Britain's Prince Philip adds to his list of gaffes
The Duke of Edinburgh made the comment during a visit to Luton and Dunstable University Hospital to open a £5.5 million [HK$65 million] cardiac centre. The nurse appeared to take the comment in good humour and laughed before the duke moved on.
Britain's Prince Philip told a Filipino nurse that her country "must be half empty - you're all here running the NHS [the tax-funded National Health Service]" - in a demonstration that his ability to raise eyebrows remains undiminished at the age of 91.
The Duke of Edinburgh made the comment during a visit to Luton and Dunstable University Hospital to open a £5.5 million [HK$65 million] cardiac centre. The nurse appeared to take the comment in good humour and laughed before the duke moved on.
Prince Philip told a Filipino nurse that her country "'must be half empty - you're all here running the NHS'
The visit was his first engagement of the year after his Christmas break at Sandringham. A spokeswoman for the hospital described the royal visit as a huge boost for staff morale.
The duke described himself as being in a jovial mood, adding that he was the "world's most experienced curtain puller".
The duke is renowned for making gaffes during his public appearances. He famously told British students during a 1986 state visit to China: "If you stay here much longer, you'll all be slitty-eyed."
He also once told a group of deaf youngsters: "Deaf? If you are near there, no wonder you are deaf," referring to a school's steel band.