News: 1617974292

A top chap with a lot of good sense. Personally I'd like to have had his pair of hands in charge recently dispensing pithy advice and commands. We'd all be the better for it.

I suppose you have to mention this. Hey ho, but I for one will be keeping my TV turned off. There is precious little to watch as it is, and now it will be replaced with wall-to-wall royals. This may be nectar to some, but not to me. He was 99. That's a damned good age by anyone's standard.

Just say he's dead and move on. [I added that just to attract the downvotes. :-)]

Ah but - how many of the hoi polloi would be offered/get a heart operation at 99?

> the hoi polloi

'hoi' is already the definite article.

Philip was a Good greek, I thought?

He was a Dane...

Technically he was British, in as much as European royal in-breeding allows.

He was born in Greece, but as a rather johnny-come-lately immigrant - his grandfather was "elected" king(!) by a British/French/Russian protocol in 1863.

His mother was born in Windsor Castle, her father having given up his German titles and become the Marquess of Milford Haven.

There was much confusion as to his exact heritage when he was granted British citizenship and took the Mountbatten name prior to marrying Princess Elizabeth.

In 1972, Lord Dilhorne did some digging on behalf of Lord Mountbatten and concluded that he'd been a British subject all along, as were all descendants of [1]Sophia of Hanover (which Philip was through his mother via Queen Victoria).

He was actually more Royal than the Queen, given that he had royal ancestry through both parents.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_of_Hanover

We've had Brexit. Now Dexit (Duke exit). I wonder when will we get Quexit?

Usage

Some linguists argue that, given that hoi is a definite article, the phrase "the hoi polloi" is redundant, akin to saying "the the masses". Others argue that this is inconsistent with other English loanwords.[11] The word "alcohol", for instance, derives from the Arabic al-kuhl, al being an article, yet "the alcohol" is universally accepted as good grammar.[12]

CBBC and CBeebies are still airing other stuff.

Couldn't agree more. One of the big benefits of moving overseas, and to a republic no less, is that we don't get forelock tugging enforced mourning periods.

I still have clients in the UK, and for one of them we have been working on a system for "operation London bridge" where government and local authority web sites are basically expected to force users via a nag screen about whichever royal has died. Would piss me off if I was trying to find out when to put my bins out and have to read irrelevant stuff like this that is already being rammed down my throat elsewhere.

'One of the big benefits of moving overseas, and to a republic no less, is that we don't get forelock tugging enforced mourning periods.'

I'll raise you a China, Cuba, Russia, North Korea ...

I see your China, Cuba, Russia and North Korea and, erm.... Ireland (which is the closest republic but somehow failed to make your list), and raise you the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other assorted head-chopping feudal states.

I remember when the Thai website of one of my customers was closed for a year after the king died. Mawkishness is not limited to the UK and no doubt many other countries TV networks will be running similar programmes, not least because archive is so cheap.

How about the radio? There I was listening to the BBR Radio 4 'World at One' news program, which seems to be entirely about HRH's death and life, so eventually I turned over to BBC Radio 3*. But my radio was broken because I got exactly the same program. So I hit the remote again, and again, and again, and then I checked: Radio 3 and Radio 4 were broadcasting the same news program about Philip's death. Cue the CD player (Sibelius, played by Leif Ove Andsnes).

Now he was an interesting chap, although admittedly did have a severe case of 'foot in mouth' disease at times, the letters he wrote to Diana P of W during the break up of her relationship with Charles were very considerate, but we do have Brexit, a deadly pandemic, global warming, riots in Belfast, warfare and starvation in Yemen, and lots of other really important things to think about (not to mention my vacuum cleaner packing up), so hopefully the news outlets will cover other important items too, eventually.

*(I'm cultured, live with it, I have to.)

The BBC has rules as to what it has to broadcast when a senior member of the Royal family dies. Programming may change for up to three days I think. Expect the usual chorus of disgust, from the usual suspects, that a reporter (or the whole organization) was insufficiently respectful in the usual places in the Press tomorrow. Perhaps a tie was the wrong colour, or a suit wasn't sober enough.

Reactions like yours do show how much of a part the BBC still plays in people's lives in the UK. Maybe it is worth defending against the defunders after all.

I recall assisting with the creation of Phillip's obituary in 1978, and at regular occasions thereafter - it was a common news studio downtime activity, updating obituaries.

As AC says above: the BBC has rules for what happens in the event of a death in the Royal Family - whether you voted for 'em or not.

Yep. Over 65 and voted for Brexit? This is the cherry on top.

I have to say it would be a very quiet news day if they get around to covering your vacuum cleaner problems.

Given how many times in one day Sky News manages to run other trivial stories, I'd think a defunct vacuum cleaner would have their news desk in raptures. Especially if it's a Dyson, with a possible Brexit angle.

They could run a bunch of Vax Pops

Ok, ok I'm leaving, no need to push

That idea just sucks

My vacuum cleaner is indeed a Dyson V11 animal. The original problem was that the trigger mechanism is no longer strong enough to depress the switch on the battery module to engage the power. The battery module is removable (take out 3 screws with a Philips small head screwdriver). I phoned them up and they sent me a replacement cyclone unit (I had to transfer the battery unit, the filter unit and the cylinder bin unit). Unfortunately the replacement cyclone unit has a loud whistle, which is basically unbearable after 5 minutes (I have tinnitus). So they are sending me another one, even though the warranty expired the day before I complained about the noise.

I am available for interviews, exclusives, Radio and TV appearances chat shows, game shows etc.*

*Terms and Conditions Apply: No TV until I've had a haircut and been seen by the dental hygienist. Exclusives are for the UK only, European or Global syndication at extra cost. No Piers Morgan under any circumstances. I will only perform vacuuming fully clothed under controlled conditions approved of by my manager**. I will not do early morning anything (what is the point of being retired if you can't have a lie-in every day?). This notice does not indicate that any contract will be signed by anyone anywhere at any time, nor does it indicate in any way any dissatisfaction with the vacuuming capabilities of Dyson or other brands of house cleaning equipment.***

**applications are now 'open'.

***Now that I come to write my own disclaimer, T's and C's etc, I begin to appreciate how tricky it is, maybe, after all, those lawyer types are actually useful, now and then.

I'd love to hear about the vacuum cleaner problems. Far more interesting than this wall to wall, repetative twaddle.

He's dead, sad, happens every day, move on.

@ TVC. Your wish ... is my command (see my reply to above posting).

Get yourself a robo vac (mine is a neato). Had it 5 years and I still find myself being impressed at how good it is at mapping and efficiently vacuuming a floor.

Stray shoes with laces dangling are a nemesis though.

The large collection of Persian carpets with tassles here effectively rule out any automation and the robots seem to be behind their Dalek overlords when it comes to (say it quietly) stairs .

What it if was a Kardashians vacuum cleaner? Top story!

Is that what they use to keep Deep Space 9 clean?

4 Extra is usually immune from this kind of stuff, isn't it?

I'd like to single out the BBC for outrageous over the top coverage. The same programme on three channels all day! (BBC1, BBC2, BBC NEWS) What is the point? You can only watch one programme at a time. I would cheerfully strangle whoever scheduled this massive over-reaction.

I've already complained to them; I suggest everybody else do the same.

Oi! Get arf my land!

I liked Philip - and his gaffes really make me laugh. Now, hopefully, we all just might get an extra bank holiday soon!

I guess he couldn't handle Mario 35 ending last week.

Fair winds, and following seas, Old Boy!

*Observes a respectful moment of silence*

It's tragic for the queen to lose her husband and two of her cousins on the same day.

I am always slightly bemused by the legion of people who claim to like Phil the Greek because he's outspoken and willing to say what he thinks even if it offends some people.

Because when I say I think he's a bell-end, these principles seem to suddenly disappear.

He appears to be more restrained than you.

He is now, nearly a day and he hasn't said anything racist. Let's hope he keeps it up.

He was fairly quiet over Prince Andrew's relationship with Epstein, especially for someone who's supposed to be so outspoken and says what he thinks.

I think though, NerryTutkins, you have to remember there are people out there who's lives depend on the fact of having the Royal Family to cling on to, as if they're in the water and the only thing they have for buoyancy is an upturned lifeboat. Not considering of course, total inaction of the Royal Family over successive governments caused the boat to sink in the first place.

Not considering of course, total inaction of the Royal Family over successive governments caused the boat to sink in the first place.

I think we should consider ourselves lucky that no government has seriously fallen out with the royals since 1642. One civil war in 400 years is quite enough.

Which makes it even worse as far as I'm concerned.

The Queen, and Royal Family, are only meant to be figure heads for the country. For tourism apparently (as that seems to be the go to excuse for still having them).

Yet here we are, PtG dies, the Queen goes in to 30 days of mourning with the current 8 days where no laws can be passed. All political parties have stopped campaigning because of it.

This is supposed to be a democracy, so how can a democracy pause for the death of an unelected person who's only real job was to cut ribbons at leisure centre openings?

I think if the Belgians and their democracy can survive months (or was it over a year?) without a government, ours could probably do the same.

> This is supposed to be a democracy

Who told you that? We have parliamentary representation in a constitutional monarchy. The last exercise in actual democracy was a referendum on continued membership of the European Union.

Well, even that was technically only a consultation. And a good lesson in policy by referendum is often a mistake.

James vs his daughter Mary married to William was actually a civil war.

Then before Cromwell, there was the War of the Roses.

Before that, Stephen and Matilda.

It's a puzzle that people think there was only one Civil War. All of those were before the Act of Union with Scotland in 17?? and then with Ireland in 180?

Brexit is almost a fifth one.

Prince Philip, and his mum, certainly had his good points. Queen Elizabeth's family is nearly as German as Greek/Danish/German Philip. That's why they changed their name to Windsor.

Not considering of course, total inaction of the Royal Family over successive governments caused the boat to sink in the first place.

I suspect that you don't understand the concept of a Constitutional Monarchy, and I also suspect that you don't really want to either.

What, exactly, would you have had them do?

"What, exactly, would you have had them do?"

There have been quite a few times these last few years when I would have the Queen deliver a speech to the house of commons and tell them all to quit their whinging and fighting, and get on with the jobs they were elected to do, before she executes the whole bally lot of them.

The Queen isn't allowed into the House of Commons. MPs got rather... sharp... with the last monarch who went in there and tried to tell them what to do.