Prince William and Prince Harry: Charity Motorbike Trek in Africa - October 2008


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The royal brothers will join a group of around 80 people riding across South Africa.
A similar number of Enduro Africa bikers are already travelling across the chosen route.

The challenging rally later this month lasts eight days and will be no easy ride.
Sky News' Royal correspondent Sarah Hughes said it will suit the princes well.
"Two years ago Prince William bought a 175 mph superbike and it's understood Prince Harry recently underwent intensive training to gain his licence ahead of the charity ride," she said

Princes William And Harry On Charity Motorbike Adventure | UK News | Sky News
 
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The Press Association: Princes join Africa motorbike rally

Princes join Africa motorbike rally


Prince William and Prince Harry are to take part in a gruelling off-road motorcycle rally in aid of charity, Clarence House announced.
The royal brothers will travel to South Africa later this month for the Enduro Africa 08 event.
Money raised from the adventure will be divided equally between Sentebale, a charity established by Harry to help disadvantaged children, Unicef and the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.
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Maybe it's just not up yet? Here's the quote from the spokesperson in the Press Association article that Isana linked:

A Clarence House spokesman said: "The Princes are looking forward to the motorcycle ride that will raise money and the profile of Sentebale, a charity very close to their hearts, and two other major charities in southern Africa."
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The trek takes two weeks right.Will they back in England in time for the royal premire of the New James Bond movie?
They are money charity that is good.
 
Eight days is what I've heard. If they started today, that would have them finishing next Saturday, the 25th. I think the premiere is scheduled for the 29th.
 
wow Big Willy is really starting to lose his hair =( maybe that ll make em go quicker on his motorbike though lol
 
aplusw2000 said:
wow Big Willy is really starting to lose his hair =( maybe that ll make em go quicker on his motorbike though lol
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William is definitely looking bald now. He's losing his hair as fast as his uncle Edward did, but he still looks handsome!
 
The Mail's take on it, read some of the comments though....

Into the wild: Princes William and Harry begin their gruelling and dangerous South African charity bike trek | Mail Online

With warpaint streaked down their faces, Princes William and Harry sped off into the South African wilderness today on an epic 1,000-mile motorbike trek for charity.

I have to admit, although it's for charity, I do feel they should be doing the job they are paid for, Army Officers! :bang: Still I'm sure their comrades in Afghanistan and Iraq will be thinking of them on this grueling jaunt! :whistling:
 
I want to know if their bodyguards volunteered for this trip or whether, because their principals are doing it, they have to go.

Personally they could have raised a lot more money if they had organised another benefit concert with the proceeds going to the charities without putting the lives of their bodyguards at unnecessary risk. Personally I don't care if they put their own lives at risk but they also have to consider others and they don't seem to care about those whose job it is to protect them at all - two very selfish young men in my opinion who think that if they are doing it for charity then all else will be forgiven.
 
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What makes you say they're selfish, aren't their bodyguards supposed to protect them no matter what? Isn't that their job? They kinda go into this knowing that they're putting themselves in danger, especially protecting royalty. And really a concert would have been way harder and longer to organize then this. I dunno that's just what I think.
 
The bodyguards are employed by the British taxpayers - they are a branch of the police force.

Sure once they are in the Royal Protection Squad they have to go with their principal but that even shows a greater disregard for the British public - putting at risk those employed by the taxpayers to protect them.

A concert may take a long time to organise but this trek has been in the works for nearly a year (I remember reading about a planned trek like this about a year ago) so time to organise isn't an issue. Harder - I don't know about that - the difficulty with this whole trek is ensuring the safety of the participants - I have friends who have relatives and friends in all part of Africa just trying to get out due to their fear of living in Africa due to being white - these young men are actually putting their lives at risk of harm (and I don't care about them at all) but I do care about them putting at unneccessary risk the lives of their bodyguards (just as I oppose Harry's determination to serve on the front line if that increases the risk to his men or other British or allied troops. How would you feel if a loved one was killed in Afghanistan because the 'bad guys' were making a concerted effort to get at Harry andf your loved one happened to get in the road - that is what I mean by an unnecessary risk).

These princes aren't normal and can't do normal things. They have to consider others and they seem to be being encouraged to think that they are able to do whatever they like and everyone will accept them - they are doing charity work which makes it all right - it doesn't if they put others at risk.
 
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I guess, but (and this isn't directed to you specifically) I feel like everytime they both try and do something like go out do some charity work, try to raise money they are always criticized. Diana's concert, "they did it so they can have fun", when they went to the rehabilitation center this year it was "oh they're just doing it for PR" . It's just I feel like whatever they do, they can't get a break. Anyways back on topic, while what you're saying might be true, I get this feeling that it wasn't only William and Harry's idea, I'm sure they got the ok by other people such as their advisors and family members as well so I can't put full blame on them, just like Harry's deployment, Her Majesty approved of it I beleive so, I don't know, for me I can't call them selfish cause I mean and I'm not trying to use the oh it's charity work so it's ok excuse but if they were worried about the protection of others they could have told the boys no, unless they're afraid to. I think why William and Harry like doing these kinds of things is not only having them in it brings awareness but I'm sure they have alot of fun too and they meet new people and stuff anyways I'm rambling now, I hope what I'm trying to say made sense and I hope I somehow managed to stay on topic for the most part.
 
You are right in that their advisers etc have to approve this but that doesn't excuse the princes to me but condemns the advisers as well. These young men are also old enough to make their own decisions and that should include being aware of the dangers into which they expect others to go because they want to go there.

If the princes were to do this trek without bodyguard I wouldn't have a problem, or if they were paying directly for the bodyguards, as they would be taking responsibility for the extra dangers into which they are putting their bodyguards.

I had no problems with the concert, other than the fact that it was to do with the member of the RF that I have despised since she trashed the boys father in public (but that is another issue). The fact is the concert raised heaps of money for charity and I applaud them for that (and think they could do something similar again). Going to rehab centres etc is what royals should do so long as they do it regularly and not only when they are getting bad publicity through actions that show poor judgement on the part of young men in their 20s who frequently act like young men 10 years younger than they are.
 
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Iluvbertie said:
The bodyguards are employed by the British taxpayers - they are a branch of the police force...
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100% with you Luvnbertie. Putting their bodyguards(and fellow soldiers) at risk like this (should be) is unacceptable. Do charity by all means, but on your own with no risk to others who are just doing their job.
 
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Skydragon said:
The Mail's take on it, read some of the comments though....

Into the wild: Princes William and Harry begin their gruelling and dangerous South African charity bike trek | Mail Online

With warpaint streaked down their faces, Princes William and Harry sped off into the South African wilderness today on an epic 1,000-mile motorbike trek for charity.

I have to admit, although it's for charity, I do feel they should be doing the job they are paid for, Army Officers! :bang: Still I'm sure their comrades in Afghanistan and Iraq will be thinking of them on this grueling jaunt! :whistling:
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I'm with you there, skydragon. It looks like a joyride for thrill-seeking young men. I don't like how the royals are now being seen as just a face for this charity or that. There's got to be more to being royal than that. Actors and actresses do charity bits; its not an exclusive royal gig anymore.
 
Iluvbertie said:
If the princes were to do this trek without bodyguard I wouldn't have a problem, or if they were paying directly for the bodyguards, as they would be taking responsibility for the extra dangers into which they are putting their bodyguards.
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The bodyguards were probably queuing up to go, after all they will be sat in the support vehicles, not on bikes. Although I don't agree with our two royal Army Officers, off on another jolly, the protection officers would be with them anywhere they were, (apart from a war zone, then we would have a regiment of Gurkhas to protect them).:flowers:

ysbel said:
I'm with you there, skydragon. It looks like a joyride for thrill-seeking young men. I don't like how the royals are now being seen as just a face for this charity or that. There's got to be more to being royal than that. Actors and actresses do charity bits; its not an exclusive royal gig anymore.
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They are not even being seen as a face for a charity, they are doing so much damage to the reputation of the Royal family. I thought, when they became Army Officers, they would knuckle down and do their job, whether it meant being sent to Afghanistan, Iraq or a parade ground in the UK, the job UK taxpayers are paying them for. But, no, we had Williams exploits in the AirForce and shame on the OC for allowing it, now they have extra time off for another jolly. :bang:
 
The Princes didn't organise this trek, Enduro Africa is the organisation that runs it each year. They learned about the trek when Sentabale was contacted to see if they wanted to be a recipient of the money that the enduro raises. Enduro Africa has made a commitment to Sentebale for the next 3 years which means money raised in the future enduros will go to Sentebale not just this year's. The publicity it's receiving due to William and Harry's participation means more people hearing about the trek and more people doing it and more money raised.
This was an relatively easy fundraising event for the Princes, Sentebale will get 100,000 pounds from this event, which the princes just joined. In contrast an enormous amount of work went into the Diana concert, including input from the Princes and it raised a one off approx 150,000 pounds for Sentebale. ( from the Sentebale site) For another 3 years without the princes having to be doing the fundraising approx 300,000 pounds will be raised for Sentebale. More money less work, so the trek was worth doing.

Concerts ( personally I think the Diana one was tacky) that are repeated aren't that effective, even the Princes Trust which used to have a concert a year in Hyde Park to raise money has stopped doing them. The novelty has worn out and they aren't cost effective.

The area where the trek is doing through is not seething with danger, that's why the trek is there! The danger is in people falling off their motorbikes and breaking bones. Not everywhere in Africa is a hotbed of murderous thugs out to get you, nor is everywhere politically unstable and about to break into chaos. It's grueling otherwise it's not an adventure!According to reports, the protection officers are riding in the enduro along with the princes ( as are some of their friends, I'm sure I recognised Guy Pelly in one of the photos) Also the other bikers are the 'weekend warrior' who are out for a taste of adventure. Reading one blog a rider has spent 2 years raising his target of 20,000 pounds for charity and for his adventure. They take a week's holiday and go to Africa, Harry's been given leave and William is between placements as he's been spending the last few months doing various placements in the armed forces, including a stint at Whitehall.
 
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So no tax money is being spent and you are saying they are going without government paid security? Oh well wonders never cease!
Also it sounds as though it is is going to be as safe as a charity ball but more effective. The money raised by them taking part sounds fine but to most people it sounds as though they are just out to have a good time. Army officers are army officers, but I suppose the army is more of a pastime for them than a real career.
 
Charlotte1 said:
------snipped It's grueling otherwise it's not an adventure!According to reports, the protection officers are riding in the enduro along with the princes ( as are some of their friends, I'm sure I recognised Guy Pelly in one of the photos) Also the other bikers are the 'weekend warrior' who are out for a taste of adventure.
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According to William, it is an adventure.
because it's a mixture of adventure and charity
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The Press Association: Princes in S Africa motorbike trek

I can find nothing in any of the articles to suggest that their friends are also taking part or that the protection officers, (2 each, only allowed to work 8 hours each, which as with Beatrice, means they would have to be relieved) are traveling on bikes.

The fact remains that William & Harry are paid taxpayers money as members of the armed service. William, whether he is prancing about with the SAS or working at the MOD, he receives an officers salary from the army, and he is doing nothing to earn it. The same goes for Harry, who seems to be on permanent leave.

Not good for the image of the royal family!
 
Menarue said:
So no tax money is being spent and you are saying they are going without government paid security? Oh well wonders never cease!
Also it sounds as though it is is going to be as safe as a charity ball but more effective. The money raised by them taking part sounds fine but to most people it sounds as though they are just out to have a good time. Army officers are army officers, but I suppose the army is more of a pastime for them than a real career.
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Where on earth did you get the 'no tax money being spent' I didn't even mention payment of security officers!
And yes they probably would raise more money than a charity ball, considering the costs involved in hosting one and why few organisations even have charity balls anymore to raise money!

Insulting them as army officers and going on this trek to raise money, then you also insult all the other people who have spent the past year raising money to participate in this event. You don't think that the teachers, nurses, store workers, managers, electricians, plumbers, etc take their careers seriously they're not 'real careers' since they are prepared to go on a trek once a year ( some participants have been before) to raise money for charities they consider worthwhile and at the same time add some camaraderie and adventure to their lives!
 
There's been extensive coverage in various media and I don't bother to keep links. Shaun Davy has been named as being part of the princes' group, also another friend whose name I didn't recognise. ( in pictures I thought I recognised Guy Pelly) The news reports did say that the protection officers were going to be part of the group on bikes.

Saying Harry's been on permanent leave is somewhat unfair as he's been in Canada with his regiment on exercises since late August and came back 2 weeks ago for his god-father's memorial service, that was in the media as well! ( Well behaved in a bar in Calgary, much to the disappointment of the press!) Keeping track of Harry he had 3 week's leave when he came back from Afghanistan in March ( same as other returning British service personnel) then early August holiday so 2 weeks leave and now this, hardly permanent leave!
 
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Charlotte1 said:
Keeping track of Harry he had 3 week's leave when he came back from Afghanistan in March ( same as other returning British service personnel) then early August holiday so 2 weeks leave and now this, hardly permanent leave!
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But Charlotte, you know that the "details" are irrelevant.

The papers, and not a few posters on this forum have griped about them not doing any real charity work and when they do . . . . well then they are obviously skiving off from their Military careers. Either way thay con't win for losing. :bang:
 
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