Prince Philip Just Received His Aussie Knighthood From The Queen And Boy Is He Excited About It
Doesn't he look just thrilled.
Remember when Tony Abbott announced he was giving an Australian knighthood to local legend, the Duke of Edinburgh and unshelled peanut Prince Philip? They were simpler times, when we assumed our elected head of government wouldn’t do things like slap on a pair of speed dealer sunnies or chomp down on an onion like a rogue dairy cow. How we have learned since then.
That supremely boneheaded decision triggered an outpouring of derision unseen since the last time Christopher Pyne did something and almost cost the PM his job, but the knighthood went ahead in London yesterday regardless. In a laid-back ceremony at Windsor Castle, the Prince was handed some nice medals by his wife in recognition of all the amazing things he’s done for Australia over the years, like paying us a visit every so often and asking some Aboriginal people if they “still throw spears at each other”. The Queen wore a grey dress, standard black heels and that expression of weary forbearance she’s had on for the last fifty years or so.
As if Philip’s day couldn’t get any better, the Royal Handing Over of the Thing was attended by Alexander Downer, a former Liberal Foreign minister who is about as exciting company as a pile of used Wet Ones. Downer was there in his official capacity as Australia’s London High Commissioner, which involves facilitating royal events involving Australia and also being ritualistically devoured by the Duke every full moon. Here, the two are pictured in the moment just after Downer attempts a joke to ease himself into the Duke’s good graces, and just before the Duke hits him on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper.
Technically Philip’s been an Australian knight (or “top bloke,” in the native’s tongue) since Australia Day when Abbott announced it, but the pomp and ceremony of such events still counts for something, and nothing says pomp and ceremony like an elderly woman giving her husband an award for Best Australian before they retire to watch Gogglebox in bed.
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Feature image via Getty.