Royal Watch News

Prince Philip asks health secretary who he is

Oct 17, 2012, 11:01 GMT

Prince Philip

Britain's Prince Philip made a gaffe last night (16.10.12) when he failed to identify the UK's health secretary.

The 91-year-old royal - who is famous for his inappropriate comments - met Jeremy Hunt at a Buckingham Palace reception to thank those involved in Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, and bluntly asked him: 'Who are you?'

Jeremy then explained he is the current health secretary but had been the culture secretary at the time of the Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympics earlier this year, to which Philip replied: 'Well they do move you people on a lot.'

But Jeremy had another awkward moment when he left the queen bemused by attempting to make a joke about her Olympics opening ceremony skit with Daniel Craig, in which the royal appeared to parachute out of a plane.

He said: 'I read about a Japanese tourist who said afterwards how wonderful our queen must be to take part in that as they would never get their emperor to jump out of the plane.'

However, Elizabeth didn't seem too impressed with the health secretary's comment as she smiled, shrugged her shoulders politely before moving on to speak to someone else.

More than 350 helpers enjoyed champagne and canapes at the event including Take That singer Gary Barlow, who organised a Diamond Jubilee concert at the Palace in honour of the monarch earlier this year.

When asked by the queen whether he 'had recovered' from the stress of putting together the spectacle, he replied: 'Yes, but have you recovered Ma'am?' She then said: 'I think so, yes.'