Prince Harry's Nazi Costume Criticized 37 minutes ago Top Stories - AP By MICHAEL McDONOUGH, Associated Press Writer LONDON - Jewish groups and lawmakers criticized Prince Harry on Thursday for wearing a Nazi uniform to a costume party, with one group urging him to visit the Auschwitz death camp, despite an apology from the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II (news - web sites). The 20-year-old prince apologized Wednesday in a statement after a British newspaper printed a picture of him wearing the uniform with a swastika armband while clutching a cigarette and a drink at a party on Saturday. "I think a lot of people will be disappointed to see that photograph and it will cause a lot of offense," said Michael Howard, leader of Britain's main opposition Conservative Party. "I think it might be appropriate for him to tell us himself just how contrite he now is," added Howard, who is Jewish. The Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles expressed outrage and urged Prince Harry to travel to Poland later this month to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp. "There he will see the results of the hated symbol he so foolishly and brazenly chose to wear," said Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of the center. Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites)'s office was reluctant to get involved. "Clearly an error was made," Blair's official spokesman said. "That has been recognized by Harry, and I think it is better that this matter continues to be dealt with by (Buckingham) Palace." Jewish groups in Britain were more moderate in their criticism. "The fact that the palace has issued an apology indicates that this was a mistake by the prince," said Rabbi Jonathan Romain, a spokesman for the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain. "But having being given, the apology should now be accepted." A spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said the costume "was clearly in bad taste, especially in the run-up to Holocaust Memorial Day" on Jan. 27. But he added: "The board is pleased that he's apologized for the incident." The queen will commemorate the Holocaust and 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by inviting survivors of the Nazi death camps and British World War II veterans who liberated them to a reception at St. James' Palace. The picture of Prince Harry, the second son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, appeared in The Sun newspaper. In the statement, Harry said he was "very sorry if I caused any offense or embarrassment to anyone." "It was a poor choice of costume and I apologize," he added. Harry, who plans to enroll this year at a military college, has long been known as the wilder of Charles and Diana's two handsome sons, in contrast to his university-student brother Prince William, 22. Harry, third in line to the throne, has been photographed drinking in London's trendiest nightclubs and three years ago was sent by his father to observe a drug rehabilitation center after being caught smoking mar1juana. In October, he scuffled with a paparazzi photographer outside a London nightclub. A former Buckingham Palace spokesman said he believed Prince Charles was too easy on his sons. "I'm sorry, the Prince of Wales, he's a humanitarian and he does some terrific work, but I don't think he has ... the right discipline over his children, particularly Prince Harry," Dickie Arbiter told Sky News TV. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm.../ap/20050113/ap_on_re_eu/britain_prince_harry You would figure that the people around would have stopped him, anyway, it just reminded me of that scene in Eurotrip, with the little kid acting like a Nazi, for those of you who saw that flick.
I just read this on the Chronicle website...Ok, he's an idiot, but I must admit, it made me laugh...I mean, c'mon, what was this guy thinking...
This guy is supposed to be bright? What was he thinking? The apology rings hollow to me. How he can even conceive the idea of doing this boggles my mind. It is beyond stupid. Someone in his position should know better and it scares me that he did not. I question not only his judgement but who he is as a person. He either needs a severe history lesson or a severe beating for being such an idiot.
Yes that was classic ... He even had the Hitler Mustache going with an ink smudge on his lip ... time to watch that movie again .. haha
What abut all of the British who died in the war? Or the V2s falling on London? Seems like more than the Jews would be shocked by this. Regardless, I agree w/ Max, he's only 20 and no one died.
Yeah, it's not something eart shattering, but it serves as yet another example of why the royals are useless turds. He's not just some ordinary 20 year old. Well, that is if the royals are to be believed. He's in line to be the next King of England, potentially. This family is "ordained by God" and has a "divine right" to rule according to them. Because of this, he is supposed to be above all this, better than the rest, right? They can't just all of a sudden say he's a normal 20 yr old kicking it up. Can't have it both ways. It's not just a Jewish thing either - it's a slap in the face of the British who fought & died against the Nazis. The fact that the royal family is of Germanic descent & well-known for their Nazi sympathies during the war, doesn't help either. Hell, they changed their last name after WWI so that it wouldn't "sound German." Freaking royals - they're all from the same damn inbred family, yet somehow gained the thrones of so many different nations. Luckily, most of these countries saw what leeches they really are and deposed them.
BBC had a photo yesterday. What I don't understand is why he would think this is a good idea? I mean, it's completely insane for anyone to wear this costume, let alone someone in his position. It reminds me of an argument I had with someone a while back. He was arguing that eventually, the swastika would not be taboo, and people would be able to "respectfully fly the nazi flag" and not draw outrage. He based this on the fact that people can "respectfully fly the confederate flag". But I argued that his premise was completely flawed and that not in a thousand years would the Nazi flag be acceptable, and the confederate flag does cause a certain amount of "outrage" now. It was a longer discussion obviously, but I just can't believe that someone would be that moronic.
Never seen Eurotrip....was it that funny? I feel like watching European Vacation again.... (the Griswalds Family)
I thought was pretty funny, I will tell you that the plot is almost a carbon copy of "Road Trip" but it's still plenty funny in my book.
KC, Harry ain' the pure blood. Look closely, Harry doesn't even remotely resemble Charles.... Rumore of his biological father has been rampant since day one .....
