Prince Philip used to squirt mustard on the ceiling in a prank that got him in trouble with Queen, royals say

The royal family has revealed one of the Duke of Edinburgh’s favourite pranks, though they said the Queen didn’t like it.

Prince William fondly recalled how his grandfather used to play a practical joke involving mustard.

"He used to take the lid off [a tube of mustard] and put it in your hands... and then he’d squish your hands together to fire the mustard onto the ceiling,” the Duke of Cambridge said.

“He used to get in a lot of trouble from my grandmother for covering most of the places we had lunch and things with mustard on the ceiling.

He added: “He enjoyed those jokes, he enjoyed messing around with the children and being a grandfather.”

Prince Harry added that he remembers his grandfather’s facial expressions as he reacted to the “craziness that was happening around him”.

Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The Viral Democracy

Grandchildren Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall also reminisced about the trick, with Philips remarking: “I actually think the marks are still there.”

The royal family were speaking as part of a new documentary celebrating the life of Prince Philip.

Originally meant to mark the Duke’s 100th birthday on 10th June, the documentary features interviews recorded before and after his death on 9th April.

More than a dozen royals have taken part in the documentary, sharing memories and reflections about the life and legacy of Prince Philip as they remember him.

Although the monarchy is a grand institution, it’s heart-warming to know that the illustrious royal was also just a regular grandfather who loved joking around with his grandchildren.

Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers airs on Wednesday at 9pm on BBC One.