The Prince and the BBC
Saturday, April 10, 2021 at 13:26 Tobias Menzies, the actor who played Prince Philip in series 3 and 4 of The Crown, has tweeted:
If I know anything about the Duke of Edinburgh I'm fairly sure he wouldn't want an actor who portrayed him on TV giving their opinion on his life, so I'll leave it to Shakespeare.
"O good old man! how well in thee appears
The constant service of the antique world ...”
RIP
Likewise I’ll spare you my views because I’m absolutely certain Prince Philip would give even fewer hoots for the opinion of a smokers’ rights lobbyist.
As it happens, it’s said that Philip gave up smoking on the eve of his wedding in 1947 at the request of Princess Elizabeth.
Whether that’s true or not I don’t know. The only member of the Royal Family I’ve read is strongly anti-smoking is Prince Charles, although it didn’t stop him marrying a smoker (Camilla), even if she subsequently quit.
Nevertheless you can understand why it may have been a sensitive issue in the Royal household, especially after the premature death of George VI, a heavy smoker, in 1952.
Anyway, all I want to say is that if there’s one thing apart from his intelligence and curiosity that shines through most of the reports and obituaries it’s Prince Philip’s enduring sense of humour.
One amusing clip on social media shows Philip addressing the National Press Club in Washington in 1990. You can watch it here.
The relevant two-minute section, which includes an amusing (and non-racist!) joke involving Japan, starts at 07:25.
If, on other occasions, he sometimes made the odd ‘gaffe’ in an attempt to make a joke or lighten the mood, so what? I defy anyone to attend tens of thousands of public events over 70 years and never say anything they might possibly later regret.
Meanwhile there has been some ‘debate’, on social media at least, about the wall-to-wall coverage of Prince Philip’s death on television and radio.
The BBC in particular has apparently received a lot of flack for having cleared its entire schedule to cover the story across every TV channel and radio station.
Hilariously, the broadcaster has responded by setting up a dedicated complaints page on its website! If that’s not a sign of an internal war I don’t know what is.
To be honest, I’m not sure why the BBC felt the need to devote its entire schedule to the story. But is it really a complaining matter?
Whatever your feelings about the man or the monarchy, the death of Britain’s longest-serving consort is unquestionably a big moment in our history, the impact of which may not be truly understood for several decades.
In the circumstances, postponing programmes such as Masterchef or Gardeners’ World is hardly a big deal.
My guess is that the BBC’s blanket coverage was down to two things.
One, in a bid to counter accusations of ‘liberal’ bias, the corporation went too far the other way, which is what happens when you are tone deaf to the true voice of the nation.
Two, I strongly suspect that, in broadcasting terms, this was a dress rehearsal for an even bigger event, the death of the Queen herself.
That really will be a seismic event in our history, not least because many people’s ambivalence towards Charles will almost certainly prompt a huge debate about the future of the monarchy.
Meanwhile, congrats to the BBC for the simple yet classy ident (above) that appeared between programmes yesterday. What a pity it can’t replace - on a permanent basis - the dreadful idents it currently uses.
Call me old-fashioned but ...
Reader Comments (1)
While I'm a republican I once knew an old school bishop,former royal chaplain and ex-Navy man who was a close friend of the Prince, with a similar fruity vocabulary and liking for strong drink. From that acquaintance I heard some funny (and unrepeatable) stories about the Prince and developed a soft spot for an old British 'type' of which he may have been the last example.
So, no time for the monarchy but sorry to see the old duffer go, though I wish the BBC had planned better. I came home last night from the last of a series of gruelling 12 hour shifts in a care facility. Not needing to rise at 6 AM today I was looking forward to chilling out with a drink and some late night BBC 4. Since the Beeb's dumbing down and the rise of the Kevin Turvey School of Journalism (if anyone remembers that old Rik Mayall character) it's the only BBC channel I can watch without vomiting.
In my place, can't help feeling either the Bish or the Prince would have expressed their displeasure like chief stokers who've just discovered someone forgot to get the rum in.
Never mind, today I may just raise a glass in honour of both and leave it at that.