Quotes from Gyles Brandreth

In fact, when I shake hands with all those wonderful people at the Stratford Literary Festival, they will be shaking hands with the hand that shook the hand of Oscar Wilde.

Several people have told me that Queen Elizabeth made slighting comments about Philip within their hearing, and referred to him - not entirely humorously - as 'the Hun.'

Indeed, the Duke of Edinburgh's disdain for his eldest son was all the more shocking because he made little or no attempt to hide it.

Prince Philip's principal role since 1952 has been to support the Queen. Alongside that, he has created his own working life as founder, fellow, patron, president, chairman, or member of at least 837 organizations - as well as a Colonel or Colonel-in-Chief, Field Marshal, Admiral, Air Commodore 42 times over.

The private Prince Philip - the inner man - was infinitely more difficult to reach. He was more sensitive, more thoughtful and more tolerant than you'd expect, but he kept these qualities hidden.

I regularly dream about the Queen. Apparently, millions of people do. I wonder who she dreams about?

Was Prince Philip in love when he proposed to Elizabeth? At the time, he was a relatively penniless prince, with a rackety family and no home to call his own.

I mean, I am relatively pleased with myself and the world. But I don't assume that I'm liked.

Life has not turned out as I hoped it would.

The fact that the Meghan and Harry interview was aired while Philip was in hospital did not trouble him. What did worry him was the couple's preoccupation with their own problems and their willingness to talk about them in public.

During the summer of 2000, in the run-up to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's 100th birthday, I asked the Duke of Edinburgh if he was hoping to reach 100. 'Good God, no,' he spluttered, 'I can't imagine anything worse. What a ghastly idea.'

I don't want to jeopardize my relationship with royalty by saying too much.

I heard one woman say to another in the queue at a book signing: 'I shouldn't be buying this. He's a former Tory MP, you know.'

In many ways, Prince Philip was remarkably good-humored and long-suffering.

I did once talk non-stop for 12 and a half hours, but it was to raise money for a worthwhile charity. At least, that's my excuse.

Once, during one of the jubilee tours, I was in the car immediately behind theirs and I watched Prince Philip telling the Queen a story. He kept her laughing for 20 minutes.

I think it should be made clear that the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, they have not got into bed together; they are merely sharing a room.

I suppose I am instinctively flirtatious. But not exclusively to women. I want to be liked.

Being made redundant is a personal tragedy.

I know that the Duke of Edinburgh's rule was, 'Don't talk about yourself, don't give personal interviews.' I know that, and I know he told his children that because he told me.

There is an invisible moat around the senior royals.

When I was an MP, John Prescott barracked me in the House of Commons, shouting: 'Woolly jumper! Woolly jumper!'

Contrary to the popular caricature of him, the Duke of Edinburgh was neither judgmental nor unfeeling.

When I was an MP, I worked at the department where we gave honors to people from the arts world, I was quite keen.