I KNOW I AM RUDE

Sub-titled 'Prince Philip's Life in His Own Words', at the age of 21 he wrote to a relative: 'I know you will never think much of me. I am rude. But it is fun' he added prophetically. He complained to a friend: 'I am nothing but a bloody amoeba. I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his children.' And he once remarked 'Constitutionally, I don't exist.' 'I would have been of great value to the Queen to have someone who was, in a sense, professionally qualified in something, not just traipsing around.' The worst part about marrying British royalty for Prince Philip was having to give up his career in the Navy. When pressed for his secret for handling so many public appearances, he shot back to the interviewer: 'I never pass up a chance to go to the loo or take a poo.' 'One reason I took up carriage driving is that I like watching the ponies doing all the work' the self-confessed 'pretty idle' Prince Philip once said. Despite his reputation for never suffering fools gladly, he said that after 50 years he had learned to suffer fools 'with patience' and even humour. This affectionate self-portrait brings together the best of his blunt speech making, his mocking of the media and captains of industry, fond teasing of Her Majesty himself and a host of less well-known stories about the Prince to give a fascinating firsthand insight into the royal world as a 'fella who belongs to Mrs Queen'. Bibliophile misses our dear Royal Warrant grantor. 192pp, paperback.