126 Quotes by Gyles Brandreth

It was Napoleon who said if you want to understand a man, look at the world as it was when he was 20. When the Queen and the Duke were in their early 20s, it's around 1940. Their values are the values of Britain in 1940; all that is best of Britain in 1940 is exemplified by the Duke.

Prince Philip had formally 'retired' in the summer of 2017, a couple of months after his 96th birthday, because the Queen encouraged him to do so. She wanted to stop him 'pushing himself all the time'. She had become anxious about him.

During the summer of 2000, in the run-up to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's 100th birthday, I asked the Duke of Edinburgh if he was hoping to reach 100. 'Good God, no,' he spluttered, 'I can't imagine anything worse. What a ghastly idea.'

Prince Philip prides himself on being a realist. He knows he is not going to live for ever.

Contrary to the popular caricature of him, the Duke of Edinburgh was neither judgmental nor unfeeling.

Prince Philip is conscious of his place in the heritage of the Royal Family.

I think the Duke of Edinburgh would have been pleasantly surprised by the reaction to his death.

First and foremost, I am a writer. That's what I have spent my life doing.

Prince Philip's principal role since 1952 has been to support the Queen. Alongside that, he has created his own working life as founder, fellow, patron, president, chairman, or member of at least 837 organizations - as well as a Colonel or Colonel-in-Chief, Field Marshal, Admiral, Air Commodore 42 times over.