Prince Philip is a god in Vanuatu!

WHEN Prince Philip turns 92 on Monday, you can expect a lot of wild celebrations in London and the South Pacific Ocean!

That’s because in Vanuatu, the Duke of Edinburgh is no mere mortal he’s a god.

Although Christianity is the main religion in these parts, there are lots of other faiths around, too, and the Prince Philip Movement is one of the oddest.

All this bizarre behaviour began when many new faces arrived on the islands during the Second World War, and so-called Cargo Cults began.

The natives looked at what these unexpected visitors brought with them fancy goods, gadgets and clothes, and it made them feel like all foreigners were powerful and rich.

They believe here that ritual acts can lead to personal wealth, known as Cargo, and several small religions grew up worshipping the British, Americans and Aussies they met.

The people who would become the Prince Philip Movement already believed that a pale-skinned “son of a mountain spirit” would walk, king-like, across their sands, with a powerful lady by his side.

When Philip and the Queen came here for the first time, that seemed to fulfil their prophecies. They concluded Philip was the man, and ever since he’s been idolised as a god!

Tradition and beliefs saw the Prince sent a letter which he had to respond to, including a photo of himself.

Game for a laugh, Philip sent a pic, and received a club used for killing pigs in return!

He then had his photo taken holding the club, and the prophecy was fulfilled completely.

Amazing, for a man who’s gone very close to the bone with some of his thoughts on tribes, cults and foreigners in general, that one such group made him a god!

The Yaohnanen tribe, on Monday, will enjoy feasts, dancing, prayer and other traditions that Prince Philip would probably ridicule in any other place, that is.

But Philip does love having this group of faithful followers.

Well, to be fair, wouldn’t we all like to be seen as a god, after all?

Six years ago, believe it or not, a handful of the tribesmen came to Britain, to have a proper look at their god’s kingdom.

At five foot tall, they were shorter than most ordinary London tourists, and were armed with cameras, video machines and notebooks, with another camera crew behind them.

It was all part of an experiment done by a TV station, and the men lived here for a month, the first Yaohnanens ever to set foot in the UK.

Mind you, it must have felt like going on vacation to Heaven for them, so they were understandably nervous!

Back home, they live in mud huts and use pigs as currency.

Meanwhile, their god lives in Buckingham Palace and has never been short of cash.

It’s said that when they saw a statue of Prince Philip in a museum, they burst into tears, knelt before it, held its hands and praised it.

So you can only imagine how they’ll feel on Monday, to know their leader, who hasn’t been in the greatest of health lately, celebrates his 92nd birthday.

And you can only imagine what the birthday boy himself thinks of it all!