Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
Please excuse the radio silence: I've spent the last couple of weeks moving from London to the country and, what with the chaos and culture shock, it has taken me a while to find my feet once more.
Anyway, the nude photos of Prince Harry in Vegas cannot be allowed to pass without comment. They have, I note, prompted an outbreak of massive prudery among some of my Telegraph colleagues. And perhaps you feel the same way: that the third in line to the British throne should not be seen cavorting naked with young women in American gambling resorts.
To which I'd reply: are Harry's critics remotely familiar with British history? This is what young royals do. It's what they're supposed to do. Look at the roistering buck that Henry VIII was (before he grew fat and syphilitic); look at the very type of the Regency buck - the Prince Regent (later George IV); look at the playboy Edward VIII (and indeed his grandfather Edward VII); look at Harry's namesake - Prince Hal - who, if we are to believe Shakespeare, deliberately cultivated an image of debauchery and irresponsibility the better "like bright metal on a sullen ground" to set off the magnitude of his reformation on assuming kingship ...
Harry also acts as a very entertaining foil to his more staid elder brother William. I find their evident love for one another one of the most delightful things of all the Royal Family. One of Harry's functions, I suspect, is to do all the things that William would like to do but can't being heir to the throne. So Harry acts as his pressure valve, his fantasy alter ego ...
Plus, of course, Harry has served his country, on the front line in Afghanistan, so I think deserves to be cut a bit of slack.
What do you reckon?
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Comments:
Aug '10
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
He's a ginger.
'nuff said.
;-)
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
@mishiocracy. Good point. It excuses everything.
Jun '11
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
I reckon I don't have to pay any attention to any of the royal families' jewels since we had the revolution of '76 - assuming this was consensual debauchery.
Shouldn't somebody comment about Harry stimulating the economy? Or something?
Jul '10
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
As a good ole Southern boy, I am obliged not to do anything that would embarrass my mother who was only Queen in our family.
Mar '11
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
You have Prince Harry. We have the GSA. … both partying in Vegas on the people's dime.
Sep '11
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
He inherited his mother's looks, and his father's brains.
Apr '11
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
James I am a bit of an anglophile and while I am not as widely read on the monarchy as you are I find your assessment to be spot on. The farther back you go the crazier things get, besides I thought the Americans were the prudes and the Brits were supposed to be much more open minded.
Jun '10
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
William and Harry--the heir and the derriere.
Dec '10
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
Remember before Princess Diana died, when people were anguishing over whether divorced man, Prince Charles, could be the head of the Church of England? I pointed out to people that the Church of England was formed so that its head, King Henry VIII, could get divorced.
What’s the point of being Royal if you cannot do as you please?
Mar '11
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
The London derriere?
Jun '10
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
We have open warfare in Syria, about to boil over into the entire Middle East and involve the US in a possible nuclear confrontation within the next 60 days and all we can talk about is a young man acting like...a young man. Yeah, I'd say cut him some slack. If I had to put up with what he does, being who he is, it would drive me crazy. Whatever else he is, he's only human.
Nov '11
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
A British Royal behaving improperly has all the novelty of the sun rising in the East.
Aug '10
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
I hate to quibble, but technically, Henry VIII was never divorced.
- Catherine of Aragon - Marriage was annulled by Thomas Cranmer.
- Anne Boleyn - She was executed for adultery.
- Jane Seymour - She died from childbirth.
- Anne of Cleves - Marriage was annulled due to non-consummation.
- Catherine Howard - She was executed for adultery.
- Catherine Parr - Marriage ended cuz Henry died.
Aug '10
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
You can't beat that blue blood!
Jun '10
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
Ol' Henry VIII didn't need no lawyer.
Jan '12
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
Apparently, when it comes to strip billiards, you can.
Jan '12
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
Apparently, when it comes to strip billiards, you can.
Apr '12
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
Very thoughtful of him to release the photos for our amusement.
There is no longer any pressure to get married. The Royals used to do this behind closed doors, now we all get to join the party. Remember Prince Andrew?
James, what are your thoughts on who is Harry's real father?
What do you think Diana would have said to him? She was the party girl too.
Dec '10
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
Misthiocracy
I hate to quibble, buttechnically, Henry VIII was never divorced.
- Catherine of Aragon - Marriage was annulled by Thomas Cranmer.
· 7 minutes ago
Yes, A lot like Kennedy anullments.
Jul '12
Re: Prince Harry's Crown Jewels
Misthiocracy
I hate to quibble, buttechnically, Henry VIII was never divorced.
You've ruined my day. I was just singing "Divorced, beheaded, she died. Divorced, beheaded, survived." in my head, and now you have to go and tell me that's incorrect. ;-)
Edited on August 22, 2012 at 8:36pm