PHIL THE GREAT!

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Apr 19, 2009 | by Mark Austin

LET'S raise a glass this weekend to the Grand Old Duke of Edinburgh who becomes the longest-serving consort to a British monarch.

Prince Philip, 87, has just seen off Queen Charlotte who managed to stay with George lll for 57 years and 70 days.

It's some effort by the Prince who, when it comes to honouring the vows, has certainly put his children to shame.

And he's played a blinder... loyal, devoted and committed to a Queen dedicated to her role.

He has largely resisted the temptation to get involved in politics and grand projects, preferring to stick with his awards scheme and his hard graft for the World Wide Fund for Nature.

But most of all, of course, he's kept us amused. And love or loathe the monarchy you can't ask for more than that.

His gaffes, insults, political incorrectness and misplaced jokes have kept the media happy and the public laughing for years.

Just the other day his remarks to President Obama were classic.

Obama was explaining how he'd had meeting after meeting since landing in London.

"I've met Gordon Brown for breakfast, then David Cameron, then the President of Russia and then the Prime Minister of China," he said.

"Oh gosh," replied Prince Philip, "how could you tell the difference between them!"

We kind of know what he means but it's still amusing.

So let's hear it for Phil the Greek! By the way, a television news colleague was once bet pounds 20 he couldn't ever get that nickname into a script.

The following week he was doing a story about Cyprus and said a certain political proposal would "fill the Greek population with horror".

Twenty quid was his.