I read the Times of Malta article ‘UK’s Prince Philip caught on camera swearing at photographer’ (July 11). This is really part of a boorish, lifelong tendency by Britain’s Prince Philip to use expletives when he gets even mildly perturbed.

His vulgar habit has even trickled down to his daughter, Princess Anne, who has been known to tell more than one reporter to “F*** off”.

For a family with royal bloodlines, a great number in that family seem like dysfunctional commoners. It is hard to believe, but absolutely true, that Prince Philip and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, are also second cousins to each other via two different bloodlines.

Each is descended from the late King Christian IX of Denmark and Elizabeth and Philip are both great great grandchildren of Britain’s elegant queen of the 1800s, Queen Victoria, who lived most of her reign as queen in the role of a perpetual grieving widow.

It seems the queens have exhibited elegance and genuine grandeur befitting their role. Then, by happenstance or design, many of the princes – including Prince Philip and his eldest son, Prince Charles – have seemed more like “frogs”.

Prince Philip may be aged 94 and entitled to a little bit of leeway. However, if he is able-bodied enough to attend the 75th anniversary of The Battle of Britain, he should have harnessed his forked tongue for a few minutes.

His manners are reprehensible and his patience may have been worn thin, however, a few added minutes of his time would have been a small sacrifice compared to the soldiers and airmen (on both sides of that battle) who lost their lives.

I have always admired Queen Elizabeth and I admire her grandson, Prince William and his wife Princess Kate and their two young children.

I certainly hope that the next generation of Royals take after Queen Elizabeth’s refined manners and not Prince Philip’s rude and uncouth attributes.