Prince Philip was known for his sense of humour and down-to-earth nature, but also for his occasional foul-mouthed comments. A new anecdote from a former royal butler reveals how one such outburst secretly charmed guests at a Buckingham Palace garden party.
Grant Harrold, who worked for King Charles when he was the Prince of Wales, recalled the incident in his memoir. At the party, held for families of royal staff, Harrold spotted the Duke of Edinburgh striding across the lawn and encouraged his brother and friend Jack Stooks to chase after him.
When they caught up, Harrold asked Philip to say hello to Jack's grandparents. According to Harrold, Philip replied: “If they can f****** catch me, they can f****** talk to me.” The Duke did not realise the grandparents were nearby and had heard him swear, but he quickly switched to polite conversation, asking how they were and if they were enjoying themselves.
The ex-butler said the grandparents were delighted by the encounter. “They thought it was wonderful. He was so famous for his outbursts and they loved the fact they got to witness him being himself,” Harrold wrote. The incident highlights Philip's unscripted charm, even when his language was less than royal.
