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When Tony Abbott was peppered with questions about why Prince Philip was worthy of a knighthood, the Prime Minister quickly spruiked the Duke of Edinburgh's role as patron of "hundreds" of organisations.
But fewer than 50 of those are in Australia, the British Monarchy's own official website reveals.
The database lists Prince Philip as patron, fellow or member of 44 organisations and charities in Australia, among them the Australian Carriage Driving Society and the now defunct Sydney University Tiddlywinks Society.
Of the 44 organisations, the Duke of Edinburgh is named as patron or patron-in-chief to just 10, including Surf Life Saving Australia, the Alfred Group of Hospitals, the Ian Clunies Ross Memorial Foundation and the Royal Sydney Yacht Club.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has pointed to Prince Philip's public service as justification for the knighthood.Credit: Getty Images
The Prime Minister has faced a storm of criticism for his decision to award a knighthood to the British royal instead of an Australian. Defending the decision on Australia Day, Mr Abbott praised Prince Philip as a "great servant" of Australia.
"He's the patron of hundreds of organisations. He's the inspiration and wellspring of the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards, which have provided leadership training for tens if not hundreds of thousands of Australians over the years," Mr Abbott said.
"I'm just really pleased that in his 90s, towards the end of a life of service and duty, we in this country are able to properly acknowledge what he's done for us."
Other charities and organisations which the British Monarchy identify Prince Philip being involved with include the New South Wales branch of the Returned Services League of Australia, the Australian Institute of Building and the Melbourne Cricket Club.
Fairfax Media has approached the Prime Minister's office for comment.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported in June 1967 that the Duke of Edinburgh had turned down an offer to become patron of the Sydney University Tiddlywinks Society but had agreed to become an honorary member.
"Membership of the SUTS includes about 250 academics who, when not playing tiddlywinks, gather to hear tales about Winnie the Pooh, Piglet and Heffalump," the paper reported.
Prince Philip's formal involvement with Australia, according to the British Monarchy database:
Honorary Life Member
Air Force Association of Australia (The Royal Australian Air Force Association)
Patron In Chief
Alfred Group of Hospitals (Alfred Health)
Life Member
Athenaeum Club, Melbourne
Royal Fellow
Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
Patron
Australian Carriage Driving Society
Honorary Life Member
Australian Institute of International Affairs
Field Marshal
Australian Military Forces
Patron
Australian Outward Bound Trust
Patron
Australian Rugby Football League, Board of Control
Life Member
Australian Underwater Federation
Patron
BirdLife Australia (was Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union (Birds Australia)
Honorary Life Member
Canberra Polo Club
Honorary Freeman
City of Melbourne
Honorary Member
HMA Cruisers Association
Patron In Chief
HMAS Canberra/Shropshire Association
Life Member
HMAS Hobart Old Comrades' Association
Patron
Ian Clunies Ross Memorial Foundation
Honorary Member
International Assembly of National Organisations of Sport
Life Member
Naval Association of Australia
Patron
Norfolk Island Flora and Fauna Society
Honorary Member
Returned Services League of Australia, New South Wales Branch
Marshal
Royal Australian Air Force
Colonel In Chief
Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Admiral Of The Fleet
Royal Australian Navy
Honorary Life Member
Royal North Australian Show Society
Patron
Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
Admiral
Royal Yacht Club of Victoria
Commodore In Chief
Sandringham Yacht Club, Australia
Chief Patron
Surf Life Saving Australia
Honorary Member
Sydney Legacy
Honorary Member
Sydney University Tiddlywinks Society (defunct)
Royal Fellow
The Australian Academy of Science
Colonel In Chief
The Australian Army Cadet Corps
Honorary Member
The Australian Club
Honorary Fellow
The Australian Institute of Building
Honorary Fellow
The Institution of Engineers, Australia
Honorary Life Member
The Institution of Radio and Electronics Engineers, Australia
Honorary Life Member
The Melbourne Cricket Club
Life Member
The Naval and Military Club, Melbourne (defunct)
Life Member
The Returned and Services League of Australia
Honorary Fellow
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Honorary Member
United Commercial Travellers Association of Australia Limited
Life Member
United Service Club of Brisbane
Honorary Member
University Club, Sydney
* The names and forms of many of these organisations have changed over the years. Some appear to be defunct.