The messy prank Prince Philip pulled with his grandkids that left Queen Elizabeth fuming

While many might expect Royal Family lunches to be formal affairs, that was rarely the case when Prince Philip was present, as he was known for adding a splash of mischief to the gatherings.

The late Duke of Edinburgh reportedly had a mischievous streak, and no one knew it better than his grandchildren, who previously shared details of a particularly messy prank that left younger royals in stitches and the Queen less than amused.

As part of the documentary Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers the late Duke of Edinburgh’s grandchildren spoke of the prank he would play during family lunches that involved a tube of mustard.

Prince William shared that “Instead of like a mustard pot we’d have a mustard tube, a squeezy mustard tube. And then he’d squish your hands together to fire the mustard onto the ceiling.”

“He used to get in a lot of trouble from my grandmother for covering most of the places we had lunch and things with mustard on the ceiling,” he added, as per The Mirror.

Philip’s older grandchildren, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, also fondly reminisced about their grandfather’s playful antics.

“I can’t remember exactly what he says but he ends up slamming your hands together…. It goes all over the ceiling,” Zara said.

Peter added: “I actually think the marks are still there.”

While the late Prince Philip often showcased his playful side, he was equally recognised for his thoughtful gestures towards his grandchildren.

Writing in People magazine, royal historian Robert Lacey shared that a young Prince William was emotionally vulnerable when he started at Eton College after both his parents divorced. In response, the Queen invited the young prince to weekly lunches with her at Windsor Castle, as the prestigious boarding school is located close to the royal grounds.

However, it was Prince Philip’s idea to set up the weekly tete-a-tetes between the Monarch and the then second-in-line to the throne, according to Lacey.

“The 13-year-old was in a fragile place, alone and just starting boarding at the elite Eton College across the river from Windsor,” he wrote.

“Concerned for her grandson’s emotional state, the Queen invited William up to join her when Eton boys went home for the weekend.

“It was Philip’s idea to set up the lunches between William and his grandmother.”

According to Lacey, the late Duke of Edinburgh was also an important mentor to the young prince and even helped prepare him to take over the crown.

“Philip was crucial in helping coach William as a future King,” Lacey wrote.

“When the time came for the Queen to talk business with William, Philip would quietly excuse himself because he didn’t feel that the constitutional side of the Queen’s job was something he wanted to interfere in.”