Posted on 02/19/2007 12:02:42 PM PST by NormsRevenge
LONDON - He's a freckle-faced royal rascal who has led a life of privilege. But Britain's Prince Harry is also an army officer — and he could soon be heading to Iraq to face the reality of combat.
No matter that royal officials have said no decision about a deployment has been made, or that the Ministry of Defense has dismissed such reports as "entirely speculative." Newspapers are filling their pages about the security headache that a war zone assignment for Harry — who is third in line to the throne — could bring for the British army.
"Harry's always wanted to be treated as an ordinary soldier," the Daily Mail quoted an unidentified army source as saying. "He's not an ordinary soldier, of course."
When Harry, 22, left Sandhurst Military Academy last year, he became a second lieutenant and joined the Blues and Royals regiment of the Household Cavalry. At the time, the defense ministry said he could possibly be deployed to Iraq, but that there might be situations when the presence of a member of the royal family could increase the risk for his comrades.
Harry himself was having none of it.
"There's no way I'm going to put myself through Sandhurst, and then sit on my arse back home while my boys are out fighting for their country," he said in a television interview to mark his 21st birthday.
"It's entirely understandable that he should want to go," said William Wallace, a professor emeritus of international relations at the London School of Economics and a British defense expert. "There's not much point of being in the army unless you experience the same things as your men."
Harry went to the elite all-boys school, Eton, and has been described as "one of the lads" by celebrity gossip magazine Hello! Harry is considered more impetuous than his elder brother Prince William; he has often been seen leaving posh London nightclubs — and once scuffled with a photographer.
Harry has also acknowledged drinking underage and smoking marijuana, and in January 2006, he apologized after being pictured in a national newspaper at a costume party dressed as a Nazi, including a swastika armband.
But he's also been photographed working with AIDS orphans in Africa during a year spent abroad. And while Harry has been pictured with a beer or a cigarette in his hand, stories about his possible deployment to Iraq were accompanied by more dignified shots of the prince in battle gear.
Harry and William — who graduated from Sandhurst late last year and is also with the Blues and Royals — join a long line of royals in the military. Their uncle, Prince Andrew, served in the Falklands war as a Royal Navy pilot; Prince Philip, their grandfather, had a distinguished career in the Royal Navy during World War II.
Even Queen Elizabeth II, their grandmother, served — she was trained as a driver in the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II.
Amyas Godfrey, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a London think tank, said Harry could do a number of jobs in Iraq. As a junior officer, that might mean patrolling the streets of Basra, working inside the command headquarters, or training Iraqi police officers.
"It would be untrue to say he will be like everyone else — and he'll want to be like everyone else — but he won't be able to because he is Prince Harry," said Godfrey, a former Army officer who has served in Iraq. Godfrey said that one of the biggest obstacles to the prince serving in the field is his recognizability, which could make him vulnerable to attack.
The Ministry of Defense said William technically could be deployed to Iraq. However, it was highly unlikely that the second in line to the throne would be placed in harm's way.
The publicity surrounding Harry's possible deployment in April could affect whether he is sent to Iraq, where Britain has about 7,500 troops, based mostly in Basra, 40 miles southeast of Baghdad. More than 100 British soldiers have been killed in Iraq since the beginning of the war in 2003.
"I think the military will be very wary about getting it right — getting it right in the public eye," he said. "If he doesn't go, (the public) will say, bad decision, because they're treating him with kid gloves.
"If he does go and gets hurt, then it'll be a bad decision," Godfrey said. "The fact that it's in the public eye makes it a difficult decision."
In this file handout photo released by the British army on Sunday July 9, 2006 Prince Harry, youngest son of Prince Charles and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, in a Spartan armoured reconnaissance vehicle. Prince Harry will be serving as a soldier in Iraq by the end of the month, a British newspaper reported Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007,though government officials called the story speculative. (AP Photo/ British Army, Steve Dock,HO-File)
Good luck and Godspeed, Harry.
If it's the kid's idea as the story says I'm very impressed. For the record, it probably is his idea.
Godspeed Harry......
Doesn't look like a Windsor.
Not so sure that having a royal on the lines is a good idea. Could you imagine the shock wave it would send through the nation if he was killed? Or worse, snatched then put on display for a beheading?
Go Harry, good for you kiddo! A fine example to the pampered politicians' kids here in the US. God Bless Harry and keep him safe from harm.
It's in the blood,, maybe one of the only reasons the Monarchy is still around, jmo,, when they go 'Jane Fonda', they're toast.. the people won't have that.. History is not forgotten that easily, is it? (I had to ask. ;-)
For England, Harry and Saint George!
And that's a good thing! LOL
These boys seem to have the right stuff. God be with them both.
I'm impressed with the young man. He could have easily proclaimed opposition to the war and won all manner of accolades.
How about he kick Sean Penn's arse! That would cover his tour of duty for me!
Not that I wish that to happen, but imagine that shockwave indeed. Maybe then folks, who are sleeping today, might just wake up to the reality of this conflict.
This kid has guts. Going against the liberal establishment, going against those in his own family and his own handlers. All to show that he feels he is regular Briton just like the rest. Even if the paper tries to seperate him out as not one of them.
Way to go young man, hopefully more Britons and even Americans will follow your shining example.
The British Monarchy stands a chance if a way can be found to bypass Charles the Dolt.
I like how you think.
LOL!
He can get into all those fancy London clubs that the Hollywood sissy boys (Penn, Clooney, Pitt, Afleck) go to and just kick each of their arses when they show up. I would love to read the headlines: "Prince Harry Kicks the Crap Out of George Clooney at Fancy London Night Club!"
"Not so sure that having a royal on the lines is a good idea. Could you imagine the shock wave it would send through the nation if he was killed?"
If you have a hereditary monarchy, then one of the roles they have to play is to risk getting killed alongside the commoners. If you wrap them in cotton wool, and let them start believing that they really *are* superior to mortals by dint of their birth, then you start having a real problem. They start saying things like "L'etat? C'moi!"
Once that happens you have to take my Freepname seriously.
Or to paraphrase Monty Python: "Ya don't just become King"
Good for Harry. While I understand the Royals bit, not going would be immensly castrating personally for him.
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