...for the most part, Joan Rivers/Johnny Carson/Late Nights Shows, (may) have had "a (slightly disjointed/humorous :) effect" on American's opinions' on the British "Royal" Family.
It’d be nice if people could base their opinions on something other than misreported newspaper articles. Unfortunately for most people that’s all there is. The media chooses to present a caricature of the Prince that has only a limited link to reality.
First of all, HRH did not ‘pinch’ any cherry brandy. He ordered it in a pub.
Secondly, he was also not 12 at the time, but 14.
Thirdly, he was caned for doing so and it was by no means the only time he was caned. He was caned at school by schoolmasters and at home by his father.
The Prince is a ‘decent chap.’ He served his country in the military for five years, and has served it in other ways his entire life, virtually always putting his own desires behind the needs of his country and his people and living a life of duty towards them. Yes, he’s a little odd in some ways, though not as odd as some people seem to think. He’s limited in the issues he’s allowed to talk about because of his current and future consitutional roles which means a lot of the time, he can only talk about fairly fringe issues where his views would not bring him into conflict with Her Majesty’s government.