Sajeda Momin

London: In India, Prince Phillip, the Queen’s gaffe-prone husband is known for his controversial comment about the massacre at Jallianwala Bagh, but his image is not much better in the country to which he has been married for over 60 years.

In order to change the way his wife’s subjects see him, Prince Phillip has agreed to participate in a fly-on-the-wall style two-part documentary that will attempt to show him in his ‘true colours’.

The programmed to be aired on British TV on Monday and Tuesday night, which took 18 months to produce, is the first time that the 88-year-old consort of the Queen has allowed cameras to focus solely on him rather than his more important wife.

Prince Phillip, who was born into the Greek royal family, is seen in Britain as a grumpy traditionalist who runs his family and is a strong behind the scenes influence in the Queen’s life. He is believed to have had a poor relationship with the late Princess Diana and was blamed for her alleged ‘bad treatment’ by the royal family. His public comments have also shown him to be xenophobic and some have even called him a Nazi sympathiser thanks to some of his brothers and sisters’ alleged links with Hitler.

Sick of the bad press that he receives the Duke of Edinburgh was keen to have something that would counteract his negative image and hence allowed the cameras to follow him around and even gave an extremely rare interview to veteran broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald.

Viewers will see Prince Phillip barbequeing at his family home in Balmoral and charming Carla Sarkozy, the French president’s new young bride.

“He shows us the things that drive his life — issues such as ecology, conservation, over-population, wildlife and the future of young people. But because he doesn’t like talking to the camera or talking about himself, it was also one of the most difficult films I have ever made,” said producer Kim Tuberville.

“He’s difficult but not cantankerous. He gave his tacit approval for us to film him but he doesn’t like being filmed. He doesn’t look at the camera or make eye contact but he knows you are there,” said director Sebastian Durthy.

Source : DNA