Prince William completely flubbed his speech honoring Michael Phelps

Last night, Prince William and Ian Thorpe came out for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards. Their task was presenting the SPOTY Award to Michael Phelps (among other honorees) for his stellar career and his record-breaking Olympic medal haul. While I did not know that William was going to come out for this event, surely William had some advanced knowledge, and he would have had some time to prepare a little speech, especially since he was specifically there to honor Phelps. So why did it seem like William was “winging it”?

This is actually what William said to Phelps:

“You are one of the greatest sporting icons that sport has ever had, and your 23 gold medals, never mind all the other colors, pales into sheer superhuman history. You should be so proud of your achievements. It’ll be many, many years before, if ever, anyone stands here again and calls you the greatest athlete in history. So, many, many congratulations. Hopefully your retirement gives someone else a chance now.”

[Via NBC Sports]

Wait, what? “It’ll be many, many years before, if ever, anyone stands here again and calls you the greatest athlete in history.” And “pales into sheer superhuman history”? William needs to stop hitting the bong before events. So, Twitter noticed. And it was sort of funny.

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Photos courtesy of Getty, WENN.

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61 Responses to “Prince William completely flubbed his speech honoring Michael Phelps”

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  1. justsaying says:

    When I see a pic of William, I see a whiney light bread. I don’t see “King William” in him.

  2. Mrs.Curious says:

    Does he still have his pilot job or was it too exhausting for him?

  3. Seraphina says:

    Practicing his lines, because lets be honest that wasn’t a speech, or at least being somewhat prepared requires exurting energy and show one cares. Obviously Wills does not.

  4. sara says:

    I think he was just nervous and shy. I know it’s his job, but sometimes people are nervous.

    • Who ARE these people? says:

      Preparation helps overcome the nerves. This is a prince who admitted to not reading his briefing notes on an overseas tour.

      • sara says:

        I didn’t know that! He needs preparation!

      • LAK says:

        That admission was doubly embarrassing because he didn’t realise that he was visiting a charity tied to his mother who he wants to be honoured at every turn including his wife wearing her ring!!!!

        Probably thought he was being cute in admitting his lack of preparedness.

      • OhDear says:

        Wow, I didn’t know that either. Despite his slacker reputation, I was going to give him the benefit of the doubt because sometimes nerves happens to the best of his. He really should abdicate if he’s treating his position like that.

      • Bitchy says:

        He has given speeches before, for example a speech in french during their visit to Canada.
        He wasn’t prepared.
        Let me guess. Originally Kate was supposed to go but she made William go last minute literally.

      • Seraphina says:

        My fourth grader prepares for his presentations to his class. There is no excuse. He knows better and if he didn’t, he has people around him who do. Inexcusable.

    • perplexed says:

      Why would you talk off the cuff if you’re talking to Michael Phelps in front of the world? He could have prepared some remarks — it sounded like a speech anyway, not impromptu.

  5. Canadian Becks says:

    Is that ” The Thorpedo” next to them?

  6. Sixer says:

    I watched that. It was hilarious! Well, if you are the mean-minded, snarky types like all chez Sixer, that is. Poor Phelps though.

    Bill had to come back out later to present the main award, which he was doing with Jessica Ennis-Hill and they didn’t even let him speak. She did the whole thing for first, second and third place and he just stood there like a lemon. We were in stitches cos we reckon someone backstage had hurriedly rewritten the script to keep him quiet.

    Briefing notes schmiefing notes, eh Bill?

    Phelps did a lovely little speech though. You Americans give your athletes much better media training than we give ours.

    • Digital Unicorn (aKa Betti) says:

      I wouldn’t be surprised if he changed it last min to try and be ‘funny’, as we know he’s such a comedian. Waity always laughs her ass off at his jokes.

    • Bridget says:

      Lol, Phelps is highly media trained after many gaffes during his early years (my personal favorite: getting LaineyGossip mixed up with a different Asian woman and accusing her of some sort of tomfoolery for wanting a picture with him).

      • Sixer says:

        Believe me, ours are worse! They generally just stutter their way through things whilst staring at their feet!

  7. Cerys says:

    William did not prepare a speech. Why is anyone surprised? This is the whiny princeling who finds even the most minor of royal duties too much for him.

  8. Who ARE these people? says:

    Hire him as Trump’s Tweeter and all potential foreign antagonists will be too busy scratching their heads to be offended.

  9. NatalieS says:

    That picture of the three of them: the level of achievement Michael Phelps and Ian Thorpe needed to get to be up on that stage, compared to the idiot princeling who was just born into his status and can’t even get a tiny speech right.

    Lol at William’s “listening” face.

    • Chrissy says:

      Yes, I noticed that contrast too. Just compare the training, sacrifice and hard work Phelps and Thorpe must have undergone to achieve what they have, to the boring, entitled, spoiled, petulant cry-baby prince who has achieved exactly nothing on merit and yet expects more and more. Why was he even there?

    • TyrantDestroyed says:

      Maybe that’s why he forgot his speech. Being next to two outstanding professional that close to his age and him having the single achievement of being a Prince only because of his genes can be intimidating. Not that I am excusing or anything, he is way beyond that since long ago.

  10. Vienna says:

    Aww Wills – the guy who doesn’t want to be king.

  11. Esmom says:

    When I saw the headline, I thought to myself “what could he possibly flub?” Well. I don’t think he could have done worse if he tried, lol.

  12. lala says:

    oh guys, you are just too harsh on Will (y). He simply forgot his notes. You know? It happens.

    But seriously…I have to do a lot of public speaking in my job and mostly in two foreign languages. And I know it rather well that the moment I fail to deliver a proper professional speech, I am fired. But it functions only for “normal” people. Will (y) is kinda wanna be – normal but oh – so – future – king. And of course, Mummy…you know.

  13. LAK says:

    Kate’s inability to string together a sentence has been noted often, but when you listen to William being interviewed or chatting to the public, without a script, he is not far ahead of her.

    • Yolanda says:

      It makes you wonder what they talk about when they are alone together…if they ever talk…or even spend time together..?

  14. Nancy says:

    Bill and Kathy do have their troubles but this is his destiny and hers when she married him. RIP Princess Di.

  15. Sushi says:

    William is just one glaring example of getting the job not on your merit. May be somewhere above the rainbow he had run fast enough to get first into the right womb, and once in, he is too tired or too lazy to do anything to justify his privilege.

  16. Odette says:

    William is the WORST at princing.

  17. graymatters says:

    Honestly, for all the Cambridge divorce talk, I really think that these two are meant for each other. They’re just not meant to be in any sort of public or leadership position. It almost makes arranged marriages look like a good idea.

  18. Lalu says:

    Something nice… Michael’s wife is lovely.

  19. DesertReal says:

    ….and that’s what happens when you don’t practice, work, or GAF folks.

  20. Shambles says:

    He should just… not take pictures with other men, ever. The difference in body language is always astounding. The other two men look confident, shoulders relaxed and chest open. Will looks like he’s pissed that he has to be there, and yet also feels like he doesn’t deserve to be there.

  21. Zombie Shortcake says:

    And Ryan Lochte didn’t get an award for Peegate???!!!

  22. Tourmaline says:

    He could care less and has a hearty contempt for everyone around him.

    Wasn’t it just a few months ago on his Canada tour he showed up at some location and basically bragged about how he didn’t bother to read his briefing notes and had no idea where he was?

  23. Kitty says:

    I fear for the monarchy after The Queen passes.

  24. Alison Ryan says:

    Sorry, but why is he so bad at this? It’s not like he hasn’t had training! Wills really needs to grow up and grow a set. Be a man! Practice, practice, practice….I guess Charles will be king for a long time.

    • Ollie says:

      Yeah that’s what i don’t get… Giving speeches is basically his normal day work. It is and always will be his main job “to talk”. With at least 20 years of coaching and practice and he still sucks at it? How is this even possible?

  25. HappyMom says:

    His mother would be so disappointed in how he’s turned out. And what do his grandparents think when they’re reading the papers over morning coffee?

  26. JaneDoesWork says:

    I’m not trying to be an asshole… but…. is William literally good for ANYTHING? Like is there anything he does that contributes in any way to anything? Michael Phelps has received many honors, but I’m sure this one still meant a lot and how rude of William to just wing it like that.

    • Arya says:

      Don’t worry, many people think like you – and rightfully so. He’s just no king material.

      • Kitty says:

        @Arya, I also think Charles and The Queen knows this as well.

      • Arya says:

        @Kitty: Could be, but honestly said, I don’t think she cares (anymore) about that. She’s doing her things and enjoys the last years of her life with her husband. William is Charles’ “problem”.

  27. callmeishmael says:

    CHRIST ON A COCKTAIL STICK WITH CUBED CHEESE AND PINEAPPLE AND A BABY PICKLED ONION.

    I’ll take it as a given that this slab of thumping arrogance didn’t prepare but it takes a certain extra magic to let that sort of omnishambles escape from your mouth. Was he drunk? I actually think he must have been drunk. Drunk, and wetting his pants at being sandwiched between two strapping titans who’ve actually *done* something to merit their fame. He managed both to be a bumbling schoolboy and to talk to Phelps like *he’s* one – “you should be so proud of your achievements”. UGH.

    For the love of god, Prince Pampers, take a good look at yourself.

  28. Ravine says:

    It doesn’t seem like he was ever encouraged/allowed to develop an enjoyment of public speaking on a personal level. Even when he comes prepared, he never sounds convincing or confident.

  29. Tina says:

    Let’s compare this to a) when Harry met Usain Bolt, and b) Harry’s speech at the Invictus Games. William is so much worse at this than Harry.

  30. Izzy says:

    Wow. You had ONE JOB.

  31. Kaz says:

    William would fail at Prince School. He often sounds awkward and insincere when speaking. His teammshould organise intensive media training and public speaking training. Poor Jason.