Birthday lurve goes out today to Prince Harry, our favorite ginger royal from the UK, who is celebrating his 25th birthday. Not only will Prince Harry be receiving lots of birthday cards, gifts and (most likely) a really big cake but he will also be coming into a hefty inheritance left to him by his late mother Princess Diana. Yes, methinks today is going to be a great birthday for his royal hotness:
Prince Harry turned 25 on Tuesday, becoming an even more eligible bachelor as he gained access to part of his inheritance from his mother, Princess Diana. The quarter-century mark denoted a coming of age for the flame-haired prince, who is third in line of succession to the British throne and possesses both his mother’s sense of adventure and her common touch. The younger son of Diana and Prince Charles spent his birthday continuing his pilot training in the Royal Air Force, but he was hardly out of the spotlight. British media ran a flood of pictures, showing Harry’s steady progression from a toddler in short pants to an earnest soldier in combat gear. At each step — with his easy smile and approachable ways — he reminded many of Diana. Other sympathetic images included the 12-year-old boy who walked behind his mother’s coffin to Westminster Abbey and the confident 24-year-old who spoke movingly at a memorial service in 2007 about “the best mother in the world.” “When she was alive, we completely took for granted her unrivaled love of life, laughter, fun and folly. She was our guardian, friend and protector. She never once allowed her unfaltering love for us to go unspoken or undemonstrated,” he said. Harry and his brother Prince William were left equal shares in their mother’s estate following her death in a car crash in Paris in 1997. With inheritance taxes deducted, the estate was valued at nearly 13 million pounds at the time, but its present value has not been disclosed. The Sunday Times Young Rich List — published in April — guessed that Prince Harry and Prince William were each worth 28 million pounds ($46 million). It did not break out how much was related to Diana’s estate. Under Diana’s will, the princes are entitled to all the income from their part of her estate when they are 25 and they gain access to the capital at age 30. William is now 27. Patrick Jephson, who was involved with Diana’s finances when he worked as her private secretary, said the princess’ money was “very prudently” invested and that Harry will also have access to some of the considerable wealth generated by the Duchy of Cornwall, which is under Prince Charles’ control. “Of all the concerns that a young man in his position might have, money is not one of them, and likely never will be,” Jephson said. As a lieutenant in the British Army, Harry’s annual pay is between 29,006 to 32,061 pounds per year ($48,000 to $53,000) … Dickie Arbiter, former royal spokesman and now a commentator, said Harry’s new wealth was unlikely to change his life. “I doubt whether he’ll touch the money because he manages quite well with his Army salary. What does he need to spend it on? Very little,” Arbiter said on Sky News … Prince Henry Charles Albert David was born in 1984, fulfilling what Diana had called her duty to produce “an heir and a spare” … Harry is third in the line of succession to the throne, behind his father and his elder brother. There are precedents for younger brothers to become king, including Harry’s great-grandfather, King George VI who stepped in when his elder brother, King Edward VIII, abdicated. More likely, Harry will fall further back in the line of succession if William has children. Jephson said the young prince went through some rocky patches but is now living up to his parents’ high expectations. “His record of service to the country, both in the army and in his royal duties, would surely make both his parents and his grandparents very proud,” he said.
While it is very true that Prince Harry has suffered a few missteps in the public eye, I think for the most part he is a good kid who grew up into a fine young man. His commitment to the service of his country is commendable and his desire to help the less fortunate (a desire instilled in him by his late mother) is extremely admirable. The young prince may not be perfect but he seems willing to learn from his mistakes and right the wrongs he may have caused. I wish him all the Birthday Lurve today and hope he will get to enjoy many, many more birthdays to come!!
[Source]
RSS
Feedburner
