously, the Queen was never going to divorce Phillip – no way no how. She made her peace with being stuck with his mean personality many many years ago. She’s made the best of it.
Well, QEII is not my Queen – and, frankly, my opinion of her is that high. She has done her duty without complaints for a very long time but neither does she give the impression that her queenship is anything other than an unescapable duty. I also think that it is a shame that she keeps herself so distanced from her people, she doesn’t let the public see the person behind the Queen and that, IMO, makes it harder for people to invest emotionally in her as a national figure. I think that her “popularity” rests on the fact that she has been queen for a very long time – longevity can have that effect. Just look at Queen Victoria. She wasn’t a very good monarch but she sat on the throne for ages and was revered at the end of her reign.
AH: The distance she maintains is a throwback to the belief that there had to be a certain “mystique” surrounding the Royals, to preserve the dignity and aura of Royal status. I agree with you that the esteem in which she is held around the world is mostly due to her longevity, and like Victoria she has maintained a meticulous observance of ceremony and protocol. It will be interesting to see how Charles interprets the role when it’s his turn.
There’s a really old documentary shot at Balmoral and elsewhere called “The Royal Family” which can be found online. It’s quite fascinating and fairly candid, almost like an early reality show but with more restraint of course. The Queen was filmed as a wife and mother rather than as a monarch, in an attempt to modernise people’s perception of the Royal Family at the time. I think she later regretted that foray, but I wish she had followed Diana’s example and allowed herself to become gradually more accessible to the public over the past couple of decades. That habit of preserving the “mystique” was probably too entrenched by then for her to change it comfortably or convincingly.
I think Prince Philip is great. All the criticism against him is dark
It’s the only dark thing associated with the old git.
I say Prince Phillip type things on this blog all the time and it gets deleted by moderators : (
I’d say around 80% of what I have to say get’s deleted on this site.
And i”m not really an old git, well I’m in my 30’s but not really an old git unless you’re a teen.
The best response would have been…’well not The Queen as you do, sir”
This is disgusting. It’s “WHOM are you sponging off?” or, if you’re a stickler for proper placement of prepositions, “Off whom are you sponging?” In my day, the royals knew their nominative versus their subjective. Young whippersnappers.
Well well well. Now we know the root of Harry’s various problems with minorities and his affinity for the Nazi uniform.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3165923/Pictured-Queen-taught-NAZI-SALUTE-Edward-VIII-secret-1933-film-Balmoral.html
Edward was a jerk – best thing that ever happened was him abdicating. I can’t believe the Queen Mother sucked up to him like that and allowed him to influence her kids.
It’s a joke … and all the British Papers are full of responses “I sponge off the same person you do” … AKA the British Public!
I dont know how the Queen is always happy for her husband to make racust and rude remarks- IN PUBLIC? Hopefully us Commonwealth countries will be a republic in the future
He is horrible, like the rest of his over pampered ilk and family who pretend to care for humanity.
The world is becoming too politically correct in my opinion. People takes things far too seriously. I watched an old dean Martin roast. It was hilarious. The things they said one would never get away with today. It was all in fun and everyone was laughing so hard and simply having a good time. People are just so angry and easily offended by the slightest of things. Grab a sense of humour! The sponge comment was harmless.
Offensive jokes and insults are fine and dandy when you aren’t on the receiving end of them, right? When someone makes fun of YOU or what’s important to you – your race, family, gender, sexuality, age, appearance, religious beliefs – then I’m sure you won’t find it amusing.
This is why I roll my eyes at people who complain about political correctness. Rudeness and insensitivity are acceptable to them, as long as the recipients are SOMEONE ELSE. Just another form of hypocrisy.
Wrong! I dont take myself that seriously and am easily able to laugh it off when someone teases me. If the intent is to be malicious or demean me different story.