Prince Philip’s Playful Prank: Testing the Royal Housekeeping Team

Prince Philip’s Playful Prank: Testing the Royal Housekeeping Team

Prince Philip, known for his mischievous sense of humor, had a playful habit in Buckingham Palace’s Chinese Dining Room. The late Duke of Edinburgh would hide peas in the mouth of a dragon statue under the mantel to test the housekeeping staff. This was his way of ensuring they were thorough in their duties, and indeed, they always were.

The Duke’s Legacy of Laughter

Prince Philip passed away in 2021 at the age of 99. His grandson, Prince William, described his sense of humor as “mischievous.” In 2025, William shared with actor Eugene Levy about his grandfather’s ability to create “quite a few laughs,” sometimes deliberately and sometimes by accident.

“My grandfather was incredibly amusing,” William said. “We had a lot of laughs, and he had a great sense of humor, as did my grandmother. But my grandfather definitely was the one who would create quite a few laughs. And it was happy times. There was always a warmness, there was always laughter, there was always a family feel.”

Mustard Pranks and Family Memories

Prince Philip was also known for his mustard pranks on his grandchildren. William, along with his cousins Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, recalled a particular prank involving a mustard tube. Prince Philip would trick them into holding the tube and then slam their hands together, firing mustard into the ceiling.

“He used to get in a lot of trouble from my grandmother for covering most of the places we had lunch with mustard on the ceiling,” William admitted. “He enjoyed those jokes and enjoyed messing around with the children.”

Explore the Chinese Dining Room

The Chinese Dining Room, where Prince Philip would hide peas, is featured in the East Wing Exclusive Guided Tour. These 90-minute tours take visitors through the East Wing, showcasing the Chinese Dining Room, the Principal Corridor, the Yellow Drawing Room, and the Centre Room, where guests can see the iconic balcony used for events like Trooping the Colour.