It's probably safe to say that occasionally racist British author Martin Amis won't be throwing a Royal Wedding party at his place, after his remarks in the French magazine Le Nouvel Observateur. He makes some good points, actually, about how such intense media scrutiny can ruin a young person's life, and shows sympathy towards William and Harry. And besides calling the royal family a bunch of "philistines," he also said:

  • "The atmosphere is going to be irrational, very British in a sense."
  • "The problem is that the Queen doesn't listen to what you say to her. Because she is not supposed to understand the remarks that one makes to her."
  • "I had a lunch with the Duke of Edinburgh. He was surprised by my profession: 'Oh, you're a writer.'"
  • "[Charles is] charming, he has an extraordinary laugh, like a pigs snore."
  • "In reality, I'd prefer not to be English."

Harsh! These quotes of course lead the Daily Mail to ask, breathlessly, "Why DOES Martin Amis hate his own country?"

[Telegraph; image via Getty]