Prince Philip 'used to get in a lot of trouble' with the Queen—weirdly, it involved mustard

Prince Philip used to prank the Queen with the assistance of his young grandchildren and a bottle of mustard

Prince Philip
(Image credit: WPA Pool / Pool / Getty Images)

Prince Philip used to enlist his young grandchildren to assist him in pranking the Queen by squirting mustard on the ceiling of their royal residences.


Prince Philip died at the age of 99 in April this year, at his home in Windsor Castle. Prince Philip’s cause of death was old age as he was just months away from his hundredth birthday and had reportedly suffered from deteriorating health for many weeks ahead of his death. 

In an hour-long BBC One documentary titled Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers, members of the royal family have come together to share sweet memories about the Duke of Edinburgh.

Prince William said in the documentary that he used to play fun practical jokes with his grandfather. "He used to take the lid off [the tube] and put it in your hands... and then he'd squish your hands together to fire the mustard onto the ceiling," said the Duke of Cambridge.

Prince William revealed that the Queen was unimpressed by the Duke’s antics as he said, "he used to get in a lot of trouble from my grandmother."

Princess Anne's children also revealed that they too had squirted mustard on the ceiling during their youth. 

"He gets you to hold it in your hands and I can't remember exactly what he says—but he ends up slamming your hands together... it goes all over the ceiling," says Zara Tindall.

"I actually think the marks are still there," her brother Peter Phillips added.

Prince William concluded, "He enjoyed those jokes; he enjoyed messing around with the children and being a grandfather."

Other clips in the documentary have shared that Prince Philip's sense of fun didn't just extend to his grandchildren, and many of his children enjoyed having their 'young father' around who often played 'silly games' with them.

This documentary will also contain some serious moments and includes an interview with Prince Charles as he reveals his sweet last words to Prince Philip before he died.

Prince William and Prince Harry have paid 'heartwarming' tributes to their grandfather in the BBC's first teaser clip for the documentary.

The documentary is set to air on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, on BBC One at 9pm. It was originally conceived to celebrate the Duke's 100th birthday, but following his death the direction of the documentary became a tribute to the late Prince Philip.

Laura Harman

Laura is the Entertainment Editor for woman&home who primarily covers television, film, and celebrity news. Laura loves drinking and eating and can often be found trying to get reservations at London's trendiest restaurants. When she's not wining and dining, Laura can also be found travelling, baking, and hiking with her dog.