One summer, Prince Philip was presented with a birthday present of three pairs of carriage-driving gloves. He unwrapped the parcel and inspected the gift. The first pair of gloves were a light tan colour. The duke sniffed approvingly. The second pair were dark tan. 'Thank you very much,' he said. The third pair were a pale lilac colour. He held them up disdainfully between his thumb and forefinger and said: 'I think we'll give these to the Prince of Wales.' I was there when he said this — and his biting sarcasm came as no surprise. By the late Eighties, he often gave the impression that he wished his first-born were more robust and less fey.