Prince Philip blanks on Cate Blanchett

LONDON, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Prince Philip mistook Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett for a DVD technician at a social gathering, the newspaper said.

Instead of recognizing the actress for her film work in which she played Elizabeth I two times, the 86-year-old duke of Edinburgh asked her for advice on how to plug in his broken DVD player, the Daily Mail reported Wednesday.

"The duke of Edinburgh meets so many people when he is escorting the queen on engagements. These are often film stars, actors and actresses. I cannot recall an occasion recently when he might have met Miss Blanchett but we do not always get guest lists for every engagement or social function," a spokesman said.

The prince reportedly has a reputation for social faux pas.

"If you stay here much longer, you'll all be slitty-eyed," the prince reportedly once said to some British students who were visiting China.