Prince Andrew tongue-tied by knotty piece of sculpture

Britain's Prince Andrew faced a knotty problem Saturday at the unveiling of a sculpture in New Zealand.

The prince was asked to say something about the sculpture commemorating the links between New Zealand and England when he looked back at a tangled knot of gray rods behind him.

"This sculpture is, um, interesting," Andrew said. "Having looked at it now . . . ."

The rest of his words were drowned out by laughter from the crowd.

"Those ties finally bind victor and defeated," he ventured as clapping broke out, adding "they also bind countries like the United Kingdom and New Zealand together."

The sculpture commemorated the 200th anniversary of the death of Admiral Horatio Nelson at the historic Battle of Trafalgar.