Wait, I don't get this. Brits, help me out.

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

The royal family has me perplexed.

I am reading right now in the Parade magazine a question by a reader: "Queen Elizabeth turns 80 this year. How old is her husband, and how is his health?"

The answer is irrelevant.

What I don't get is, the queen is married to a guy who is not the king but a prince? How's that?

I would have thought a country with a royal family would at any time have a KING and a QUEEN. And the idea that the queen is married to a guy but that doesn't make him the KING... I just don't get it.

'Splain it to me.

Pretend I'm a total dummy nincompoop.

-

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[speedy 0]

HRH THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH
Arms: Quarterly; 1st, or, semée of hearts gules, three lions passant in pale azure ducally crowned of the first; 2nd, azure a cross argent; 3rd, argent two pallets sable; 4th argent, upon a rock proper a castle triple towered sable, masoned argent, windows, port, turret caps and vanes gules. Crest: A plume of five ostrich feathers alternately sable and argent issuant from a ducal coronet or. Supporters: Dexter, a representation of Heracles girt about the loins with a lion skin, crowned with a chaplet of oak leaves and holding in the dexter hand a club proper; sinister, a lion, queue fourchée, ducally crowned or and gorged with a naval coronet azure. Coronet: A coronet composed of crosses-patées and fleurs-de-lys alternately or. Motto: God is my help. Creations: B., E. and D. (UK) 19 Nov 1947.

THE 1ST DUKE OF EDINBURGH, EARL OF MERIONETH and BARON GREENWICH, of Greenwich, Co London (Philip Battenberg later (28 Feb 1947, when also naturalised a Br subject, renouncing his right of succession to Crowns of Denmark and Greece) Mountbatten, KG (1947), OM (1968), GBE (1953), AC, QSO, PC (UK 1951 Canada 1957)) [HRH The Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh KG KT OM GBE AC QSO, Buckingham Palace, London SW1 1AA; Windsor Castle, Berks SL4 1NJ; Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire AB35 5TB; Sandringham House, Norfolk PE35 6EN]; b Mon Repos, Corfu, 10 June 1921; educ Cheam Sch, Salem (Baden), Gordonstoun and RNC Dartmouth; WW II: Med Fleet, Home Waters, Br Pacific Fleet (despatches); 1947, granted title, style and attribute of Royal Highness 1947 and style and titular dignity of Prince of UK 1957, ktd 1952, granted by warrant 18 Sept 1952 precedence next to HM THE QUEEN except where otherwise provided by Act of Parliament; Grand Master and 1st or Principal Kt Order Br Empire 1953, Personal ADC to HM GEORGE VI 1948; Adml of the Fleet: RAN, RNZN; Marshal: RAF, RAAF, RNZAF; FM: Australian Mil Forces, NZ Army; Capt-Gen RM; Dep Col-in-Ch Queen's Roy Hus (Queen's Own and Roy Irish); Col-in-Ch: Roy Glos Berks and Wilts Regt, Highrs (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons), Intell Corps, Army Cadet Force, Roy Canadian Regt, Seaforth Highs Canada, Roy Canadian Army Cadets, Roy Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engrs, Australian Cadet Corps, Corps RNZ Electrical and Mechanical Engrs; Col Gren Gds; Hon Col: Edinburgh U OTC, Heriot-Watt U OTC, Trinidad and Tobago Regt; Air Cdre-in-Ch Air Training Corps; Air Cdre: Air Sqdn 1983–, Roy Canadian Air Cadets; Hon Air Cdre RAF Kinloss; Cmdt-in-Ch and Extra Master Merchant Navy; Ranger Windsor Gt Pk 1952–; Ld High Steward Plymouth 1960–; Chllr: Edinburgh 1952–, Cambridge 1976– and Salford Us 1967–90; Grand Master Guild Air Pilots and Air Navigators; Grand Pres: Br Cwlth Ex-Servs League; Visitor: Upper Canada Coll 1955–, Manchester Coll Sci and Tech 1957–, Churchill Coll Cambridge 1959–; Life Govr King's Coll London 1954–; Master Bench Inner Temple 1954–; Er Bro Trin Ho 1952– (Master 1969–); Hon Bro Hull Trin House 1956–; Roy Govr Charterhouse 1953–; Pres in Ch: Br Racing Drivers' Club 1952–92; Pres: Assoc for Schs' Sci, Engrg and Tech, Roy Nat Playing Fields Assoc 1949–84, Br Amateur Athletic Bd 1952–, Cwlth Games Fedn 1955–90, Br Sportsman's Club 1958–, Central Cncl Physical Recreation 1951–, City and Guilds London Inst 1961–, ESU 1952–, Guinea Pig Club 1960–, Gds Polo Club 1955–, Nat Playing Fields Assoc, Roy Ag Soc Cwlth 1958–, Roy Commn for Exhibition of 1851 1965–, Roy Household Cricket Club 1953–, Roy Merchant Navy Sch 1952–, Roy Mint Advsy Ctee design seals, coins and medals 1952–, RSA 1952– (and Hon Fell), World Wild Life Fund 1961–82, World Wild Life Internat (later World Wide Fund for Nature-Internat) 1981 (late Pres Emeritus), Fedn Equestre Internat 1964–84, Maritime Tst 1969–, Bath and West and Southern Counties Soc 1981, Roy Windsor Horse Show 1991–94, Westminster Windsor Abbey Tst, Park Equestrian Club 1982–; Grand Pres Br Cwlth Ex-Services League 1974; Tstee: L St George's House Cncl; V-Pres Soc Friends St George's and Descendants Kts of Garter 1948–; Patron: Air League, Assoc for Schs' Sci, Engrg and Tech, Br Driving Soc, Br Gliding Assoc, Br Sch Athens to 1998, Cambridge Soc, Cornwall RFU, Gallipoli Assoc, London Fedn Clubs for Young People, Lord's Taverners (and Twelfth Man), Outward Bound Tst, Shakespeare Globe Tst, VSO; Hon Fell Inst Marine Engrs; Hon Memb King's Lynn Rotary Club; Hon Life Memb Roy Assoc Br Dairy Farmers; FRS 1951; Perm Fell Inst Petroleum 1963–; Hon Fell Roy Soc Canada 1957–, Australian Acad Sci 1962–, Roy Zoological Soc Scotland 1963–, Zoological Soc London; Tstee: Nat Maritime Museum Greenwich 1948–, Roy Ag Soc England 1957–; Patron: Ghana Acad Sciences 1961– (Hon Pres 1959–61, first Hon Fell 1961), Gresham's Coll, Roy Inst Navigation, Lord's Taverners (Pres Cncl 1960–61, Twelfth Man 1961–), Charities Aid Fndn, Inst Chemical Engrs; Patron and Tstee Duke of Edinburgh's Award; Liveryman and Assist Shipwrights' Co (Prime Warden 1954, Perm Master 1956–); Freeman and Liveryman: Fishmongers' Co (Prime Warden 1961, 4th Warden 1962–63), Mercers' Co; Adml Master Mariners' Co; Grand Master Guild Air Pilots and Air Navigators; Guild Bro: Glasgow, Craft Rank Qua Hammermen, Trades Ho Glasgow; Adml: Roy Yacht Sqdn 1953–, Ho Lds Yacht Club, Roy Motor Yacht Club, RN Sailing Assoc, Roy Southern Yacht Club, Bar Yacht Club, Roy Dart Yacht Club, Roy Gibraltar Yacht Club, Roy Yacht Club Victoria Australia; Cdre-in-Ch: Sandringham Yacht Club Victoria 1980–, Great Navy State of Nebraska, USA; Freedom City: London 1948, Greenwich 1948, Edinburgh 1948, Belfast 1949, Cardiff 1954, Glasgow 1955, Melbourne 1956, Dar-es-Salaam 1961, Nairobi 1963, Guadalajara 1964, Acapulco 1964, Bridgetown (Barbados) 1964, Los Angeles 1966; Hon Citizen: Montevideo 1962, Chicago 1966; Hon LLD: Wales 1949, London 1951, Karachi 1959, Malta 1964, California 1966; Hon DCL: Durham 1951, Oxford 1964; Hon DSc: Delhi 1959, Reading 1957, Salford 1967, Southampton 1967, Victoria U, BC, 1969; Hon LLD W Ontario U 1983; Hon Degree Jordan U 1984; Hon Degree Engrg Lima 1962; Hon FRCP London 1952; Hon FRCSE; Hon FRCS England; Hon Fell Univ Coll Oxford 1953; Greek War Cross 1939–45; Atlantic, Africa, Burma (with Pacific rosette) and Italy Stars; War Medal 1939–45 (with Oak Leaf); Croix de Guerre with Palm; Grand Cross Redeemer, Phoenix and George I (with swords) Greece, Order St George and St Constantine (with swords, 4th Cl) Greece, Kt Order Elephant Denmark 1947, Grand Cross Order St Charles Monaco 1951, Order St Olav Norway 1952, Order Manuel Amador Guerrero Panama 1953, Order Seraphim Sweden 1954, Chain Queen of Sheba Ethiopia 1954, Grand Cross Order Tower and Sword Portugal 1955, Order King Faisal I Iraq 1956, Order Legn Hon 1957, Kt Grand Cross Order Merit Italy 1958, Grand Cross Order Lion Netherlands 1958, Order Merit Fedl German Republic 1st Cl 1958, Order Ojaswi Rajanya Nepal 1960, Kt Grand Band Star Africa Liberia 1961, Grand Cross Order San Martin Argentina 1962, Grand Cross Order Condor Bolivia 1962, Grand Cross Nat Order Southern Cross Brazil 1962, Chain Chilean Order Merit 1962, Grand Gross Extraordinary Order Boyaca Colombia 1962, Grand Cross Nat Order Merit Ecuador 1962, Nat Order Merit Paraguay 1962, Gr Cross Order Sun with Brilliants Peru 1962, Grand Cordon Order Leopold Belgium 1963, Order Brilliant Star Zanzibar 1st Cl 1963, Decoration Republic Sudan 1st Cl 1964, Grand Cross Order Icelandic Falcon 1964, Collar Aztec Eagle Mexico 1964, Star and Riband Order Nahdah Jordan 1966, Decoration of Honour for Servs to Republic Austria, Grand Cordon 1966, Grand Cdr Order Maritime Merit San Francisco Port Authority 1968, Order White Rose Finland 1969, Order Superior Sun Afghanistan 1971, Grand Cordon Supreme Order Chrysanthemum Japan 1971, Most Esteemed Family Order Brunei 1972, Chev Grand Cross Order Golden Lion Luxembourg 1972, Memb Distinguished Order Izzuddin Maldives 1972, Hon Memb Darjah Utama Temasek Singapore 1972, Grand Cross Yugoslav Star 1972, Grand Cordon Nat Order Leopard Zaire 1973, Grand Collar Nat Order Infante Dom Henrique Portugal 1973, Cdr Order Golden Ark Netherlands 1979, 1st Cl Mil Order Oman 1979, Collar Order Independence Qatar 1979, 1st Cl Order Muhammadi Morocco 1980, Companion Queen's Serv Order NZ 1981, Canadian Forces Decoration 1982, Grand Cross Carlos III Spain 1986, Companion Order Australia 1988, Grand Ribbon Order Merit Poland 1991, King George VI Coronation Medal 1937, Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal 1953, Commemoration Medal NZ 1990, Sultan of Brunei Silver Jubilee Medal 1992, George Cross 50th Anniversary Medal Malta 1992; m 20 Nov 1947 •HM ELIZABETH II (qv) and has issue

Edinburgh, previous creations: In 1726 PRINCE FREDERICK, the eldest son of the future GEORGE II, had conferred on him among other titles the Dukedom of Edenburgh [sic]. On his predeceasing his father (who by now had ascended the throne) in March 1750/1 this particular title passed to his eldest son the future GEORGE III, although the ones traditionally associated with the Heir Apparent reverted to the Crown (see PRINCE OF WALES, subsections on the titles of Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester, also the Scottish titles of the Heir Apparent). When GEORGE III became King the Dukedom merged with the Crown. The title was revived, more conventionally spelled this time and in tandem with a Dukedom of Gloucester, for GEORGE III's younger brother in 1764 but expired on the death without issue of the 2nd Duke, the grantee's only son, in 1834. In 1866 a Dukedom of Edinburgh was conferred on PRINCE ALFRED, QUEEN VICTORIA's second son. Having turned down the offer of the Crown of Greece four years earlier and having had the offer of the Crown of Spain turned down on his behalf by his mother and her ministers two years after his elevation to the peerage, he succeeded his uncle ERNEST II as reigning DUKE OF SAXE COBURG AND GOTHA in 1893 but died without surviving male issue in 1900, when his peerage titles expired.

Dave

Fallschirmsport Marl

[nacmacfeegle 0]

I'm glad you cleared that up.

I had no idea the Chooky Hembro was am honourary warden of the Fishmongers comany though....

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[rasmack 0]

The Danish queen also has a "prince consort".

It is really very simple. The heir to the throne becomes the monarch. If the heir is male he becomes king, and his wife becomes queen. If on the other hand we're talking about a woman she becomes queen. To make it clear that she is the monarch, her husband does not become king.

HF #682, Team Dirty Sanchez #227
“I simply hate, detest, loathe, despise, and abhor redundancy.”
- Not quite Oscar Wilde...

[wmw999 2,555]

Basically it's all sexism (queue victim music crescendo)

If you have both a king and a queen, the king rules. Therefore, if the queen is the ruler, the husband has to be a prince consort (or whatever else she calls him).

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[warpedskydiver 0]

you forget HRHRFB

Her Royal Highness's Royal Fuck Buddy!

don't worry I am not an anti Brit at all Ihave lived there and have friends in the "Regiment" as well.

Cheers!

[kallend 2,113]

Quote

Therefore, if the queen is the ruler, the husband has to be a prince consort (or whatever else she calls him).

Wendy W.

Everytime I've heard her refer to him she called him "My Husband".

For a Greek, he seems a pretty decent chap.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[nacmacfeegle 0]

He can be a bit controversial though, re the 'slitty eyes' comment amogst others.

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[Andy9o8 2]

In the USA, the princess rules.

[kallend 2,113]

Quote

He can be a bit controversial though, re the 'slitty eyes' comment amogst others.

You're probably too young to remember the "Gentlemen, get your fingers out" comment that got him into all kinds of trouble.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[nacmacfeegle 0]

I don't recall that one, probably not because I'm too young, I just don't recall...

Wikkiquote gives me these pearls though...

"Where did you get that hat?" (1953)
To his wife the Queen, immediately after her coronation

"British women can't cook." (1966)

"The bastards murdered half my family.." (1967)
When asked if he would like to visit the Soviet Union

"What do you gargle with - pebbles?" (1969)
Said to Tom Jones after the The Royal Variety Performance.

"Everybody was saying we must have more leisure. Now they are complaining they are unemployed." (1981)
Said during the 1981 recession.

"You must be out of your minds.." (1982)
To Solomon Islanders, on being told that their population growth was 5% a year.

"You are a woman, aren't you?" (1984)
Said in Kenya, to a native woman who had presented him with a small gift.

"If you stay here much longer you'll all get slitty eyed." (1986)
Said to British students in China.

"If it has four legs and is not a chair, has wings and is not an aeroplane, or swims and is not a submarine the Cantonese will eat it." (1986)
Said at a World Wildlife Fund meeting.

"Your country is one of the most notorious centres of trading in endangered species in the world." (1991)
Said in Thailand, after accepting a conservation award.

"You can't have been here that long - you haven't got a pot belly." (1993)
Said to a Briton in Budapest, Hungary.

"Aren't most of you descended from pirates?" (1994)
Said to an islander in the Cayman Islands.

"How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to get them through the test?" (1995)
Said to a driving instructor in Scotland.

"If a cricketer, for instance, suddenly decided to go into a school and batter a lot of people to death with a cricket bat, which he could do very easily, I mean, are you going to ban cricket bats?" (1996)
Said amid calls to ban firearms after the Dunblane shooting.

"Bloody silly fool!" (1997)
Was referring to a Cambridge University car park attendant who failed to recognise him.

"You managed not to get eaten, then?" (1998)
Said to a student who had been trekking in Papua New Guinea.

"It looks like it was put in by Indians." (1999)
Said after he saw a poorly constructed fusebox.

"Deaf? If you are near there, no wonder you are deaf." (1999)
Said to young deaf people in Cardiff, referring to a school's steel band.

"Do you still throw spears at each other?" (2002)
To an Aboriginal man on Australia's Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park.

"You were playing your instruments, weren't you? Or do you have tape recorders under your seats?" (2002)
Said to a children's band in Australia.

"Do you know they have eating dogs for the anorexic now?" (2002)
Said to a blind woman with a guide dog.

"If you travel as much as we do you appreciate how much more comfortable aircraft have become. Unless you travel in something called economy class, which sounds ghastly.." (2002)
Commenting during the Jubilee tour.

"The problem with London is the tourists. They cause the congestion. If we could just stop tourism we could stop the congestion.." (2002)
Commenting on the London traffic debate, after mayor Ken Livingstone forced through his plan to charge motorists £5 to enter the city.

"French cooking's all very well, but they can't do a decent English breakfast.." (2002)
Aboard the floating restaurant 'Il Punto' on the river Orwell in Ipswich, after thoroughly enjoying an excellent full English breakfast (Il Punto is owned by Frenchman Regis Crepy).

"It is surprising the way things have changed since I first became chancellor of a university 50 years ago." (2003)
Source: Opening a new reseach centre at the University of York.
The statement was widely misrepresented as referring to the University of York itself, rather than the University of Edinburgh, of which Prince Philip is Chancellor. (The York Chancellor at the time was Janet Baker, and the university was celebrating its fortieth anniversary.)

"It doesn't look like much work goes on at this University" (2005)
Overheard at Bristol University's BLADE (Bristol Laboratory for Advanced Dynamic Engineering) facility, which had been closed in order that he and the Queen could officially open it

"You look like you're ready for bed!"
Said to the President of Nigeria, who was dressed in traditional robes.

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[lisamariewillbe 1]

Quote

Pretend I'm a total dummy nincompoop.

You make pretending easy.

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[Nightingale 0]

It's a rank thing. King outranks queen, so they don't want to call the husband of a reigning queen a king, because then it would appear as if he's in charge, and he isn't. Since king outranks queen, there's no problem with calling the wife of a king a queen, because queen is outranked by king anyway, so it doesn't make it appear as if she's in charge.

The title of King Consort is sometimes given to the husband of a Queen. It's granted by the queen with the permission of parliament, and makes the couple co-rulers of equal power, rather than one outranking the other. For example, Mary II of England (1689-1694) married William III (1689-1702) requested parliament to pass an act alowing them to rule jointly. After she died, he continued to rule. The distinction here that makes them equals is that she's Queen Regnant and he's King Consort, rather than King Regnant and Queen Consort (he would outrank her in this case).

"The highest title in England is, of course, King or Queen regnant. The spouse of the reigning monarch is either Prince Consort (i.e., Prince Philip, who is a prince in his own right, albeit of an exiled monarchy), or Queen Consort.* The King/Queen are known formally as "Your Majesty," and "His/Her Royal Majesty."

Prince/Princess is the next rank. A prince/princess is called "Your Highness" by servants and "His/Her Royal Highness" when formally referred to by others. Using a first name would depend upon the closeness of the relationship, and the particular Royal's insistence upon protocol.

The wife of a Prince who bears no other title is known as Princess Prince's Firstname. Thus, the wife of Prince Michael is known as Princess Michael. The husband of a princess is not automatically given a title, although the monarch may choose to do so. The children of a Prince are also entitled to the dignity of Prince/Princess. The children of a Princess are not automatically entitled to such titles, although the monarch might grant a title.

Traditionally, since the time of Edward I, the first-born son of the monarch is granted the title "Prince of Wales." The wife of the Prince of Wales is known as "Firstname, Princess of Wales." Children of the Prince of Wales are known as "Prince/Princess Firstname of Wales."

The eldest daughter of the monarch may be given the title "Princess Royal."

Younger sons of the monarch are frequently granted titles. Queen Elizabeth gave the title Duke of York (a traditional title for the second son) to Prince Andrew upon his marriage, and the title Earl of Wessex to Prince Edward. Princes with other titles retain all princely precedential rights." -Tami Cowden

So, unless the Queen's husband has a higher title in his own right, he gets promoted to prince. IIRC, Philip is Duke of Edinburgh, so his highest title is duke, which is lower than prince, so he gets called prince because he married the queen.

[MrBounce 0]

Ah yes, what a truly fantastic man. He may be a greek, but he sounds like he stepped right out of british colonial times. Who needs reality TV with a man likie that as your ambassador.

Gavin

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. If you don't take it out and use it, its going to rust.

[juanesky 0]

Quote

In the USA, the princess rules.

And the drama QUEEN, bitches [sigh]...

"According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

Quote

Basically it's all sexism (queue victim music crescendo)

If you have both a king and a queen, the king rules. Therefore, if the queen is the ruler, the husband has to be a prince consort (or whatever else she calls him).

Wendy W.

Well... its kind of like if Hillary becomes President... Billy will be the "First Husband"... fortunately the former will never happen...

[Andy9o8 2]

You know if you look at all the quotes, the guy does have a hell of a sense of humor; he just doesn't give a shit about being P.C. Terrific one-liners!

My favorite from your list:

"Do you know they have eating dogs for the anorexic now?" (2002) Said to a blind woman with a guide dog.



Being both the prince consort and the court jester has its advantages.

[freethefly 6]

This guy could make a living as a stand up comic. Some of what he says is just flat out funny!

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[Stumpy 284]

He only opens his mouth to change feet......

Never try to eat more than you can lift