Britain's Prince Phillip has landed himself in hot water by telling a 13-year-old schoolboy that he is "too fat" to become an astronaut.
Andrew Adams's mother Jacqueline Booth branded the Prince an "ignorant fool" after he made the remarks during a visit to Salford University and said he should keep his mouth shut.
Andrew, who is 4ft 8in tall and weighs seven stone, met the Prince while he was inspecting the NOVA spacecraft.
According to reports the Prince asked Andrew about the spacecraft before saying: "Well, you'll never fly in it, you're too fat to be an astronaut."
Andrew, who wants to become an actor not an astronaut, said he was surprised by Prince Phillip's comments, adding: "I was bothered about what he had said. I was really cross. What gives him the right to be nasty to people just because he's married to the Queen?
"I don't think I'm fat, it's just that my dad is big and so are some of my family, but I eat well and play a lot of sport."
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said no comment could be made as he was unaware of the conversation.