Hooray Harry

‘TWENTY-one today, twenty-one today, he’s got red hair and Nazi underwear, 21–one today. A cheer for Prince Harry. Hip-hip! Hooray! Speech! Speech!

Mud sticks

Surprisingly Harry obliges. Indeed, he has so much to say that the lad’s words of wisdom spill over from the Express’s front page all the way to page 5.

The big interview with Harry, who is third in line to the throne and marks his 21st birthday today, has him talking about all manner of things.

He wants to fight for his country – “There’s no way I’m going to sit on my arse while my boys are fighting for their country.”

He’ll always just be himself – “I don’t want to change. I am who I am. I’m not going to change because I’m being criticised in the press.”

And the Duchess of Cornwall, the fragrant Camilla, is no “wicked stepmother” – “She’s a wonderful woman and she’s made our father very, very happy, which is the most important thing. William and I love her to bits”.

This is candid stuff. And in the Mirror’s “HARRY BY HARRY” we get to hear what he thinks of his very special” and “amazing” girlfriend Chelsy. And how he and William have “even resorted to hugging each other”.

But he can’t skirt the issue forever. No, not the one about his parentage and the at times crude suggestions that it’s not merely coincidental he and his mother’s old squeeze James Hewitt both have ginger hair.

And no, not that other thing about his A-levels and how he may or may not have had a little extra help.

No, this is the incident with the Nazi uniform, the one the Sun says “sparked outrage”.

The paper reproduces the infamous shot of Harry in his German gear and replaces each “S” in the headline “I’M SO SORRY” with SS-style runes.

Harry says that it was a “very stupid thing to do”. “What’s done is done,” says he. “I regret it.” He goes on: “It was a stupid thing to do. I think it’s part of growing up.”

Dressing as a Nazi has not been part of growing up since the Hitler Youth was disbanded, but we take Harry’s point. And in the spirit of the day, we must accept his apology and allow him to move on.

In any case, we need to keep him sweet so he lets us into his party. This is, after all, drinking, smoking, fun Harry.

Harry’s party has to be better than William’s coming of age do, which was celebrated with an official stamp, a painful rap poem by Poet Laureate Andrew Motion (“Better stand back/ Here’s an age attack/ But the second in line/ Is dealing with it fine”) and an African-themed party, albeit with the presence of uninvited self-styled “comedy terrorist” Aaron Barschak dressed as terrorist leader Osama bin Laden in a pink ball gown.

So what’ll it be, H? A booze up with the boys at the Rattlebone Inn, before tearing up the M4 in Army tanks to a London club? Er, no. “I’m not having a party,” says Harry. “I’ll probably be in a ditch somewhere in the Middle of Wales. I might let off a party popper.”

That’s good enough for us Harry. Ditch or gutter, it makes no difference so long as we have loads of fun. Lead on, Harry. Cheers. Here’s mud in your eye…’

Posted: 15th, September 2005 | In: Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink