Prince Philip’s expletive outburst that endeared the Duke of Edinburgh to his guests, royal insider reveals

During his decades of public service, Prince Philip developed a reputation for having something of a potty mouth. 

His admiration for an expletive were well documented due to his public gaffes.

Most famously the Duke of Edinburgh was filmed, during a photocall for the Battle of Britain, telling the photographer to: ‘Just take the f****** picture.’

Philip seemed to lose patience at how long it was taking for the photographs to be taken at the RAF Club and repeatedly said ‘just take it’ and gestured before dropping the f-word, after which laughter is heard.

Writing in his memoir, former royal butler Grant Harrold recalled an encounter with Philip where his uncouth language both surprised and endeared his guests.

Harrold, who was at a Buckingham Palace garden party for the family and friends of royal staff said: ‘We clocked Prince Philip striding across the lawn on his way somewhere. I said to my brother, “Do you think we could meet Prince Philip?”.

‘”Yes, but you’ll have to run”.’

‘We all took off, heading as fast as we could across the lawn to try and catch him. For a man in his eighties, he could shift. Gordon, Jack and I got there ahead of his grandparents by seconds, and we said, “your Royal Highness, do you mind saying hello to my friend Jack’s grandparents, please?”.’

The Duke of Edinburgh at a Buckingham Palace garden party in 2016. According to former royal butler Grant Harrold, in response to a question if he could speak with guests, Philip said: ‘If they can f****** catch me, they can f****** talk to me’

The Duke of Edinburgh gave a humorous response.  

‘He [Philip] turned around and said, “If they can f****** catch me, they can f****** talk to me”,’ Harrold said. 

However when Philip spotted fellow royal staff member Jack Stooks’ grandparents were nearby, changed his tone and assumed the persona of a working royal.

Harrold wrote: ‘But then he saw them [Jack’s grandparents] and was immediately the epitome of politeness saying “Hello, how do you do?” and asking how they were. He inquired where they were from and whether they were having a good time. 

‘Then, with a “Have a lovely day”, he was off.’

He continued: ‘We tried to apologise on his behalf but Jack’s grandparents were delighted, saying, “Oh my God, he just swore”.’

‘They thought it was wonderful. He was so famous for his outbursts and they loved the fact they got to witness him being himself. That’s how he was.’ 

The encounter with Philip is a juxtaposition of Harrold’s experience with Queen Elizabeth II just most moments earlier. 

Grant Harrold with the late Queen Elizabeth II at a Buckingham Palace Garden Party 

In his memoir The Royal Butler, Harrold recalls his time as a working member of the Royal Household 

Here she showcased her famous cheeky sense of humour, when she commented on the suit Harrold’s brother, Gordon was wearing.

‘She appeared slightly confused about why Gordon was dressed differently. Like most guests, we were all in black tie, but he had chosen to wear his morning suit with a white cravat.’

‘”Why is your brother dressed like that?” she said, with a playful frown.’ 

‘”Like Liberace?” I said. “I don’t know, Your Majesty”.’

‘Gordon had told me he’d asked the household what the dress code was, and they’d said formal white tie, and he’d believed them. Whether he’d been set up or it was a genuine mistake, I wasn’t sure, but Gordon was such a joker, he just laughed it off.’

Over Philip’s decades-long period of service the Duke was reportedly always the most popular among palace staff.

In 2018, Matt Smith, who was one actor who played the Duke of Edinburgh in hit Netflix series The Crown, claimed Philip was ‘the one they all love’ because he is a ‘man of the people’.

The star also suggested ‘royal protocol’ had not ‘dogged’ Prince Philip in the same way that it had other members of the family.  

Over Philip’s decades-long period of service the Duke was reportedly always the most popular among palace staff

Speaking in an interview with Variety, Matt said: ‘All the research I did found him [Prince Philip] to be brilliantly funny, very clever, very popular.

‘In the royal house he’s the most popular of all of them. If you’ve talked to any of the staff, Philip’s the one they all love really. I think more than a lot of them, he’s a bit more of a man of the people.

‘The royal protocol hasn’t dogged him in quite the same way his whole life and there’s a sort of rebellion in him and a naughtiness and a cheekiness.

‘I think he’s quite affable and open by all accounts with the staff. They all love him.’

Philip even had a nickname that only a number of people within the household were allowed to use. 

According to royal author Adrian Tinniswood, the Duke of Edinburgh was known by the acronym ‘P.P’ – short for Prince Philip.

Upon his death in April 2021, Philip showed his gratitude towards his closest aides when the Duke included three members of staff in his will.

Philip is thought to have rewarded his private secretary Brigadier Archie Miller Bakewell and pages William Henderson and Stephen Niedojadlo. 

The trio were among a group of six aides who walked behind senior Royal Family members and Philip’s coffin for his funeral procession at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021.