So farewell then, Prince Philip

His Royal Highness Prince Philip, consort of Her Britannic Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, died this morning, surrounded by most of his family -- you know who wasn't there -- at Windsor Castle.

Affectionately (?) dubbed "Phil the Greek" by the British satirical newspaper Private Eye, Prince Philip was actually part of a very large German-British royal family, the Battenbergs, who members sat on the thrones of Russia, Germany, Greece and Great Britain at various times in the 20th century.

Philip, Prince of Greece and Denmark, the son of Princess Alice of Battenberg and grandson of the 1st Marquess of Milford Haven, took the name Mountbatten when he became a naturalised British subject on his marriage to Princess Elizabeth in 1947.

Philip became the longest-living royal consort in British history, surpassing Queen Caroline, the wife of George III. He spent 74 years supporting his wife in a role that both defined and constricted his life. He died just two months short of his 100th birthday.

Walt didn't know Prince Philip personally, [Really?! Ed.] but was inclined to like him for being politically incorrect, and by all account not suffering fools gladly. His dislike for Crown Prince Charles was fodder for "Heir of Sorrow", a parody of a Mills & Boon bodice-ripper which appeared regularly in Private Eye. One can only imagine what he thought of Prince Harry and the Princess of Woke.

The Prince was known to be "irascible and tough-minded", not afraid to call a spade a spade. He is said to have told a British diplomat posted to Hong Kong not to stay there too long "or you'll become all slitty-eyed like them." And on viewing a rat's nest of wires on a tour of a factory in India, he remarked, "Must have been done by a local electrician." 

In the 21st century, saying those kinds of things makes one politically incorrect, and obituaries are being published even as I write describing the late Prince as "racist" and "sexist". I don't think he would care. Here's a photo, posted on WWW years ago, which we think pretty much sums up Prince Philip's view of himself and his place in the overall scheme of things.

What is the reason for the enigmatic smile on his face...and the priceless expressions on the faces of the others, especially Prince Harry? Did Prince Philip fart? Seems like he didn't take himself too seriously, and Walt says, "Good on yer, Phil! RIP."