Comedian: Queen 'a sad little old lady'
Ben Elton launched into a rant against the UK's royal family, joking that the Queen is a “sad little old lady”.
The comedian and writer, who declared his love for the UK yesterday as he denied he was relocating to Australia with his family for good, said the Duke of Edinburgh was a “mad old bigot” and branded the Prince of Wales a “disillusioned ex-hippy” in a TV interview Down Under.
Appearing on satire show 'Good News Week' screened on Monday, Elton went on to joke that he had slept with Margaret Thatcher.
When asked about the Queen, he said he had met her a number of times, before adding: “She’s an ordinary lady. That woman represents Britain more than any head of state represents their country... she’s a sad little old lady, right.
“She lives in state-sponsored accommodation. Her husband is a mad old bigot that wishes it was still the war.”
Describing how “three out of her kids’ four marriages have failed”, he said “the oldest one is a disillusioned ex-hippy” and “the middle one is a bit of a yob”. He also made a joke about the Earl of Wessex.
He added: “I’m just saying that’s a bog standard British family in all its rainbow glory. If she had a black one and a disabled one, she would have the full deck. That is a head of state.”
Elton, 50, was appearing on the show to promote his new novel Meltdown, about the global financial crisis.
Elton, who has three children with his Australian wife Sophie Gare, said yesterday he merely wanted to have some time near the Aussie side of the family.
