It’s not every day you see a crocodile in suburban New Zealand, but in the lead up to Prince Philips funeral, a Napier family have a reptilian head proudly on display as a tribute to their late grandfathers unique connection with the Duke of Edinburgh.
Susanna Clark inherited the preserved head, which was gifted to her famous late grandfather, Sir Percy Wyn-Harris, by the Queens husband more than 60 years ago.
The colourful Sir Percy – an English mountaineer who climbed Mt Everest and also sailed around the world – worked in the Colonial Service in Africa and served as the Governor of Gambia, where he spent time with Prince Philip during his royal visit in 1957.
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My grandfather was a remarkable man and lived a remarkable life, Clark told Stuff.
Upon his death all his stuff was shipped over to my dad, an only child. And on my fathers death, all of his bits that hed inherited from my grandfather were distributed.
The crocodile head ended up being in my possession – much to my childrens horror at times.
Susanna Clark says her family are all proud of her late grandfather, Sir Percy Wyn-Harris, who led an adventurous life.
The extraordinary tale of Sir Percys encounter with the Prince, and the crocodile head, was revealed by Clarks brother Hawkes Bay farming identity and regular RNZ rural news contributor Steve Wyn-Harris on air yesterday.
During their time together, Sir Percy struck up a good rapport with Prince Philip, and would later travel around the world helping him to establish the Duke Of Edinburgh award, including here in New Zealand.
I think he was quite taken with my grandfather, [who] had been quite an adventurer, Steve Wyn-Harris told RNZs Jesse Mulligan.
Hed climbed to within 900 feet of the top of Everest in 1933, and found George Mallory or [Andrew] Irvines ice axe up there, and done that sort of thing, and they got on pretty well.
Of course [Prince Philip] was a great conservationist, but obviously not always, because theyd gone further up the Gambia River on this visit, on a smaller boat, and shot a couple of crocodiles.
And in all of my growing up, on the back step there was a dried crocodile head pinned to the side of the house, with shot by his Royal Highness Prince Philip underneath.
He said he thought his sister, who now has possession of the crocodile head, has it in the middle of her dining room table when she has flash dinner parties.
Grainy black and white footage of the Princes Gambian river safari still exists, while a picture of the Duke together with Sir Percy appeared on the cover of a 1957 issue of Paris Match, a French publication.
When asked about his prized croc catch, Prince Philip famously remarked: “It’s not a very big one, but at least it’s dead and it took an awful lot of killing!”
Clark admits she doesnt always have the crocodile head out on show, and only displays it in her private residence at her home, where she also runs an AirBnB called Hotel Suse.
I wouldnt dare put my crocodile head downstairs which is where my guests are. I tend to have it upstairs.
She says she currently has it out on display in respect for what went on between her grandfather and Prince Philip.
So the crocodile head is out there for the week. It may well go away again because I dont like to scare too many guests at Hotel Suse.
Steve Wyn-Harris says the Princes crocodile head was a memorable a part of his childhood.
She says friends and other visitors are often horrified when first confronted by the grisly relic, but always change their tune after learning of her grandfathers royal legacy.
[They always say] What on earth is that doing on the table? Really? Were not having crocodile meat for dinner!?
[But] theyre very impressed. And to be fair, it’s not our story, it’s our grandfathers story. He was the one that achieved his lifes work, and he can be extremely proud of it.
We are extremely proud, as his kin, but it’s his doing, not ours. It’s a shame we didnt know him for a bit longer, thats all I can say.
