27.10.09

DUKE OF EDINBURGH MAKES ANOTHER SOCIAL GAFFE DURING STATE FUNCTION


THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH HAS COMMITTED ANOTHER GAFFE AFTER TELLING BUSINESSMAN ATUL PATEL "THERE'S A LOT OF YOUR FAMILY IN TONIGHT" DURING A RECEPTION FOR 400 BRITISH INDIANS AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE. THE PRINCE, 88, WHOSE JOKES HAVE LANDED HIM IN HOT WATER IN THE PAST, WAS WELCOMING HIS GUESTS AT THE EVENT AHEAD OF THE STATE VISIT BY PRATIBHA PATIL, INDIA'S PRESIDENT, THIS WEEK. HE MADE THE REMARK AFTER NOTICING MR PATEL'S NAME TAG AS ATTENDEES LINED UP TO MEET THE ROYAL COUPLE FOLLOWING THEIR ARRIVAL AT THE PALACE. A SPOKESMAN FOR PATEL CONFIRMED THE COMMENT WAS MADE BUT SAID THE 47 YEAR OLD CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF LHA-ASRA GROUP, ONE OF BRITAIN'S FOREMOST HOUSING ASSOCIATES, HAD TAKEN IT IN GOOD HUMOR. HE TOLD THE SUN: "ABSOLUTELY NO OFFENSE WAS TAKEN AT ALL BY ATUL. IT WAS TAKEN IN A VERY LIGHT-HEARTED WAY." PATEL IS THE SECOND MOST COMMON INDIAN SURNAME AFTER SINGH, AND IS THE 24th MOST POPULAR IN BRITAIN WITH ABOUT 670,000 PATELS LIVING IN GREAT BRITAIN. PRESIDENT PATIL BEGAN HER STATE VISIT TO BRITAIN BY ARRIVING IN LONDON LAST NIGHT. SHE WILL BE OFFICIALLY WELCOMED BY THE QUEEN AND PRINCE PHILIP TODAY BEFORE A GRAND STATE BANQUET TONIGHT AT WINDSOR CASTLE, WHERE SHE WILL ENJOY A TWO-NIGHT STAY. IN 2000, PRINCE PHILIP ATTRACTED CONTROVERSY WHEN HE SAID DURING A TOUR OF A FACTORY NEAR EDINBURGH THAT A FUSE BOX WAS SO CRUDE IT "LOOKED AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN PIT IN BY AN INDIAN."

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