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.

Future

As the second-born son of the Prince of Wales, it is unlikely that Harry will succeed to the throne. Note however that five out of the seven British monarchs since 1830 did not appear likely to succeed to the throne when they were born. While Edward VII and Edward VIII were the eldest son of the monarch, George V and George VI were second-born sons, Elizabeth II was the first daughter of the latter, William IV was a third-born son, and Victoria the daughter of a fourth son. In addition, three of them only found out that they would probably become monarch when they were older than Harry is at time of writing (2005): George VI, George V, and William IV. Going along the traditional notion of having an "heir and a spare", Harry might be viewed as the "spare" in case anything happens to his brother. Charles has stressed upon Harry that, because of his position, he must be of use in his life, and has rejected the boy's "ambition" of becoming a professional polo player.

Related Topics:
1830 - Edward VII - Edward VIII - George V - George VI - Elizabeth II - William IV - Victoria

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