Prince Edward's Australian Gaffe

3 weeks ago 30th Oct 14:00

Britain's Prince Edward has said death attracts young people to an award scheme.

The Queen's youngest son - who was in Australia to celebrate 50 years of the Duke of Edinburgh award - sparked controversy after he responded to questions about a 17-year-old participant's death by comparing it to another death in Britain, saying the risk was what drew young people to the scheme.

It was just that psychology about what makes young people tick

Prince Edward said: "The sense of adventure, the sense of excitement, that it gave you that sort of risk element, young people are like that still; that sense of adventure, that sense that death is possible.

"Obviously we don't want that to happen, certainly it's not our intention. It was just that psychology about what makes young people tick."

David Iredale, 17, died on a training camp for the scheme in 2006 after collapsing when he got lost and ran out of water.

Australian commentators said the Prince's comments were "crass" and "insensitive".

The furore comes seven years after Prince Edward's famously gaffe-prone father, Prince Philip, asked an Aborigine whether he was still "throwing spears".