'He didn't make any sense!' Prince William is teased on Twitter over his 'disastrous' tribute speech to Michael Phelps at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards

  • Prince William appeared to fluff his lines while presenting Lifetime Achievement award to swimmer Michael Phelps at the Sports Personality of the Year Awards 
  • He told Phelps his 23-medal haul: 'pales into sheer superhuman history'
  • Twitter teased the royal about his apparent gaffe, saying he 'made no sense' 
  • Others suggested he 'made his speech up' and Phelps was much more eloquent
  • Another cringe-worthy video shows the prince showering Phelps with praise 

As one Twitter user quipped: 'It was a case of all the right words, but not in the right order.'

Despite a lifetime of public speaking behind him, Prince William made almost no sense to viewers watching the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year awards as he presented a lifetime achievement trophy to Olympian Michael Phelps.

The 'disastrous' speech saw armchair sports fans teasing the 34-year-old royal for being ill-prepared...after he appeared to tell swimmer Phelps, 31, that his 23-strong medal haul: 'pales into sheer superhuman history.'

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A lifetime of public speaking experience and it can all still go wrong: Twitter mocked Prince William last night after he told decorated Olympian Michael Phelps 'Your 23 gold medals pale into sheer superhuman history'

I think you're talking about me...Phelps smiled throughout despite William's speech often not making much sense; Twitter wasn't so forgiving

Even princes get it wrong: social media users chastised William for appearing to mess up his speech on stage at the Genting Arena in Birmingham last night

Moments later, William was at it again, telling the now completely befuddled Phelps: 'It'll be many, many years before, if ever, anyone stands here again and calls you the greatest athlete in history.'

In sharp contrast, Phelps was applauded for his own eloquence as he spoke movingly on stage about his career and life with his young son, Boomer. 

Unsurprisingly, Twitter quickly derided William for the gaffe. ‏

@emsyglover29 wrote: 'That was a shocking speech from Prince William! Didn't sound like he knew what he was on about.' 

‏@GMFree also picked up on it: 'Prince William insults Olympic swimmer @MichaelPhelps on #SPOTY telling him his achievements pale into insignificance.'

Can YOU understand what he means? Prince William's awkward speech to Michael Phelps in full

PRINCE WILLIAM: 'It's a huge honour for me to be here this evening on what has been an incredible, memorable year for sports. 

It's also a particular privilege to be here Michael to give you your lifetime achievement award.

You're one of the greatest sporting icons that this world has ever had and your 23 gold medals - never mind all the other colours - pales into sheer superhuman history.

You should be so proud of your achievements and 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 and hopefully your retirement gives someone else a chance now.'

Seconds after the first gaffe, William added: 'It'll be many, many years before if ever anyone stands here again and calls you the greatest athlete in history.'

U.S. swimmer Phelps finally took hold of the microphone after winning his lifetime achievement award - and gave a speech fans applauded on Twitter

One Twitter joked suggested the BBC 'should've gone with Harry' saying: 'He'd have been banter - can of lager and ending by doing a dab.'

Michael Phelps' wife Nicole Johnson grinned as she listened to Prince William speaking about her husband at the jam-packed Birmingham Genting Arena

The model mum - to the couple's son Boomer - welled up as her husband spoke about his astonishing 23 Olympic titles

Tom Campbell ‏joked: 'Prince William's speech was a mess. Should've gone with Harry IMO. He'd have been banter - can of lager and ending by doing a dab.' 

‏@MrCCMiller quipped: 'Still sweating after Prince William's "how do I end this sentence in which I'm using 'pales into insignificance' incorrectly" moment?'  

@DizzyClueless was more sympathetic, writing: 'Aw poor Prince William. #SPOTY - We knew what you meant.' 

ALL THE WINNERS

Sports Personality of the Year: Andy Murray (Alistair Brownlee 2nd; Nick Skelton 3rd)

Team of the Year: Leicester City

Coach of the Year: Claudio Ranieri

Lifetime Achievement Award: Michael Phelps

Young Sports Personality of the Year: Ellie Robinson

Overseas Sports Personality of the Year: Simone Biles

Helen Rollason Award: Ben Smith

Unsung Hero Award: Marcellus Baz

‏@Jasonharvey70g1 added: '#SPOTY great job by prince William, I think some of the words came out in the correct order.'

And William's second meeting with Phelps, this time accompanied by wife Nicole Johnson, was no less cringe-worthy after the royal poured praise on the swimmer's achievement, again calling him 'superhuman'.  

One viewer, who uploaded the clip to YouTube suggested footage of the royal was William 'fan-girling' over the former Olympic swimmer.

When Phelps revealed to the prince that he swam 'just for exercise' now, William put it to the Olympian that he was probably doing what mere mortals might call 'superhuman training - just 200-300 laps.'

Sports fest! Birmingham's Genting Arena was awash with sports stars for the annual ceremony

More than 1,000 sports stars packed into the Birmingham Genting Arena and the biting cold did not deter thousands of people attending to be close to their heroes. 

Phelps received the BBC Sports Personality lifetime achievement award after capping his career with five Olympic golds in Rio. 

The American took his record Olympic haul to 23 golds and 28 medals in all, claiming individual 200 metres butterfly and medley titles and three relay triumphs.

He retired following the Rio Olympics this summer.

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