Prince Philip’s best and worst quotes, compiled. “British women can’t cook”

Prince Philip, who died at the age of 99, will be regarded not only as the longest-serving consort, but also as the one who made the most gaffes.

During his service with the queen, the prince participated in over 22,000 solo engagements and delivered over 5,500 addresses. When doing so, he surprised and entertained the audience — as well as the press — with his sharp wit and spontaneous remarks.

His well-publicized gaffes contained insulting comments regarding individuals and events, as well as rude quips made while he was furious, which endeared him to others but often offended others.

Here are some of his most well-known quotes:

“Ghastly.” Prince Philip's opinion of Beijing, during a 1986 tour of China.

“Ghastly.” Prince Philip's opinion of Stoke-on-Trent, as offered to the city's Labour MP Joan Walley at Buckingham Palace in 1997.

“Deaf? If you're near there, no wonder you are deaf.” Said to a group of deaf children standing near a Caribbean steel drum band in 2000.

“If you stay here much longer, you will go home with slitty eyes.” To 21-year-old British student Simon Kerby during a visit to China in 1986.

“You managed not to get eaten then?” To a British student who had trekked in Papua New Guinea, during an official visit in 1998.

“You can't have been here that long – you haven't got a pot belly.” To a British tourist during a tour of Budapest in Hungary. 1993.

“You have mosquitoes. I have the press.” — to the matron of a Caribbean hospital.

“I declare this thing open, whatever it is.” — on a visit to Canada.

“If it doesn't fart or eat hay, she isn't interested.” — on his daughter, Princess Anne.

“We don't come here for our health. We can think of other ways of enjoying ourselves.” — to journalists in Canada.

“It looks like a tart's bedroom.” — on Prince Andrew's house.

“Oh no, I might catch some ghastly disease.” — on a visit to Australia, in which he was asked if he wanted to stroke a koala bear.

“How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to pass the test?” — to a Scottish driving instructor.

“Bloody silly fool!” — to a parking attendant at Cambridge University who didn't recognize him.

“You can take it from me, the Queen has the quality of tolerance in abundance.” – on marriage.

“It's a vast waste of space.” — at a reception for the opening of the new British Embassy in Berlin.

“Get me a beer. I don't care what kind it is, just get me a beer!” – at a dinner in Rome after being offered wine by then-Italian prime minister Giuliano Amato.

“I wish he'd turn the microphone off.” – during Elton John's performance at the Royal Variety Show.

“How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to pass the test?” Asked of a Scottish driving instructor in 1995.

“Damn fool question!” To BBC journalist Caroline Wyatt at a banquet at the Elysée Palace after she asked Queen Elizabeth if she was enjoying her stay in Paris in 2006.

“It looks as though it was put in by an Indian.” The Prince's verdict of a fuse box during a tour of a Scottish factory in August 1999. He later clarified his comment: “I meant to say cowboys. “I just got my cowboys and Indians mixed up.”

“People usually say that after a fire it is water damage that is the worst. We are still drying out Windsor Castle.” To survivors of the Lockerbie Pan-Am disaster in 1993.

“We don't come here for our health. We can think of other ways of enjoying ourselves.” During a trip to Canada in 1976.

“Get me a beer. I don't care what kind it is, just get me a beer!” – at a dinner in Rome after being offered wine by then-Italian prime minister Giuliano Amato.

“I wish he'd turn the microphone off.” – during Elton John's performance at the Royal Variety Show.

“It's a vast waste of space.” — at a reception for the opening of the new British Embassy in Berlin.

“Get me a beer. I don't care what kind it is, just get me a beer!” – at a dinner in Rome after being offered wine by then-Italian prime minister Giuliano Amato.

“I wish he'd turn the microphone off.” – during Elton John's performance at the Royal Variety Show.

Commenting on the Duke of York's house in 1986: “It looks like a tart's bedroom”

Overheard at Bristol University's engineering facility: “It doesn't look like much work goes on at this University.”

Approaching his 90th birthday, 2011: “Bits are beginning to drop off.”

At a dinner party in 2004: “Bugger the table plan, give me my dinner!”

Shouted to the Queen from the deck of Britannia in Belize in 1994, who was chatting. “Yak, yak, yak; come on get a move on.”

At the Scottish Women's Institute in 1961: “British women can't cook”

Talking to Tom Jones after his Royal Variety Performance in 1969, he asked ‘What do you gargle with, pebbles?'. The day after, he added: “It's difficult to see how it's possible to become immensely valuable by singing what are the most hideous songs.”

At Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme in 2006. “Young people are the same as they always were. Just as ignorant.”

On a visit to Canada in 1969: “I declare this thing open, whatever it is.”

After being told that Madonna was singing the Die Another Day theme in 2002, the Duke of Edinburgh asked: “Are we going to need earplugs?”

At a project to protect turtle doves in Anguilla in 1965, he said: “Cats kill far more birds than men. Why don't you have a slogan: ‘Kill a cat and save a bird?'”

Talking about his equestrian-inclined daughter, Princess Anne: ‘If it doesn't fart or eat hay, she isn't interested.'

When talking to designer Stephen Judge about goatee beard in 2009: “Well, you didn't design your beard too well, did you?”

When being questioned on when the Prince of Wales would succeed to the throne: “Are you asking me if the Queen is going to die?”

Addressing Elton John he said, ‘Oh it's you that owns that ghastly car is it? We often see it when driving to Windsor Castle.' Later, at the Royal Variety Performance watching Elton perform in 2001, he said, “I wish he'd turn the microphone off.”

About a Cambridge student who didn't recognize him: “Bloody silly fool!”

To a Scottish driving instructor, 1999: “How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to pass the test?”