Prince Harry faces outcry at Nazi costume

[tomahawk6]

The Prince has few responsibilities and way too much free time to get into trouble. Too bad his knee prevented him from attending Sandhurst this month or this wouldnt have happened. The sooner he joins the Army the quicker he will grow up.

 

[c4th]

I would be surprised if anyone who spent their first day of life as international front page news did not have at least a little bit of media savvy after 20 years.  Assuming that he is not touched in the head, I would wager that Prince Harry knew exactly the media and international response that would be generated by wearing a Nazi uniform. 

An honest youthful mistake is about as likely as the 'average' 20 year old jaywalking across the 401 without looking both ways.

A rebellion, or an "I'm an untouchable celebrity" cry for help?  Maybe.

 

[George Wallace]

OK

Try this:

Replace "Prince Harry" in this context, with the name of any Political figure you want and see if your reaction is the same......

GW

 

[c4th]

Replace "Prince Harry" in this context, with the name of any Political figure you want and see if your reaction is the same......

Yup, works for everyone except Jörg Haider.

 

[LF(CMO)]

The best way to learn, is from your mistakes.......... is a poor costume choice by a 20 year old kid.

Having raised four kids (all teenagers at the same time and three of them girls!!).   I would say that there is a whole lot of wisdom in the above statement!

 

[winchable]

Replace "Prince Harry" in this context, with the name of any Political figure you want and see if your reaction is the same......

Close but not quite (imho) replace "Prince Harry" with the name of a child of any political figure, how many of them have done stupid things in the media spotlight? (Tony Blairs son comes to mind)

c4th is right, every Royal is at least a little media savvy, I would wager young Harry knew what kind of reaction he would get but didn't really realise the extent of it.
I also think this is as a result of younger generations losing touch and memory with WW2 events and history, I think the trip to Auchwitz would do him good, and rumour is that's what his father wants.
Official releases state that Harry visiting the camps would put the "wrong kind" of media attention on the event, which I agree with.

 

[Hoplite]

Maybe he just wants to be a rockstar or a street-sweeper or something (which is entirely acceptable in a liberal democracy) - but because of our insistence of an inherited institution, he never really got the chance to do so because expectation (along with the paparazzi) was lumped on him and and his brother from day one.

This expectation (because of who his grandmother was) was unfairly lumped upon him, I would agree with that.  However, I have not heard many complaints about the lifestyle that it has brought him.  Perhaps Eton failed to teach him the age old adage of "there is no such thing as a free lunch."
There is an expectation on him, and that IS NOT on other celebrities (perhaps unfair, a topic for another thread), to maintian an appropriate level of decorum at all times.  

Is this asking too much of a young man?  Perhaps, young people are prone to making mistakes.  But, it is not an unfair expectation that a future king would have the common sense not to do something so ridiculous.  His training and education are supposed to have imparted that into him.

Maybe the training didn't work, maybe he wants no part of the throne.  Abdication always remains a possibility.  No one is forcing him to remain in queue.  

I feel bad that he has long been under the microscope because of his mother.  He is in the transition period to being judged because of the being tied to the monarchy, hopefully the military might make things a touch easier for him.

 

[George Wallace]

Che

Again, close, but not close enough.  Tony Blair's son could be used as example should he be as large a public figure as his father.  He is not.  Prince Harry is.  He has been in the Public  eye since birth and should know the ramifications of his actions, now he has become a young adult.  The "age argument", IMHO, is invalid.  He has been brought up and trained in how to behave in Public since birth.  He made a poor choice in judgement and got caught.  He should have known better.

GW

 

[qjdb]

The question that I ask, is where were his 'handlers'?  I am sure that he has to have at least one person who said to him, "Er, Harry, do you think that is such a great idea?"

Were all these people so over-whelmed by his Princeliness, that they just let him do his thing?

Quentin

 

[Infanteer]

However, I have not heard many complaints about the lifestyle that it has brought him.  Perhaps Eton failed to teach him the age old adage of "there is no such thing as a free lunch."

How many other Eton graduates are hounded daily by the press?

Maybe the training didn't work, maybe he wants no part of the throne.  Abdication always remains a possibility.  No one is forcing him to remain in queue.

He will still be branded with the title of Prince, even if he were to step out of line.

I guess the general thrust I've my arguement is that we are setting ourselves up for disappointment by foistering the duties of an inherited monarchy on people who's only qualification is their lineage.  Sure, the media may poke at the transgretions of the Bush daughters, but they are scolded to "remember who their father is" while Harry is constantly pestered for failing to "remember who he is"; whether he wants it or not.

In a liberal democracy, where meritocracy is the rule, people are entitled to amount to nothing if they wish (just as they are able to strive to something if they work for it).  I'm suspicious of the inherited monarchy because the Head of State is closed to any Canadian (or British) citizen simply because they were not born into it, while Harry cannot get away from it and be a "Joe-Blow Sixpack" even if he tried.

 

[c4th]

How many other Eton graduates are hounded daily by the press?

He will still be branded with the title of Prince, even if he were to step out of line.

Harry cannot get away from it and be a "Joe-Blow Sixpack" even if he tried.

Life must be really hard.  I suppose any royal could seek an audience with the Queen and renounce their titles and any responsibilities and privileges that go along with it. 

Other than King Edward VIII I haven't observed too many of the blue blood set lining up to abandon their posts.

As it were, he has accepted the Queen's shilling...

 

[PPCLI MCpl]

I wish the scandal hungry public and opportunistic media would react with equal outrage and indignation to the people who proudly wear the swastika.

Having said that, it was still a poor choice of costume.

 

[winchable]

haven't observed too many of the blue blood set lining up to abandon their posts.

And if he were to do that, there would be just as much media outcry and outrage in the British public.
Rock and a hard place.

 

[Kirkhill]

Amen Che

 

[735_winnipeg]

exile him!

 

[RCA]

Strike two.

 

[winchable]

Was strike one punching out the photographer? I'd of done the same myself.

Some more thoughts about young Harry of Windsor and this...thing:

I am a royal supporter and as such have overlooked some of the..lesser moments in recent history, but I found Harry's apology to be completely inadequate.
He better bloody well visit Auschwitz, rumour has it his father, brother and grandfather are all pushing for him to go and if he doesn't I will be sorely disappointed as will many in Britain, I expect due to this he will go.
Until this point he was far from perfect and definetly more the more "human" of the royals but he did do some altrustic things for a late teen and 20 year old so while it is certainly right to scold him, lynching might be somewhat inappropriate as he does have potential to develop into a respectable royal despite his failings.

On a side note, thankfully we have William to look forward to(those of us keen on the monarchy)

Just spitballing I suppose.

 

[Goober]

I don't see how forcing him to goto Auschwitz would change anything. One should goto Auschwitz on his or her own accord to show respect, and to remember the victims of that camp. If he goes, its just going to look like the only reason he is there is to appease those who are offended, and not for remembrance.

 

[Armymedic]

I don't see how forcing him to goto Auschwitz would change anything. One should goto Auschwitz on his or her own accord to show respect, and to remember the victims of that camp. If he goes, its just going to look like the only reason he is there is to appease those who are offended, and not for remembrance.

The thinking is probably the same for any bad deed, he must show some sort of pennace to atone for his error. Sorta like going to Anger management, or community service.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

I would have been more worried if his costume had actually been authentic.  He was wearing a civilian shirt, East German border guard collar tabs, and a homemade armband.

No one in North Africa actually wore swastika armbands (though some members of the NSKK may have served in theatre) - and his costume was pretty much a get up straight out of the Raiders of the Lost Ark/Indiana Jones movies.  In other words, complete fantasy.

I suppose he could get a pass based on that (ie he was dressed as a bad guy from a movie).

Like I said, if he had a stitch-perfect uniform with Heinrich Himmler's personal insignia and decorations, down to a T, complete with pince nez I would be far more worried and concerned.