Thirty of Prince Philip’s biggest gaffes

The words spoken and heard around the world... the Independent staff recall Prince Philip’s most memorable soundbites

Overheard: the Duke of Edinburgh was noted for his humour (Getty)

1. “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.”

2. “The French don’t know how to cook breakfast.” After a breakfast of bacon, eggs, smoked salmon, kedgeree, croissants and pain au chocolat – from Gallic chef Regis Crépy – in 2002.

3. “If it has four legs and it is not a chair, if it has got two wings and it flies but is not an aeroplane and if it swims and it is not a submarine, the Cantonese will eat it.” Said to a WWF meeting in 1986.