Prince Philip's tourism rant

27-10-2008 14:00

Britain's Prince Philip reportedly branded tourism "national prostitution" during his recent official visit to Slovenia.

The 87-year-old prince - who spent several days touring Slovakia and Slovenia with his wife, Queen Elizabeth - made the comments to a professor, despite royal aides continually claiming tourism is vital to the British economy.

Tourism is just national prostitution. We don't need any more tourists. They ruin cities.

Dr Maja Uran revealed the prince said to her: "Tourism is just national prostitution. We don't need any more tourists. They ruin cities."

One million people visit the queen's London residence Buckingham Palace and her Berkshire home Windsor Castle each year.

Uran was among four experts who met the prince in the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana, and during the meeting she told him she was planning on organising a network of people with sound local knowledge to help out tourists.

She told Britain's The Daily Mail newspaper: "He laughed and said, 'Tourism is just national prostitution.' I couldn't quite believe he used that word and we all collapsed in embarrassment."

Despite his comments, Uran enjoyed her discussion with Philip, claiming he was "charming".