Prince Harry is doing a lot of apologizing today after a video of the young prince on duty in Afghanistan surfaced yesterday that showed the prince saying some very racially insensitive things. News of the World managed to score a home video, apparently recorded by Prince Harry on his own video camera, of the prince narrating a short clip and is heard referring to a fellow soldier named Ahmed as his “little Paki friend” — which I now understand that in the UK is as offensive as using the “N” word here in the US. Later on in the tape he also uses the term “raghead” when he sees a Caucasian soldier friend wearing a head covering on his head. The video goes on to show other shenanigans on the prince’s part but it’s the Paki and raghead remarks that have him scrambling to undue some of the damage done by the remarks:
ROYAL rebel Prince Harry today stands accused of racism in a bombshell home video as he swaggers in front of his army comrades. The soldier prince pours shame on the Royal Family as he calls an Asian squaddie “our little Paki friend” and tells another officer cadet jokingly wearing a camouflage veil off duty: “Fuck me, you look like a raghead”—an offensive term for an Arab. Harry, 24, third in line to the throne, also mocks the Queen—who is Commander-in-Chief of the British Army—while acting out a mobile phone call to her in front of other cadets at a field camp in Cyprus. They laugh out loud as the disrespectful Prince pretends to get bored talking to his grandmother and dismissively hangs up on her saying: “Send my love to the corgis. I’ve got to go, got to go, bye. God Save You . . . yeah, that’s great.” He even jokes about the colour of his pubic hair with one soldier in the middle of giving orders. Last night Clarence House issued an APOLOGY for his behaviour in the shocking video diary—in which Harry is often behind the camera giving a foul-mouthed commentary. Extracts from the shock video can be seen on only our website notw.co.uk And the Ministry of Defence said last night: “This sort of language is not acceptable in a modern army.” His sick remarks will not only have infuriated the Queen but could also increase tensions with Islamic groups in the UK who were outraged that he went to fight and kill Muslims in Afghanistan. And they will mortify Army chiefs trying to recruit soldiers from Britian’s ethnic minorities. The film was made in 2006, just a year after Harry was shamed for wearing a Nazi swastika at a fancy dress party and forced to make a grovelling apology.
I am not even going to begin to try rationalize Harry‘s remarks, they’re pretty deplorably insensitive. I can only imagine that while on military duty, soldiers tend to cut up with one another in order to defray the cautious stress that comes from being in danger. I suspect, too, that Harry was prolly trying to joke around and “be cool” with his friends (something dumb guys do all the time) … again, not an excuse. I did find the part of the video funny when he pretends to talk to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, on the phone saying, “God save you”. That bit was funny, I thought. It was also nice of Harry to confirm to the world that his pubes are also ginger, just like the hair on his head. Nice chap. After the jump, watch the video in full for yourselves so you can see and hear just what has gotten Harry in so much hot water today …
If the above clip does not work for you, you can watch the video HERE as well. I don’t necessarily think that Prince Harry is a bad guy … tho this, coupled with that Nazi costume scandal that he was involved in previously doesn’t really paint him in the best light. The kid is young and, altho that is no excuse for this kind of behavior, I suspect he’ll eventually grow up and realize that this sort of behavior is no way for an adult to act — Royalty or not. Learn your lesson, Harry.
[Source]
Us Americans are probably not aware of what the term “Paki” connotes as it is a British phrase. Paki has the same derogatory and inflammatory connotation as the N-word in America. In the UK, South Asians (Indians) are the most populous minority and when people want to speak derogatorily of them they use the term “Paki.”
@J – whoa! I really had no idea it was that offensive. It’s pretty shitty that he would use such language :(
His young age doesn’t excuse the ignorance that he displays by using such comments and derogatory terms. I find it disgusting that ANYONE would say such things, but the fact that an individual in a position such as him has openly expressed such racist opinions makes the situation even more shameful.
This isn’t the type of ideology that individuals who hold this sort of power in our world should be reinforcing through use of comments like his. He should really know better.
Aww… I hope Prince Harry realizes how upset his comments can make some people. Young people make silly mistakes, but hopefully he learns a lesson from all of this. My heart goes out to those who are discriminated against. It is sad that in 2009 that people can be so closed minded.
This isn’t an excuse, but I bet if you taped every military kid goofing around with his buddies, you’d hear some pretty insane, racist sh*t. I think that over-the-top, offensive humor is probably part of the way that they deal w/ being deployed. Like I said, NOT an excuse, but I bet it’s really freaking common to hear this kind of thing behind the scenes…
my husband is in the military, and we live on base and let me say soldiers…the young single ones in particular use this kind a language and the person its directed to normally doesnt care. he says something just as offensive back. not condoning it. but it happens when your in a highly stressfull situation.
Meh, much ado about nothing.
WTF is up with royals anymore? They used to be gorgeous and classy like Princess Grace and Princess Di. Now all we have is nasty Harry. Yikes. At least Prince William seems to be staying out of trouble.
give him a break. what a sexy voice.
Yeah to that, Jenn. My husband is also in the military and spent a year in Iraq and I’ve heard some pretty out there things. Perhaps those who cast stones should try to even muster the courage to be in the situation he is in.
@Meagan – I’m not sure that is entirely fair as there must be many brave soldiers who risk their lives and still refrain from using derogatory language.
Ok Royals are human beings. They make mistakes. Harry didnt ask to be a royal and Im sure he didnt ask to have every freaking word he says be recorded.
@Tracy – um, he recorded it himself
OMG, I can’t believe this is in any way upsetting to anyone. I was expecting something actually inflammatory but this is nothing compared to what I’ve heard come out of our troops mouths. It’s clearly young guys in a stressful and potentially DEADLY situation blowing off steam and the use of deragatory slurs in these instances is usually done in fun and are not taken with offense by those they’re directed at or meant in any serious way at all. The person who deserves a kick in the pants is the one who released and posted the video. Three cheers for Harry–he may not be the smartest branch of the family tree but he is by far not the dumbest (mom in particular was no brain trust) and I chalk up his past indiscretions to youthful exuberance overtaking common sense.
SIGH! Yet again the British press go and make a huge big deal over something that happened THREE YEARS AGO and yet again the royal family have been betrayed and humiliated by somebody in their circle who callously sold this video to the News of The World, which is the “news”paper which is most notorious for having stories sold to them to possibly ruin anyone famous. It’s just scum publicity and they love blowing things out of preportion. I have a brother-in-law in the military and he said that these comments made by Prince Harry are tame compared to what’s said amongst soldiers on duty and actually, the guy described as being a Paki probably didn’t even get offended in any way and doesn’t even care, but he’s probably mad now the video has been made public. I have Pakistani friends who describe THEMSELVES as Pakis and they have said that it is NOT a racist term and is just a shortened version of Pakistani! It is not at all like the “N” word. A lot of people take it the wrong way and yes, there are some Pakistanis and Indians who would be offended, but not the ones I know. It’s obvious it’s the media who have made the shortended version of Pakistani sound racist, but why should it be? People call us British people Brits (or Poms if it’s in Australia), Japanese Japs, Americans are called Yanks, New Zealanders are nicknamed Kiwis, etc. and that’s not offensive! In Australia they call foreigners Wogs. Wog is considered racist in the UK, but used normally by Australians as a slang word for foreigner and is not racist. I heard it actually comes from an Abiriginal word for a foreigner.
People really need to chill out. I am so sick of all this political correctness and bad press trying to make a mockery of our royal family.
Why do people keep comparing Prince Harry to “other soldiers”? The fact is he’s not just ANY soldier, people expect more from him.
Political correctness is the most effed up thing in this country.
Nobod is perfect, and when you are put in the situations that soldiers are put in everyday, you mess around with your friends and try to keep everyones spirits up. I don’t think Prince Harry was being rude or saying those things to hurt anyone he was making a joke and seriously it’s not like everyone hasn’t heard it before.
Um, Paki is a very offensive word when used by people who are NOT Pakistani or Indian. It IS just like the N-word. I am Indian, have been to the UK many many times, have British Indian family and British Indian friends and they all feel that when people call them Paki that it is very offensive. I have been called Paki when in London a few times and it was very clear the intention was entirely racist. If you are in the UK and you call a South Asian person Paki and you are not South Asian, you will gauranteed piss him/her off and start a fight. It IS just like the N word and racist.
…whatever, but I think Paki is nowhere near as offensive as N*****. I come from an area in Surrey where there is a big mosque, therefor there is a huge moslem population and I do have friends from that community and there couldn’t give a shit what other people think of them calling themselves Pakis or if other people call them Pakis BECAUSE IT IS JUST A SHORTENED VERSION OF THEIR NATIONALITY They were all brought up in the UK, though, so that could make a difference. The media have created the word Paki to sound negative, just a shorter version of somebody’s nationality, to be this assuming racist term and it’s become ridiculous and overlooked. Just like the media have yet again made another attempt to make a public figure look like the bad guy. Typical of what the world has come to, really. I really don’t think Harry was doing anything wrong and whoever sold the video to that crap newspaper should be named and shamed for this having ever been leaked. Just because it happens to be the second in line to the throne, they have been ridiculed and made to look bad, when Harry wasn’t intending to ever offend anyone in the first place, because he was talking about one of his friends and colleagues who probably didn’t care one bit about any namecalling or anything else, because it’s THE ARMY! They usually call themselves worse things than Paki or Raghead!
In reference to what JJ said about Harry not being “just any soldier” -
while in the army, he is expected to be treated exactly the same as everyone else and to take orders and join in with everyone else, in exactly the same way as any other soldier. He does not expect privileges or special treatment above other soldiers just because of who he is. This video is three years old and obviously the other soldiers filmed would have seen it. If the “Little Paki Friend” ever took the slightest bit of offence to Harry’s comment, the video would’ve been destroyed or edited, so he obviously wasn’t at all bothered,
Seriously, the British tabloid press are always out to make celebrities and our royals look as stupid as possible. Now they’ve declared Leona Lewis as “boring”. Why is she boring…? because there is no scandal on her? because she’s not a drug addict or party animal with lots of gossip surrounding her…? It’s just getting more and more negative and any slight piece of controversy about anyone these days, whether a it’s a royal prince, pop star, famous actor or politician, the papers will print anything they believe may shock and create drama in some form.
hey guys ! …. he’s a young guy. leave him alone. he went to big s…t already in his life losing his mother,and i’m sure he doesn’t asked to be the 3rd in the monarchy. he’s a normal guy playing around like millions and millions of others do.
unforth.everyone watches his moves.
Last post I promise ever on this blog as I do have a life :P So, I did not lightly give the analogy of the word Paki to the N-word. Yes the etymology of Paki is that it is a shortening of Pakistani. But it has been endowed with a more offensive meaning w/time. Clearly. When racist people use that they are not trying to say Pakistani they are trying to say something else, I’m sure you can deduce what. Ask your Pakistani friends if the word can be offensive to Pakistani people and why. You are not South Asian, you cannot say whether or not a certain term is deemed racist for a people of a certain race. You do not have the insight of being a member of that race while you might have friends of that race. Again, you don’t have the experience of being a member of that race.
I became familiar with the term when I was visiting fam in London when I was 14 yrs old and was called Paki. My Brit cousins got really mad, etc. Being American, I did not know what this word meant and was nonplussed by being called it, until I saw my cousins’ reaction. Afterwards, I asked them about the word and they informed me of how offensive it is regardless if you’re Pakistani or Indian, connotation is the same. Since then, I have talked to many South Asian (BOTH Pakistani and INdian) UK people about this word and they agree. If it is not offensive to South Asian people, then why the hell is there such an uproar from the SOuth Asian (Pakistanis and Indians) community in the UK vs. it? Your friends, lady from Surrey, might use the word b/c they are members of that race and can do so. It is the same way African Americans can use the N-word but people who are not African American cannot. Have you ever called someone who is Pakistani who is not your friend Paki? I think not, if so there would be no discussion.
The Prince of England while he is a soldier is not subject to the same anonymity as other solidiers. Obviously. He can’t be an ordinary solider, he has to be an extraordinary soldier. As such, he shouldn’t have recorded himself using that term. Only someone incerdibily stupid could be oblivious to how him using that term would offend people. He has to conduct himself so that he is a worthy object of emulation. He is a role model. That’s his life, he’s certainly benefited from the privelages of his life. If he wants to continue enjoying the boons of his position, then he has to be subject to its constricitons as well. If he doesn’t want to be a royal and all that entails then he should abdicate his position.
The soldier Harry joked about is actually his close friend Ahmed and he took no offence to what Harry said, so it’s just the press creating drama again and it needs to just be dropped. It’s getting boring discussing this already. Politicians are always name-calling foreigners as words a lot worse than Paki and they never get all this drama, so let it lie. A percentage of the population may get offended, but not everyone does, because like I’ve explained, it’s just a shortended version of a nationality.