'Solid as a rock': Essex sailor who crewed with Prince Philip in the 1960s shares memories of the late Duke

  • Here Neil tells ITV Anglia's Charlie Frost about that 'rude rhyme' and why the Duke was such an asset as patron to the club for almost 70 years. 


Neil Kennedy crewed with Prince Philip aboard the Duke's racing yacht 'Bloodhound' in the 1960s. 

The boat was entered into numerous races and won many of them. Many of the young royals at the time also learned to sail on her. 

When not being used by the Royal Family Bloodhound was loaned to sail clubs across the country, encouraging many people into the sport.

Back then the Duke certainly made an impression on Neil as an 18 year old sailor, teaching him a rude rhyme to remember how to dock the yacht in Portsmouth. 

The pair were to be reunited 30 years later, when Neil was the Commodore of the Royal Yacht Club in Burnham in Essex, and the Duke came to the club for lunch as patron. 

Royal Burnham Yacht Club with the flag flying at half mast Credit: ITV Anglia

Neil said the duke was ‘just like everybody else’.