During his lifetime Prince Philip was known for his candour, which some of the time led to him putting his foot in his mouth.

While Prince Philip didn’t lead the monarchy, he had huge influence behind closed doors, and when he died in 2021, loving tributes from the other royals quickly poured in.

Prince Harry praised his late grandfather’s “seriously sharp wit” and Philip’s ability to “hold the attention of any room due to his charm— and also because you never knew what he might say next.” Meanwhile Prince William knew all too well his grandfather’s ability to say just about anything, and on one occasion was seen trying to stifle his laughter when Philip seriously lost his patience.

The incident occurred back in 2015 when the royals came together to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain – which saw the British Armed Forces defend Great Britain against attacks from the German airforce in the Second World War. Philip, accompanied by Prince Edward, Prince William, and other royals, was posing for a photograph with ex-servicemen who had taken part in the Battle of Britain.

The photographer was taking his time getting everyone ready for the picture, which irked Prince Philip, who was 94 years old at the time. Philip, who served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, snapped – and used some pretty informal language to make his displeasure known, the kind of which the public doesn’t usually hear coming out of the mouths of the Royal Family during official engagements.

Prince Philip lost his patience as the group shot was being taken (Image: Getty Images)

“Just take the f*****g picture,” Philip told the photographer, a moment that was caught on film by the Telegraph. Standing behind him, Prince William struggled to contain his laughter, and Philip’s son Prince Edward – who now holds his late father’s title of Duke of Edinburgh – also seemed to attempt to hold in his own giggles at Philip’s impatience.

Needless to say, the photographer quickly obeyed Philip’s pretty brusque request, and once the picture was successfully captured, Philip was free to leave his posed seated position and got up immediately. While the late Duke of Edinburgh’s language was pretty unusual for a royal, he was always known for saying exactly what he thought – no matter what.