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Revealed: Philip's four-letter riposte to Diana funeral plan

A poised performance by Dame Helen Mirren in the film The Queen has, until now, provided the nation with the only clues about the atmosphere in Buckingham Palace and Balmoral Castle after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997.

Mirren's portrayal told us that the Queen found Downing Street's involvement irritating at first, though the royal family ultimately accepted Tony Blair's advice to open up. Prince Philip was grumpy, but realised that Blair, who hailed Diana as the "people's princess", had touched a chord.

Now the nation is given a taste of the true atmosphere behind closed doors thanks to an inside account of Tony Blair's Downing Street by the television journalist Adam Boulton, which is serialised in today's Guardian. Boulton reveals that the royals were so upset by No 10's micro management that at one point Prince Philip told No 10 to "fuck off".

The prince, who is known for his risque jokes, lost his temper with Downing Street officials during a discussion about the funeral arrangements for the princess, according to Tony's Ten Years by Boulton, the political editor of Sky News.
Read entire article at Guardian (UK)