LONDON, ENGLAND, June 7, 2002: The UK press article entitled “Joke of Edinburgh” sarcastically recounts the Queen’s husband’s gaffe during their visit to a Hindu temple yesterday: “Prince Philip put his foot in it yet again yesterday when he asked four Tamil high priests: ‘Are you Tigers?’ The Hindu leaders had to give the daft duke a lesson about Sri Lankan militant group the Tamil Tigers, who are behind several terrorist attacks. One told him: ‘No we are priests. We are not associated with violence.’ Philip’s latest blunder came as he joined the Queen for a visit to the Highgate Hill Murugan Temple in north London. It was the first time the monarch has visited a Hindu temple in Britain. High priests lit candles and blessed their royal visitors in the Sanskrit language. Luckily, Philip’s daft comment was met with laughter. Later, one of the priests said: ‘We weren’t offended. He was just joking.’ Earlier, the Queen and Duke were decorated with garlands. Before the colorful visit, the Queen started her day at a bus depot in Willesden, north London. She met drivers and thanked them for helping to keep the capital moving during the weekend Jubilee celebrations.”
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