Prince Harry of Wales

Prince Henry of Wales (Henry Charles Albert David Mountbatten-Windsor) (born September 15, 1984), informally named Prince Harry by his parents,{{ref|parents}} is the third in the line of succession to the British throne and the thrones of other Commonwealth Realms, behind his father, the Prince of Wales, and his elder brother, Prince William of Wales). He is the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II. He has generally been regarded as a carefree, fun-loving, and rebellious member of the British Royal Family. The Prince has also become well known as a magnet for controversy and gaffe-plagued actions.

Controversies

Drug-taking and alleged drinking

Some of Harry's actions have provoked widespread media attention. In January 2002, it was revealed that the prince had admitted smoking marijuana and had allegedly engaged in under-age drinking, raising the possibility that criminal charges would be filed against him in the summer of 2001. A subsequent police investigation cleared Harry of wrongdoing and Harry's father Charles was praised for his handling of the situation, which included taking Harry to visit a drug rehabilitation facility in London. However, the basement of Charles's Highgrove home is rumoured to be a private nightclub nicknamed "Club H", where Harry and his friends can entertain themselves free of observation by the press.

Related Topics:
2002 - Marijuana - 2001 - London - Highgrove

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Altercation with paparazzo

On the morning of October 21, 2004, Harry had an altercation with a paparazzo as he left a Piccadilly Circus nightclub. After the story appeared in the tabloids, he issued a statement in which he stated that his behaviour had been "disappointing" and in which he publicly apologised to Charles.

Related Topics:
October 21 - 2004 - Paparazzo - Piccadilly Circus

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Nazi costume

On January 8, 2005, Harry attended a "fancy-dress" party (costume party) on the theme of "Colonials and Natives" at the country estate of Olympic show jumper Richard Meade in Wiltshire. Choosing not to use any British reference, Harry came to the party wearing a military tunic with a German flag on the arm; when he took it off, the pale khaki shirt underneath showed a Wehrmacht national emblem on the collar and a swastika armband. A reporter from The Sun who had been tipped off previously took a photo of Harry that also showed him holding a cigarette and a drink. The incongruity of his 'costume' was punctuated by the fact that the swastika on the armband was of the type used by the Finnish military. After the photo was published in the January 13, 2005 issue of The Sun, an intense controversy resulted, including demands that the prince be barred from entering the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (as well as contrary demands that he join the Army as soon as possible). The uproar was caused not by a simple distasteful choice of costume, but because of Harry's apparent ignorance of historical sensitivities and the alleged message of disrespect for British World War II veterans and their families, which included his own grandparents: the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. The controversy was exacerbated because the party took place exactly two weeks before the British commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland by the Red Army.

Related Topics:
January 8 - 2005 - "fancy-dress" party - Wiltshire - Military tunic - German flag - Khaki - Wehrmacht - Swastika - The Sun - Cigarette - Drink - Finnish military - January 13 - Royal Military Academy Sandhurst - World War II - British commemoration - Auschwitz concentration camp - Poland - Red Army

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Prince Harry responded with a written apology in which he said that he was "very sorry if I have caused offence" for his "poor choice". Prince Charles, who was reportedly "incandescent with rage" over the incident, ordered Harry and his brother William—who was present when Harry chose his outfit—to visit Auschwitz privately, with members of a Jewish charity, to learn about the Holocaust, its causes, and consequences. However, The Times called the apology "feeble" and denounced his involvement with a "dubious group of self-indulgent young men who are apparently content with a life of pointless privilege". The Guardian was even sharper in its condemnation, observing that "Prince Harry seems less interested in preparing for a life of royal service than auditioning for the role of village idiot...", although other printed media and newspapers were more deferential.

Related Topics:
The Times - The Guardian

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