Prince Harry criticized for wearing Nazi uniform

[Namelessv1]

Thursday, January 13, 2005 Posted: 11:20 AM EST (1620 GMT)

(CNN) -- Britain's Prince Harry "deserves a break" after his apology for wearing a Nazi uniform to a costume party, his aunt, the Duchess of York, has told CNN.

Thursday, January 13, 2005 Posted: 8:40 AM EST (1340 GMT)

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Britain's Prince Harry has apologized for wearing a Nazi uniform to a party, admitting he made a bad choice and saying through his publicist, "I am very sorry if I caused any offense."

The apology was released on Wednesday by the Clarence House Press office: "I am very sorry if I caused any offense or embarrassment to anyone. It was a poor choice of costume and I apologize."

The press office said, "Prince Harry apologized tonight after he was pictured on the front page of The Sun newspaper in a Nazi soldier's uniform which he wore to a fancy dress party."

An image of the front page of Thursday's editions was released to the media late Wednesday.

A large headline reads, "Harry the Nazi."

Next to it stands the prince, who is wearing slacks and a short-sleeve shirt, both beige, with a red Nazi insignia on his left arm.

Prince Harry is third in line to the British throne after his father, Prince Charles, and his brother, Prince William.

On Thursday, Jewish groups and lawmakers in Britain criticized Harry for the stunt.

"I think a lot of people will be disappointed to see that photograph and it will cause a lot of offense," said opposition Conservative Party leader Michael Howard, who is Jewish.

"The fact that the palace has issued an apology indicates that this was a mistake by the prince," said Rabbi Jonathan Romain, a spokesman for the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain. "But having being given, the apology should now be accepted." (Full story)

Sun Managing Editor Graham Dudman advised media outlets it owned the copyright to the images and must be credited for their use.

[zootm]

[Bilbo Baggins]

He hasnt done anything wrong.

[Schmeet]

I bet it was the BNP party but he turned up weeks late.

Neh, the royal family are a waste of time. UK Republic, wooo.

[Jay]

this falls under the same category as the microsoft video of CES demos crashing for me.

[shakey_snake]

Originally posted by Schmeet
I bet it was the BNP party but he turned up weeks late.

[sarcasm]
Oh man, I've never seen a liberal call a conservative racist before. You Brits sure are crafty with that language of yours.[/sarcasm]

[squakMix]

Hah.

[fwgx]

Originally posted by Bilbo Baggins
He hasnt done anything wrong.

yup

[Omega X]

Why did he want to be in a Nazi costume in the first place? He would have came off twice as evil just wearing somehing Goth.

[nybergh]

Originally posted by Bilbo Baggins
He hasnt done anything wrong.

I agree.
Wearing a Nazi costume is tasteless, but so is Modern Monarchy. Think about those poor people who aren't allowed to live with any sort of privacy. The situation of the royal families of Europe is terrible. Even if I was given all that money I would never like to live like that. A pure waste of tax money.

[ElChevelle]

Big deal.
I wanted to dress as Saddam a couple years ago for halloween.

[CaboWaboAddict]

I went as Idi Amin!

[Schmeet]

Originally posted by ElChevelle
Big deal.

Hmm.. i think over here it is rather a deal. For someone who's third in-line of the throne to wear a Nazi swastika, it kind of is bad considering that in most other countries in Europe the swastika is banned.

[zootm]

Originally posted by Schmeet
Hmm.. i think over here it is rather a deal. For someone who's third in-line of the throne to wear a Nazi swastika, it kind of is bad considering that in most other countries in Europe the swastika is banned.

I don't know of any other than Germany - of which countries do you speak?

I'm not saying you're wrong, I just didn't know it was so widespread.

edit: Found it. Three countries is not "most", nor is the emblem being used in a hateful context.

Fancy dress as a Nazi character will obviously attract undue attention, but why should one be banned from doing it? If anything, the costume has brought to light the unbelievably prudish attitudes of many with a sway in these things.

[Wolfgang]

Originally posted by Bilbo Baggins
He hasnt done anything wrong.

Yeah it's a shame that because he is a prince he has to be aware of how the public will hypersensibly react and not to "stupid" things like that. The independent's front page said "Does this offend you?" and had two veterans saying Yes and No. The Yes guy was wearing all his army decor and looked like the kind of guy that will constantly remind you that he was in the war, that if it wasn't for him you wouldn't be eating fish and chips but shitty German food. The other guy seemed like a modest guy who wasn't in-your-face about his war experience and who sensibly pointed out that though he'd been foolish, it really was nothing more than a storm in a teacup.

[baafie]

Personally, I think britain should stop stalking their royalty.

I'm sure the prince was making a point of some kind to his friends. Perhaps he was showing his admiration for the Africa corps (whose achievements were, from a military point of view, quite admirable indeed). And no doubt having received a formidable education, I'm sure he doesn't support the nazi beliefs. In either case, it's none of our business.

EOF

[will]

Originally posted by baafie
Personally, I think britain should stop stalking their royalty.

I agree 100%. I hate the celeb culture in the US and the UK so much.

Please don't think that the media is acting on my behalf on this.

[ujay]

Well said will, most people here don't see this as anything more than juvenile behaviour, it's just the papers slanting a story to produce an eye catching headline.

The biggest selling show in the West End at the moment is about Hitler and the Nazis, and the same papers are full of how witty and entertaining it is. Not that I think Prince Harry is in any way witty or entertaining, but he shouldn't be tarred with a different brush.

Any emotive subject is going to get used for political purposes, whether you consider it for good or ill. Try and get a healthier perspective on what you think yourself, instead of just letting the papers push your buttons for you.

UJ

[ertmann|CPH]

well it's hardly anything that i find offensive, but as a prince he should've known better...

Otherwise monarchy really doesn't make much sense, but then again, with a royal family like the british, it really makes no sense to me that they're still royal...

[Bilbo Baggins]

Because its traditional, and a lot of people still like having a monarchy.

Besides that have virtually no power anymore.

[zootm]

Originally posted by shakey_snake
[sarcasm]
Oh man, I've never seen a liberal call a conservative racist before. You Brits sure are crafty with that language of yours.[/sarcasm]

I don't believe I missed this! Have you ever heard of the BNP? They are not "conservative", they are openly racist. Their manifesto is a hodge-podge of ideas that won't work, semi-extreme socialism, and blaming all the problems on immigrants who aren't even responsible for a hundredth of the things they blame them for.

[shakey_snake]

Ok, after some further investigation, the BNP are idiots.

[ertmann|CPH]

Originally posted by Bilbo Baggins
Because its traditional, and a lot of people still like having a monarchy.

Besides that have virtually no power anymore.

I know, we have a royal family aswell, but they're alot more well behaved - and liked - than the british one...

I know the royals are normal people who make mistakes - but most european monarchy's are there to serve and represet "their" people

just don't think the british one, are doing a very good job..

[zootm]

Originally posted by shakey_snake
Ok, after some further investigation, the BNP are idiots.

We aim to educate

[will]

Originally posted by ertmann|CPH
well it's hardly anything that i find offensive, but as a prince he should've known better...

Otherwise monarchy really doesn't make much sense, but then again, with a royal family like the british, it really makes no sense to me that they're still royal...

The queen does a fantastic job in representing the country.

I'll tell you this for free, I do not want President Blair, Head of State.

[nybergh]

Originally posted by ertmann|CPH
just don't think the british one, are doing a very good job..

Who the hell wants to do a job like that? And live that kind of life? I'm not exactly the typical teenage rebel, but right now I'd do anything to sabotate everything if I was forced into that kind of situation. Showing paparazis the finger daily and shcoking old ladies reading gossip magazines would be the least thing one could do.

[Schmeet]

Originally posted by will
The queen does a fantastic job in representing the country.

I'll tell you this for free, I do not want President Blair, Head of State.

Yer, she does a good job at what she does. But hell, i just hope Charles dies before she does.

I don't think anybody would want a President Blair.

[ElChevelle]

You didn't know it runs in the family?

[Bilbo Baggins]

The Royal Family do an excellent job.

[Fickle]

I think it was dumb but he shouldn't have gotten persecuted for it. There are a lot of things more important than what the royal family wears to a ball.


That picture brought up an interesting question that no one has ever explained to me:
Why was Princess Di's drunken death such a big deal?

I mean, so yeah she did some nice stuff, but so did a lot of famous people who are underground. Why is she so special?

[fwgx]

It's called media hype, bandwagonningg and propoganda.

[MegaRock]

From what I've seen the Queen still acts like royalty. The rest of the family act like a bunch of rich spoiled folks. Typical anywhere.

[Mattress]

I hear the EU is now thinking about banning the Nazi symbol completely.

[zootm]

I read that. Fucking stupid, if you ask me. If I come across the news article, I'll post it.

[DigitalAssassin]

He wore a Nazi costume? I bet he was amazed at all the cool stuff he could find in the royal family closet.

[renat]

Well the real history:

The School, 1 class, tomorrow new year's holiday, all children will add in masquerade suit. Teacher asks :" You Tanechka in what suit will add?" - "Dyuymovochki".

"But you, Mashenika ?" - "Snowflakes".

"But you, Vovochka ?" - "In suit of the scout".

The Morning of the following day:

All teacher and director in shock, Vovochka came to suit of the scout - in form SHTANDARTEN FYURERA SS.

The Pula was provided in cabinet of the director, on turned inside out armbands by into large pieces black soft-tip pen was written:

SHTIRLEC - SOVIET SCOUT
"Excuse me for my english
'SHTIRLEC - hiro SOVIET films: "12 Mgnoveniy vesni"

[CaboWaboAddict]

[Omega X]

Talk about "return from the dead"...

[renat]

Excuse me, Mistake!
'SHTIRLEC - hiro SOVIET films: "17 Mgnoveniy vesni"

[shakey_snake]

Moosie?