Prince Philip's top gaffes, clangers and slip-ups

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Said to British students in China in 1986 Credit: PA

Prince Philip once notoriously said he was an expert in "dontopedalogy" - the science, he explained, of opening your mouth and putting your foot in it, which he said he had practised "for many years".

And today he slipped up again, appearing to tell a photographer to "Just take the f***ing picture**" during a Battle of Britain event.

Here are some of his most memorable gaffes from over the years.

Perhaps one of the Duke's most controversial comments, he was on a trip to China in 1986 when he told 21-year-old British student Simon Kerby that he was at risk of going home with "slitty eyes" if he stayed on in the country.

Speaking years later, he reportedly shrugged off outrage in the press over the remark, saying: "The Chinese weren't worried about it, so why should anyone else?"

A question to Aboriginal leader William Quinn Credit: PA

Speaking to Aboriginal leader William Brin at the Aboriginal Cultural Park in Queensland, Australia, during a visit in 2002, Prince Philip surprised everyone with this question.

"No we don't do that any more," Mr Brin replied. He later said he was "quite surprised" by the question, but thought it was funny.

To the President of Nigeria, who was in ceremonial dress Credit: PA

Prince Philip met the President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo at the opening ceremony of a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Abuja.

Obasanjo was clothed in ceremonial dress - which Prince Philip apparently interpreted as nightwear.

Said to Britain's Got Talent's 2009 winners Diversity Credit: PA

Winning Britain's Got Talent means winning the chance to perform for the Queen at the Royal Variety Show - and that's exactly what Diversity did in 2009.

Meeting the multi-ethnic dance troupe after the show in Blackpool, the Duke asked them if all 11 of them were members of the same family.

His verdict on Ethiopian art Credit: PA

On a tour of East Africa in 1965, Prince Philip let slip that he thought the artwork he was shown bore a similarity to that of his then-14-year-old daughter, Princess Anne.

The remark, which reportedly caused great upset among leaders, was not reported until years later.

Said to a Scottish driving instructor Credit: PA

Whether he was serious or not is unclear, but his question to a Scottish driving instructor in 1995 has made it into popular culture.

Upon being told that Madonna would singing the next James Bond song Credit: PA

Arguably a prophetic statement given critics' vehement panning of Madonna's single Die Another Day, the Duke was less than impressed when in 2002 he was told she was to perform the theme for the James Bond movie of the same name.

To black politician Lord Taylor of Warwick Credit: PA

Making small talk with Lord John Taylor of Warwick - a British peer of Jamaican origin - in 1999, the prince asked him what "exotic part of the world" he had come from.

"Birmingham," the Lord reportedly politely replied.

His verdict on Stoke-on-Trent in 1997 Credit: PA

Prince Philip had visited Stoke-on-Trent at some point in the past, and the experience had seemingly left him less than impressed.

When, in 1997 at Buckingham Palace, he was asked by the city's Labour MP Joan Walley what he thought of the place, he had just one word for her.

"Ghastly," he said.

Said to people in the Cayman Islands in 1994 Credit: PA

On a state visit to the Cayman Islands in 1994 alongside the Queen, the prince decided to ask whether the residents there had their heritage in piracy.

Perhaps not the best first impression.