Prince Harry - have I missed something?

[Gritt23]

I surely have missed something, because I just don't understand what the fuss is all about. If I have listened properly to the story, he wore a Nazi costume to a fancy dress party.

So he didn't:
wear it to his dad's coronation, or
say the Nazis were great, let's have them back, or
cover The Centotaph with grafiti.

I just don't get what all the fuss is about. I've gone to a fancy dress party as Dracula, but that doesn't mean I approve of sucking the blood out of peoples neck until they are dead. And nor does it lessen my sympathies for those poor damsels who did suffer such a fate in those dark and miserable days of black and white.

People are saying it was a "stupid" thing to wear, but isn't that the point of a fancy dress party?

I'm not saying I'm right to dismiss it as nothing, as I'm sure I must have missed the point somewhere as plenty of intelligent people are appalled at his behaviour, but I just need someone to explain it to me.

 

[Brixtaan]

i'm sure that our troops on the frontline in the war wouldn't care less if they were told that 60 years down the line our royal family would be ridiculing the Germans by copying their clothing at silly parties.

 

[larus]

I think it's a bloody joke. Let's put this into context here.

The asian tsunami killed in excess of 150,000 people.
Thousands are dying every day in Afirca through poverty, Aids, corrupt governemnts.

So, the most important news story is:
a 20 year old lad wears a Nazi outfit from a war the ended nearly 60 years ago t, to a fancy dress party. Why is it a big issue, beacuse it's cheap, east headlines.

I'm 42, and I don't think it's a big issue, so why should he. What next, you can't wear a Roman outfit because they invaded us 2000 years ago? It's mainly the old farts who are complaining. Move on, it's over, get over it, the younger generations don't think of it in the way that you do. OK

 

[Albion Rob]

I stand by what I was saing yesterday - it is an appalling thing to have done.

Yes, people do go dressed up as Nazis and all manner of other things at fancy dress parties, however, they're not third in line to the throne, they don't have a lavish lifestyle paid for ny the taxpayer and they certainly didn't have millions of men (theoretically) fighting in the name of their great grandfather, dodging bullets being fired by men wearing the exact same insignia.

Coupled with this, it is a supern propaganda coup for those with fascist beliefs. I would imagine the picture will be featuring in every extreme-right publication from now until the end of time.

In short, he shouldn't have done it. He may be 20 etc etc, but surely if a sense of dignity didn't appeal to him then at least a bit of common sense would have alerted him to the risks.

I quite liked him until this came out. He seemed to be in touch with the real world and acted in a way I think I probably would if I had more money than I knew what to do with. Now he just seems to be an insensitive oaf who has upset millions of people wih his thoughtless act.

As for this statement, I don't think something written by one of his press relations officials should suffice - he should bloody well apologise on TV. He was quick enough to get involved in the photo opportunity in Bristol where he and William were packing boxes of aid for Tsunami victims.

This whole debate seems to have divided public opinion in a massive way, but as I asked yesterday - If it were the Prime Minister or a member of the cabinet prancing around in a swastika, would we not be calling for their resignation?

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

It was a stupid thing to do. But that's all it was. The Daily Mail (owned by nazi-sympathisers at the time) has gone completely over the top.

There are other agendas here.

 

[beorhthelm]

What i cant stand is the way a public apology is demanded, then when he gives one its not good enough and now he has to give a verbal apology. Who outside a few newpaper journalists really give a toss how an apology is made. All they really want is a bit of a public displayh of humiliation to fill their front pages for annother day.

 

[Lokki 7]

For me, the swastika is not a dead and forgotten symbol from another era. It is used the world over today by facists of every form. Even if you want to forget the millions murdered in cold blood under this banner 60 years ago, you should not forget what it still stands for. For this reason, a member of the British royal family should not be sporting one unless he sympathises with what it stands for.
I am not old enough to have been effected by the war directly, but I am sickened by fascism nevertheless. Harry was very foolish.

 

[Pavilionaire]

The guy could have worn any costume he likes, absolutely anything but no...he has to go as a Nazi.

Some people on here seem to be missing the point. Yes, it might be offensive to those of an older generation, but to a 36 year old bloke like myself I'm not offended, I'm just disappointed that the 3rd in line to the throne is a twat.

 

[El Presidente]

I hear he is doing a duet with Paulo Di Canio singing a selection of songs from Mel Brooks' 'The Producers'

 

[Ex Shelton Seagull]

Germany was having trouble, what a sad, sad story
Needed a new leader to restore its former glory
Where oh where was he? Where could that man be?
We looked around, and then we found, the man for you and me,
And now it's ...

Springtime for Hitler and Germany,
Deutschland is happy and gay.
We're marching to a faster pace,
Look out, here comes the master race.

Springtime for Hitler and Germany,
Winter for Poland and France.
Springtime for Hitler and Germany,
Come on, Germans, go into your dance ...

I was born in Dusseldorf, and that is why they call me Rolf.
Don't be stupid, be a smarty, come and join the Nazi party.

Springtime for Hitler and Germany
(Gun fires twice)
Goose-step's the new step today
(Machine gun fires)
Bombs falling from the skies again,
(Bomb falls and explodes)
Deutschland is on the rise again

Springtime for Hitler and Germany
U-boats are sailing once more
[woman's voice]: "Well! Talk about bad taste!"
Springtime for Hitler and Germany
Means ... that ... soon we'll be going ...
We've got to be going ...
You know we'll be going to ... WAR!


Paulo and Harry doing all the moves, I can see it now.

Interesting that the Daily Mail has TWELVE pages dedicated to it today. Bit of guilt there? They are always a bit twitchy about this sort of subject. Maybe the memory of Lord Rothermere sending letters starting "to my dear Fuhrer" to Hitler. Or their enthusiastic backing to Moseley and the BUF?

 

[Gritt23]

Albion Rob, thanks for trying, but no, I still can't see how this has become such a big issue. At fancy dress parties you dress up to look stupid, in a foolish outfit, that's the point.

So he is therefore proclaiming the swastika as being part of that foolish outfit. I don't see how that can really aid the propaganda. Why would they carry a picture of someone wearing their outfit while basically saying, "don't I look a fool."

The papers in their shallow way have been desperate to get a Western story back on the front pages, as they cannot carry an important story like the Tsunami for much more than a fortnight as it's the other side of the World, and that's terribly dull for the tabloids especially. If this party had been New Years Eve, it would have made no more than a gossip column.

 

[Soton Seagull]

The uniform was probably a family hand-me-down anyway.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I like the Guardian comment on it;

The trouble with Harry

John O'Farrell
Friday January 14, 2005
The Guardian

Yesterday's press review at Buckingham Palace was an awkward affair. "I understand we made the front page of the Sun today?" said the Queen excitedly. "Was it my tour round the new stable block at Sandringham?"
"Er, no, I don't think they covered that at all, your majesty ..."

"Oh dear. Well then it must have been Anne's attendance at the industry initiative luncheon ..."

"Er, no, that didn't seem to catch their imagination either, ma'am. For some reason they decided there might be more interest in this big photo of Prince Harry dressed as a Nazi."

The Duke of Edinburgh was incandescent. "A Nazi armband! Do you know what Nazi means, young man? National Socialism! I will not have the British royal family being associated with these soppy leftwing views."

"And it's bound to upset the Germans," said the Queen.

"Let's keep your relations out of this, dear ..."

Princess Michael of Kent was just as upset. "That was my dad's armband. Don't borrow it again without asking!"

As soon as the photo was published, the media's contrived outrage machine went into overdrive. Rabbis were phoned up and expected to have a view on whether the Nazis were goodies or baddies. War veterans were asked if having British royals sporting swastikas was an appropriate way to remember the British war dead. Journalists quoted those MPs who are always available for a comment: "I'm sorry, I am not in at the moment. However, I am shocked or disgusted because whatever it is, it's disgraceful and he or she should immediately resign or apologise or remove the said painting from the Tate."

Of course, the swastika has always been a symbol guaranteed to provoke instant outrage. It was the same when Adolf Hitler was photographed wearing a Nazi costume at Nuremberg. "I'm sorry, I just didn't think," grovelled the Führer, "it was supposed to be a joke. I didn't mean to offend anyone."

To help us to put Harry's costume in context, the Sun helpfully published a short history of the second world war, explaining that it ended in 1945 and that the Nazis lost. Blithely giving away the ending like this has completely spoiled those World at War reruns on the UK Nazi Channel. You'd think they could have put something like: "If you don't want to know the result, look away now."

The paper also published a request for further information or more photos. "Were you at the party? Ring us on this number. Forget the cost - well call back." As if members of the British upper classes were thinking: "I was going to stab my old friend Prince Harry in the back, but blimey, 10p to ring the Sun's newsdesk - it's not really worth it!"

In fact, he only wore the armband to distract attention from the fact that he was holding a cigarette, so in one sense it worked perfectly. But officials at Clarence House agreed it was a poor choice of costume. "I mean, the theme of the fancy dress party was 'natives and colonials', and he went as a Nazi - it doesn't even work." More relieved than ever that they managed to dissuade Harry from wearing his comedy Hitler moustache to the cenotaph on Remembrance Day, his advisers are now engaged in a frantic damage-limitation exercise. Prince Harry has been told to do something to show himself in a more positive light. "I could wear my Klu Klux Klan hood for Martin Luther King's birthday," suggested the prince helpfully. "Hmmm, no, I don't think that quite does it, sir ..." "I know, how about a walkabout along Belfast's Shankill Road in IRA black beret and sunglasses? They'd love that," offered the third in line to the throne.

What's almost as distressing is that taxpayers' money was spent sending this boy to Eton, and this is the best they could do. Surely some sort of refund must be in order? Did Clarence House check the league tables for percentage of pupils gaining grades A-C in racial purity? So that's why his art teacher at Eton said she helped him with his A-level coursework; she had to paint over that great big portrait of Von Ribbentrop.

Despite endless scandals and embarrassing gaffes, these privately educated rightwing wasters are still the only people that the royals mix with. It's no wonder that our royal family have absolutely no idea about what is normal or appropriate behaviour.

The fancy dress party in question was hosted by one of the pro-hunting upper-class twits who invaded last year's Labour party conference. The fact that one of the guests sold this picture to the tabloids tells us as much about their morality as Harry's costume. Last time he got into trouble for punching a photographer. This time you can't help feeling he was a bit slow off the mark.

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

I surely have missed something

If you are likening the a Dracula costume with a Nazi costume then you certainly have missed something, and it appears that you can't seperate fantasy from reality.

Imagine how the tax-paying British Jewish community feels about seeing pictures of the third in line for their country's throne prancing around in a Nazi outfit.

 

[Rangdo]

I don't understand why he ever gets in the news. I couldn't care less what he does and it certainly does not warrant a spot on the national news. Likewise are celebrity marriage break ups of movie stars really that interesting yet somehow they make it onto the BBC's flagship news programme.

 

[Soton Seagull]

I don't understand why he ever gets in the news. I couldn't care less what he does and it certainly does not warrant a spot on the national news. Likewise are celebrity marriage break ups of movie stars really that interesting yet somehow they make it onto the BBC's flagship news programme.

Ahh, but as Jon Snow put it 'he is only 2 good car crashes away from being king'

 

[Albion Rob]

I know it's not quite the same, but....

I remember a bit of a row on here a few months back about Focus DIY advertising boards at Withdean.

"What about everything we fought for", we cried. "The Football League have sold us down the river", we moaned. "How bloody insenitive", we yelled. "Don't they realise what Focus tried to do to us", we hollered.

We would have been sold out for cash.

Harry, in my opinion, sold the people who fought in the war our for a bit of a giggle at a fancy dress party.

I bet far-right organisations across the world will love to be peddling their muck with Harry's picture on it bearing the legend: "Endorsed by the British Royal family."

Sad, but quite likely.

 

[Rangdo]

Ahh, but as Jon Snow put it 'he is only 2 good car crashes away from being king'

Top man

 

[CHAPPERS]

I know it's not quite the same, but....

I remember a bit of a row on here a few months back about Focus DIY advertising boards at Withdean.

"What about everything we fought for", we cried. "The Football League have sold us down the river", we moaned. "How bloody insenitive", we yelled. "Don't they realise what Focus tried to do to us", we hollered.

We would have been sold out for cash.

Harry, in my opinion, sold the people who fought in the war our for a bit of a giggle at a fancy dress party.

I bet far-right organisations across the world will love to be peddling their muck with Harry's picture on it bearing the legend: "Endorsed by the British Royal family."

Sad, but quite likely.

Is anyone that pokes fun at the Nazis selling people who fought in the war out? Or just Harry?

 

[Albion Rob]

If their lifestyle was being funded by war widows and people who fought in the war (although probably not any more as they're all pensioners now, but you get the point) then YES.