Prince Harry Current Events 13: July-August 2006

[Heidi P.]

Panther 2000,
I think you are onto something there. i enjoyed reading your post. Thanks, I never thought of all the comparison and contrasting as a strategy.

 

[alleyesonarmani]

Playboy Prince cops a feel

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006370585,00.html

 

[Zonk]

Panther2000..i agree with your posts as well. It seems as if the press has decided to make them (William & Harry) the good brother vs. the bad brother! And anything that Harry does is getting blown out of proportion. So what if Harry goes to a casino and spends a couple of dollars? Does that say he has a gambling problem? Yes, Harry is not an ordinary young man/officer but I don't think he is shaming the family. Is he running up huge gambling debts, starting fights at the casino and being disrepectful to people. I think not. I tell you what it really is...a slow news week!

He does need to stop grabbing/kissing women while drunk. Especially since the press is always looking for a photo and/or a story. While I am not saying that he is running around attacking women...I am sure this will not go over with the girlfriend.

 

[BeatrixFan]

The pictures are apparantly recent ones. I've seen the photographs and all I see is two young men having fun. And I'm overjoyed that William actually seems to have a personality.

 

[christinacg]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006370585,00.html

If I were Chelsy, I would be so upset.

 

[christinacg]

The fireworks begin tomorrow but I think we can take it as read that Kate and Chelsy are obviously not serious.

maybe not to the Princes but I bet Kate and Chelsy thought these relationships were serious.

 

[kimebear]

Are these boys incapable of being faithful? It's okay if they want to play the field, but they should break up with their girlfriends first. To play around like this when they are supposedly in "committed" relationships is unfair to Chelsey and Kate.

 

[TonyaR]

Are these boys incapable of being faithful? It's okay if they want to play the field, but they should break up with their girlfriends first. To play around like this when they are supposedly in "committed" relationships is unfair to Chelsey and Kate.

The tabloids are determined to paint Prince Harry in a bad light!

I bet that picture was actually taken earlier this summer before Chelsy came for her summer vacation.

If you read the story carefully there is no exact date mentioned, and there was that infamous night out at Boujis in June-remember all of the tabloid articles about Natalie asking for the kiss, etc? The picture could have been taken then.

The picture clearly shows Prince William looking so drunk he probably didn't even know his own name, but they don't elaborate on that.
Please understand, I like Prince William and I think he's a nice young man as well as a good prince, and Prince Harry as well.

This type of partying by young royals (heck, young people period!!) has been happening for hundreds of years, it isn't new!

Prince Charles probably partied like that and much worse, the difference is that he wasn't exposed by the media like William and Harry are now--especially Prince Harry. I don't even think they were playing the field, more likely they were both just flirting and being silly.

We should remember that neither William nor Harry is actually engaged at this time, so both Kate and Chelsy really need to take this type of situation with a pinch of salt.
I'm not saying Prince William and Prince Harry shouldn't behave with the proper decorum befitting Royalty, nor am I saying that they shouldn't at the least be loyal to their respective girlfriends because they should, but they are 24 and 22 (Harry soon will be) years old!

Give them a break and let them make their mistakes in private, don't show it to the whole world.

All of us have made mistakes, faux pas and gaffes when we were in our early 20s, but it wasn't broadcast all over the world for the whole universe to see and critique!
It doesn't mean they aren't good princes, or that they don't love their girlfriends.
If I were either of the princes, but especially Prince Harry, I would get sick of being scrutinised 24/7 and maybe let it all out once in a while also.

 

[kimebear]

It doesn't mean they aren't good princes, or that they don't love their girlfriends.

I personally would question the depth of the love felt by a boyfriend who had a need to grab another woman's breast while dating me. If Chelsey is okay with Harry's behavior, then fine. It's between the two of them. But please, a little decorum here. My husband, brothers and male friends all enjoyed partying in their younger years. They are not royal, or in the public eye, but they did manage to refrain from feeling up a woman like that in public. It's tacky and disrespectful towards her as well.

 

[Peaches]

A lot of people say that the tabloids portray the princes in a negative light - as drunkards and party animals. In defence of them, a lot of readers here say that it's their youth, leave them alone, etc, etc, you're only young once, etc, etc. Even if age is their excuse, it doesn't excuse the fact that they are in the public eye. They try to be like everyone else, but really, they're not like everyone else. They were born with cameras in their faces and they will continue to have the paparazzi around whether they like it or not most probably until the day they die. People have to accept the fact that the media is a double edged sword - you can play it to your advantage but it can also be your downfall.

Having said that, the princes didn't ask to have their life on show for the world but that was the hand that destiny played them. They have a certain responsibility to the positions they were born into. I'm not only talking about becoming king and being part of the royal family, but the fact that they have the power to change the world for the better...and yet, this is how they live their lives - sitting on a bar stool and losing all sense of self. You don't have to be royal or rich to do that.

 

[TonyaR]

I personally would question the depth of the love felt by a boyfriend who had a need to grab another woman's breast while dating me. If Chelsey is okay with Harry's behavior, then fine. It's between the two of them. But please, a little decorum here. My husband, brothers and male friends all enjoyed partying in their younger years. They are not royal, or in the public eye, but they did manage to refrain from feeling up a woman like that in public. It's tacky and disrespectful towards her as well.

Okay Kimebear, you have an excellent point. It was tacky and disrespectful, and if my husband felt up another woman while we were dating I would have been so angry I probably would have spit nails.

The thing is, how do you know your brothers and your husband have never ever done anything, not even once, that you don't know about? Everyone makes mistakes now and again.

(Please understand, I'm only making a point. I'm sure you know they wouldn't simply because of their good character and personal principles)

Prince William and Prince Harry should behave more circumspectly, and they ought to be loyal to their gf's, but when they mess up must it ALWAYS be exposed to everyone?

I'm happily married and the mother of 2 adorable boys, but I did silly things while I was at university ( drinking, etc.) that I don't want to revisit at all!

I'm more mature now and of course I regret that type of behaviour, but I'm very grateful there weren't any paparrazzi following me around trying to catch me in the middle of an indescretion.

Peaches,

you also make excellent points, but it just proves my point even further:

Not only should the Princes behave in an appropriate manner as befits heirs to the throne, but the media should give them a little more leeway when they aren't performing royal duties.

If they do something they have no business doing, let their girlfriends find out the way all girlfriends find out: by catching them!

They shouldn't find out from snapshots taken of them unawares by paparazzos.

I'm sure Prince Charles didn't lead the life of a monk prior to marrying Camilla, but we have no idea what he was up to, because the media didn't dog his footsteps the way they do William and Harry.

Prince Charles has attended many parties, clubs and discos in his lifetime, but we have seen very few pictures of him with a drink in his hand even though we know he drinks and socialises.
There's a reason for that.
The media has never pursued him they way they do his sons.

 

[sleepingbee]

I want to see the rest of the photos....they say it's a two page spread.

 

[Skydragon]

The tabloids are determined to paint Prince Harry in a bad light!

I bet that picture was actually taken earlier this summer before Chelsy came for her summer vacation.

If you read the story carefully there is no exact date mentioned, and there was that infamous night out at Boujis in June-remember all of the tabloid articles about Natalie asking for the kiss, etc? The picture could have been taken then.

According to a newspaper review shown on Skynews last night (23.30), you are right and these pictures were taken earlier in the year and are not new!

 

[Warren]

Reading between the lines...

According to a newspaper review shown on Skynews last night (23.30), you are right and these pictures were taken earlier in the year and are not new!

Last week a reporter/editor/correspondant of the News Corp paper The News of the World was questioned by police in connection with non-authorised access to Royal Family members' telephone message services. He may face criminal charges.

This week The Sun, another News Corp paper, publishes what appear to be old pics deliberately designed to embarrass the Princes.

Coincidence, or payback?

 

[pollyemma]

that sounds very plausible. but do you really think they would just sit on a photo like this for several months?

 

[Jo of Palatine]

that sounds very plausible. but do you really think they would just sit on a photo like this for several months?

Yes, I think they would. Pictures of this kind are not "newsworthy" in the strict journalistic sense. They don't tell something new with a public interest in knowing this information, they only illustrate a moment in someone's private life. Normally no editor would print pics like that, they are embarrassing and they are private. But they are not really scandalous.

The pictures showing the Duchess of York with her toe-suckling boyfriend were scandalous: she was married and the editor could be sure that the majority of the readers of his paper would think so according to their moral codex. Thus, as hurtful as these pictures were, from an editor's point of view there was a reason to print them.

This case is different: neither William nor Harry are married yet. None of them is seen as about to run up the aisle soon. They do have girlfriends but these are not "official" companions yet. They are both young: why not sowing their wild oats a bit?

The editor has to evaluate the pictures in terms of how the majority of his readers perceive the princes and how these pictures fit into the overall image and impressions. It doesn't fit in with the long-lasting story of the princes and their princesses-to-be. In fact the pictures could destroy this story which the readers love and want to read about. OTOH the pics are not "heavy" enough to be worth starting a scandal, especially when you can't be sure the other papers/TV will follow.

So I guess the pics were taken sometime during last november and this summer, maybe even due to the fact that the reporters knew where to find the princes because of intercepted phonecalls. They were not worth printing them (maybe even because the editors did not want to say where they got the information from about where to find the princes) but they were kept in case Harry split up with Chelsy - then they would have come in handy for an "exclusive" like "What Chelsy never knew..."

Now the secret is up and it's probably the best thing they could do with these pics in the current situation. If they kept the pics without printing them, it could be that they would be confiscated and become evidence without earning a single pence for the paper. On printing them, the Sun could shift the public interest away from the machinations of their sister paper and do Murdoch a favour. So, yes, I guess that's why the pics are printed now and weren't when they were new.

 

[TonyaR]

that sounds very plausible. but do you really think they would just sit on a photo like this for several months?

Yes, for just such an occasion as this. It's their way of giving Harry the raspberry.

 

[pollyemma]

ouch. thats disturbing. that you might commit an indiscretion and that it hangs over your head until a 'rainy day' when a tabloid wants to get back at you or distract attention from the bad behavior of one of their own journos.

royalty has tough lives.

that said... this are pretty gross photos. i wish harry would be more careful.

i wonder what chelsy will do? she is probably used to his behavior and knows it doesnt affect their relationship.but its still pretty humiliating for her.

 

[Anna Nowak]

Oh people come on. Chelsy is with Harry not because his great personality, but because he is HRH Prince Henry of Wales. Nothing will discourage her. Of coure it's only my opinion.

 

[TonyaR]

Yes, I think they would. Pictures of this kind are not "newsworthy" in the strict journalistic sense. They don't tell something new with a public interest in knowing this information, they only illustrate a moment in someone's private life. Normally no editor would print pics like that, they are embarrassing and they are private. But they are not really scandalous...

Too right Jo, you said that MUCH better than I !!

 

[Skydragon]

Prince pinches Pinkham's party pieces

The crown jewels might be going to his big brother, but Prince Harry couldn't resist getting his hands on something he found equally alluring.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/08/15/1155407795136.html

This tells us that the photo's were taken at Bouji's, probably on the night of the rucus earlier in the year. It could even be that the delay in printing them is because whoever took the photo's had tried to negotiate an even higher price for them.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Then they were foolish. Their position is only solid when they've got that ring on their finger. Until then they are still surplus to requirements.

 

[Jo of Palatine]

Sun's Harry pictures 'three years old'

[FONT=Geneva,Arial,sans-serif] [/FONT]
The Sun's front page and centre-spread photographs of Prince Harry groping and kissing a girl are three years old and were not taken this summer as the newspaper claims today, according to Clarence House.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,,1845125,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=1

 

[Oppie]

That makes sense, his hair is really long in those pictures and he had in short when he came back from Australia.

Harry and Natalie should sue.

 

[TonyaR]

The pictures are apparantly recent ones. I've seen the photographs and all I see is two young men having fun. And I'm overjoyed that William actually seems to have a personality.

Actually BeatrixFan,
the pictures may not be recent at all. Supposedly the Sun has admitted that the pictures are at least 2 months old, and Prince Charles himself says they are older than that, about 3 years old.
Here are the links:
http://www.theroyalist.net/content/view/1095/1/ and
http://www.theroyalist.net/content/view/1093/1/
Also, according to SkyNews, the pictures are actually 3 years old:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-13537564,00.html
If so, it doesn't excuse Harry or William's behaviour at all, but it means that at least Harry wasn't involved with Chelsy at the time.
There is an inference that the pictures were published as revenge against the Royals and against Prince Charles.
See this link:
http://www.theroyalist.net/content/view/1094/1/
It makes perfect sense. The media is getting their revenge, and at the same time reminding everyone how powerful they are.
These images are disgusting and shocking, but they also may not be recent. If they are as old as Clarence House claims, then the Princes may be different young men now than they were at the time the photos were taken.

Supposedly, they didn't think the pictures would be seen, since they actually belong to a private citizen (Natalie whatever-her-surname-is)

Both young men have been through recent military training, and probably have a somewhat changed outlook.
Everything that is published isn't true, we all know that. Even though pictures don't lie, they can be used out of context. I think we should be willing to give these young men the benefit of the doubt.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Well, I disregard the Royalist totally because it's [rubbish] of the highest order but the Sky source seems fairly concrete. I'm rather glad we're seeing these pics. I wouldn't want it to be a regular occurence. It's nice to William actually doing something that's a bit risque and it all adds to Harry's sexy bad-boy image so this isn't a massive disaster at all.

 

[Zonk]

What do the other pics look like. IMO the only person looking bad in this instance is Harry. If you must grab a woman's breast...just do in the privacy of your or her home. And wouldn't you want to be Natalie's mum right now...yes that's my daughters breast on the front pages of the Sun! Bear in mind..William is drinking..as long as he isn't drinking and driving and being an arse...he turns out alright. Of course..I say that not knowing what the other pics look like.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Well let's be honest, he didn't expect these photographs to be published to the world. And Natalie doesn't seem to care very much that he's doing it and as for her mother, if she didn't care what her daughter was doing at the time, I hardly think she's got a right to get moody now. I just worry we'll have a new song, "I danced with a girl who got felt up by a boy who's the son of the Prince of Wales".

 

[Zonk]

BeatrixFan..I agree. The purpose of those photos (at least IMO) were to embarass the Princes. Really..if you can't be yourself and relax at some given time...its a wonder William acts like a robot in public!

And I love that song. I must watch Edward and Mrs. Simpson tonight

 

[Laraib]

BeatrixFan..I agree. The purpose of those photos (at least IMO) were to embarass the Princes. Really..if you can't be yourself and relax at some given time...its a wonder William acts like a robot in public!

And I love that song. I must watch Edward and Mrs. Simpson tonight

Iam afraid I disagree. I think they both should behave like grown men not just like princes. I mean, you don't relax by cheating on your girlfriends and grabbing a womans breast! Drinking is something else, doing what they are doing is, in my opinion, not right.

I also agree that there is a like an open war between the palace and the press now. And I hate to say but the press will win. Just my opinion though.