Oh dear. It looks like the royal princes’ new office has its first meaty assignment. If you haven’t heard, on Saturday the British tabloid News of the World released a video, purportedly made by Prince Harry in 2006, where he refers to a colleague as “our little Paki friend,” laughed at another colleague for looking like a “raghead,” pretended he was talking to his Granny back at the Palace, and then answered a very indelicate question about the color of his manscaping. The Prince apologized over the weekend through St. James Palace (that’s where his new office is located), saying that he regretted using racist terms, but that they were said without malice. (For American readers who haven’t figured this out, calling someone from Pakistan a “paki” is an offensive racial slur along the lines of “polock,” “wop,” or “jap.”)
The British media is having a field day with this story. The Ministry of Defense is opening a formal inquiry into the Prince’s behavior. Some critics are asking that the Prince be thrown out of the military. Still others worry if this incident will damage relations with Islamic groups in the UK. Prince Harry seems to have inherited the gift of gab from his grandpa, so I can see why the public has latched onto this story.
Given that Harry’s a senior member of the royal family, as well as an officer in the military, it was a big mistake for him to use such derogatory language, even in jest. On top of all this, you’d think he’d be extra careful, given his prior capers with cannabis, Nazi dress-up games, and paparazzi punching sprees.
On the other hand, I’m glad Prince Harry is doing something useful with his life by serving in the military. He could be sitting around St. James Palace all day sucking on his bong, then taking the nights off to club with his South African girlfriend. Instead, it looks like he’s dedicated to his career, and yeah, he used language that’s offensive to civilians, but he’s in the military, where it’s common for soldiers to refer to each other with slurs that cause polite society to cringe. You go after Prince Harry, you go after a whole military culture, and how many soldiers or military officers would escape scrutiny unscathed?
What do you think? Should the military throw the book at Harry? Is an apology enough? Or is this a lot of something about nothing? Add your comments below.
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Oh dear. At times it seems like Harry sits around thinking “well, I’m not the really handsome dashing one. And I’m the extra. Now how can I get some attention?”
I’d say “paki” is more like the N word – really, really offensive . Not that jap and wop aren’t offensive, but they are probably used less these days and are more archaic.
Anyhoo, I agree such words are probably common in the military (which isn’t really excusable, but that’s a whole new topic) but a prince should be held to a higher standard. I’m not a royalist by any means, but the Queen always does her best to be dignified and not to cause offence. Even Andrew and Edward are looking great about now.
LOL, Jenna. Actually, I think Harry has overtaken Wills in the looks dept lately.
Diane, do agree re: the military. Not only was he was incredibly stupid for using such an offensive term but taping himself doing so. What I thought sounded bad was when he said, “Now that’s bad admin.” Was he criticizing his superiors? Making fun of himself (is he this “admin”?)
I think, personally, that I can’t believe the media are sucking away at this story like they are! Well, no, I can believe the NoW, the Sun, the Mail and the Express, because there’s nothing they like more than a ‘famous person/Royal slipup’, and there’s nothing they’ll dig more for…hence why we’re now reading about something that happened 4 years ago, was a personal joke between friends and also, your point about it being in the military which is, as people are pointing out, not really an excuse but understandable. I can’t believe it being the story prior to Gaza on the BBC though. That’s just giving it a legitimacy far and above what it deserves.
I admire that Harry seems to want to be far more of a ‘normal guy’ than William does, though as a younger prince he can be allowed more slack. I think it’s great that he really seemed to be enjoying the army. And even though I’m a journalist myself, I think the lengths that the red-tops and middle-sheets go to to get a story on him is hideous, especially when it endangers other people (Such as revealing his place on the frontline of fighting, causing him to be removed due to being a notable target)
Phew – massive comment! ‘Scuse me!