Edinburgh Students Tattle on Private Chat : Prince Philip’s Remarks Rile Chinese

Chinese officials expressed amazement and British newspapers criticized Queen Elizabeth’s husband, Prince Philip, today for remarks he made in China about “slitty eyes.”

Prince Philip was also reported as describing Peking as “ghastly” during an off-the-cuff private chat with the students from Edinburgh University studying Chinese in the central city of Xian.

Simon Kirby, one of the students, also quoted the prince as saying: “If you (British students) stay here much longer you will go back with slitty eyes.”

The Today newspaper in London said the prince had caused a “diplomatic uproar” with his comments.

But the queen’s press secretary, Michael Shea, said in Kunming, where he was traveling with the royal couple, that the prince was not disparaging China. Shea said the conversation was jocular with the remarks taken out of context.

A Chinese official, asked about the remarks today, said “I can’t believe he would have said such a thing. I hope it is not true. Would he not have realized the consequences of saying such a thing?”

The incident made banner headlines on the front pages of mass circulation London newspapers today.

“Bungling Prince Philip put his foot in it and rocked the Queen’s serenely triumphant march through China,” the Daily Mirror said.

Today said officials around the queen were furious and “deeply embarrassed by his tactless remarks.”

“His humor doesn’t travel well,” the Daily Mail said.

But the duke was unrepentant.

During a tour of a temple near the southwestern city of Kunming this morning, the duke was asked by a reporter: “Do you think you were too blunt with the Edinburgh students?”

“I thought the Edinburgh students were rather tactless,” the duke replied with a smile.