Racism and the Monarchy: 10 Times the UK Royals Went a Little Too Far

#1 But the extended BBC television coverage of the event found itself mired in controversy, following a seemingly "racist" anecdote about the monarch, recounted by the "Only Fools and Horses" actor David Jason:

"She said she was talking to the family, and they were talking about an ambassador that came from another country, and she said 'actually, I thought that I was talking to a gorilla.' "

The comments were part of a somewhat fawning discussion, about the Queen's supposedly "dry" sense of humor, although it wasn't long before people were highlighting their apparently racist overtones.

Some monarchists were quick to rush to the defense of her Majesty, sharing a clip from the 1969 documentary "Royal Family," from which the comments seemed to originate. Though the clip does seem to back up David Jason's story.

This is — of course — not the first time that the British Royal family has found itself embroiled in accusations of racism.

In fact, it's been an unusually common occurrence over the years — although admittedly Prince Phillip has skewed the average a bit.

Here are the other 9 times the Royals — but mainly Prince Phillip — went a little bit racist:

#2

On a visit to a factory in Scotland, commenting on a tired looking fuse box, Prince Phillip said:

"It looks as though it was put in by an Indian."

#3

Back in the 1990's, Prince Phillip once asked a Scottish driving instructor:

"How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to pass the test?"

#4

In 2004, Princess Michael of Kent said to a table full of black New Yorkers:

"You need to go back to the colonies."

#5

When Prince Philip met with the former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, he mistook his traditional African garments for pyjamas, saying:

"You look like you're ready for bed."

#6

Prince Harry once told the black comedian Stephen K. Amos that he didn't "sound like a black chap."

#7

Back in 2009, during a visit from US President Barack Obama, Mr Obama told the Queen and Prince Philip: "I had breakfast with the prime minister; I had meetings with the Chinese, the Russians…," to which Prince Phillip responded:

"Can you tell the difference between them?"

#8

In an ill-judged move, Prince Harry decided to attend a costume party dressed as a Nazi, complete with a swastika armband.

#9

When he met the 2009 multi-ethnic winners of Britain's Got Talent "Diversity", Prince Phillip asked:

"Are you all one family?"

#10

Addressing a group of British students in China, Prince Phillip warned them against staying in the country for too long, or they might:

"…go home with slitty eyes."