Prince Harry faces Army probe over racism on video
Monday, 12 January 2009
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Prince Harry was last night facing an Army investigation into his conduct after his racist reference to a comrade as a “little Paki friend” in a video diary obtained by a Sunday newspaper was met with a barrage of criticism.
The Queen's grandson issued a fulsome apology recognising the offence caused by his comment about a fellow officer cadet at the Sandhurst military academy. But attempts by St James's Palace to explain that the third in line to throne was using the term as a “nickname” for a friend met with an implacable response from politicians.
David Cameron, the Conservative leader, said the language used by the gaffe-prone prince had been “completely unacceptable”. The Rahmadan Foundation, a Muslim youth association, described Harry, who is training to become a combat helicopter pilot with the Army Air Corps, as a “thug” who needed to show “real remorse”.
The video, in which Harry is also heard calling another Sandhurst colleague a “raghead”, is the latest controversy to surround the prince. In 2005, he apologised to Jewish groups after he attended a fancy dress party wearing a Nazi armband.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed last night that the prince's conduct on the video diary, shot three years ago while he was training to become an officer in the British Army, would be “looked into” by his commanding officer. But unless a formal complaint is received from Lieutenant Ahmed Raza Khan, the high-flying Pakistani officer who was the target of the prince's remark, it is understood that Harry will not face formal disciplinary proceedings.
An Army spokeswoman said: “The Army does not tolerate inappropriate behaviour in any shape or form. The Army takes all allegations of inappropriate behaviour very seriously and all substantive allegations are investigated. This specific case will be dealt with in line with normal Army procedures.”
Defence sources suggested the prince was likely to receive nothing more severe than words of advice because the incident had taken place in 2006, he had issued a public apology and has an “excellent” military record, which includes ten weeks' of frontline duty as a forward air controller in Afghanistan's Helmand province last year.
The film, which was obtained by the News of the World, is a blow to the Army at a time when it is trying to increase its intake of ethnic minority recruits, who are currently under-represented in the armed services.
The footage, shot while Harry was waiting in an airport departure lounge with fellow cadets to travel to Cyprus for manoeuvres, carries a commentary from the prince as he pans over sleeping colleagues before zooming in on the face of Lt Khan. Harry says: “Ah, our little Paki friend, Ahmed.”
In a statement, St James's Palace said the prince was “extremely sorry” for any offence caused by his words: “Prince Harry used the term without any malice and as a nickname about a highly popular member of his platoon. There is no question that Prince Harry was in any way seeking to insult his friend.”
Officials in Pakistan said senior officers were yesterday discussing whether to allow Lt Khan, who received a special award from the Queen as the best foreign student in Harry's Sandhurst class, to speak to the media about the incident. One high-ranking Pakistani army officer said the prince's choice of language would cause disquiet: “This will be very offensive thing for someone to say. I do not know why he said this.”
And a British uncle of Lt Khan said his nephew had never characterised himself as a close friend of the prince. Iftikhar Raja, from Croydon, south London, added: “I am proud to be British and if someone called me Pakistani I would be proud to be called that, but Paki is definitely a derogatory remark.”
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@Mickey, I can't see why it's relevant but that's fine.
Each situation was a little different but I expressed my displeasure at the term and suggested they don't use it again towards me. This was met by a mixture of responses, some would try to brush it under the carpet and act as though I didn't challenge them, some offered an apology and unfortunately some people have shown outright hostility that I dare say anything at all!
Posted by roy | 13.01.09, 15:01 GMT
Roy "I've been called Paddy on the odd occasion, can't say I appreciated it."
So what did you do about it. Something? Nothing? If "something", what was the outcome? If "nothing", why not?
Posted by mickey | 13.01.09, 10:38 GMT
It's unfortunate that what Harry perceived as a bit of harmless name calling, has made the press.
It starts in the school, kids pick up on a visible trait of their peers which is different or 'not the norm'.
I suspect Harry was often referred to as 'Ging' or 'Ginger', but that's ok apparently. I have a ginger mate who secretly hates the tag (which means I only heighten my use of the term, naturally), but the public perception is that the terminology used by Harry to his Asian colleagues is worse. Why?
Posted by mickey | 13.01.09, 09:46 GMT
Far too much has been made of this - this incident happened three years ago and I think it's clear to eveyone that Harry has grown up considerably since then- as the article points out, he's served in Afghanistan and done significant charity work. If there was a real problem, then this incident should've been flagged in 2006, by the guy at whom the comment was directed and not used by the media to generate headlines. Yes Harry should have apologised, as he did, and there should be the end to it.
Posted by GC | 13.01.09, 08:17 GMT
Lighten up, Muslims! You need to develop a sense of humor.
Posted by Jim Guinnessey | 12.01.09, 20:58 GMT
Yes, so what indeed. Speaking as ex-military myself, military humour differs vastly from civvies - less political correctness and all, regardless of skin colour, play at it. There really is no big deal here.
Posted by johnh | 12.01.09, 19:30 GMT
@ Centaur. Rough n tough is fine but this young man is a member of the royal family, we pay for him on a daily basis and he is ment to be a role model. How can we criticise young racists in hoodies when it's acceptable for a prince? If he'd called his colleague a 'Nigger' would you still be so liberal in your attitude? 'Look here's our little friend Nigger' sounds terrible right? So what's the difference?
Also did you appreciate getting called 'Paddy'? Was that acceptable to you? Being called something because of where people perceive you come from? I've been called Paddy on the odd occasion, can't say I appreciated it.
Posted by roy | 12.01.09, 18:27 GMT
Was the person he was referring to offended? I doubt it! Was it banter among friends? Most likely! Get over it all you oversensitive politically correct people. All things in context!
Posted by Alison | 12.01.09, 17:25 GMT
I suppose this means that we will not be allowed to shorten any names now to describe someone. No more Aussies, Jocks, Taffs, Yanks, Poles and oh dear what will the Shinners do if they can no longer refer to the Brits.
What a ridiculous mountain is being made out of a molehill. Anyone with half a brain who saw the clip on TV could see that the remark was made in a joking way. Yet again the PC brigade leap on the bandwagon.
Interestingly the person who the Prince was referring to has not complained.
Posted by Alan | 12.01.09, 17:09 GMT
You see at his position he should have known better, but he may have used an unpolitically correct remark, but he did not seem to intend it to be derogatory and should not be deemed a racist. I've met REAL racists, and these people hate non whites to the point they hate being in the same room as them. People need to get some perspective on life, concentrate on the real problems we face.
Posted by Paul | 12.01.09, 10:50 GMT
So What! He is still a young man, who is serving his country, like all of us, he ain't going to be perfect. For young men in the army, terms like 'Paki', don't carry the same significance, as they do elsewhere. That is not something that needs changed, just something that should be taken into consideration.
Posted by Stuart | 12.01.09, 04:57 GMT
So what? It's the Army for heaven's sake! Squaddies will always have a rough 'n tough sense of humour and I, for one, think it is good that a Prince should be exposed to (and give out) that sort of earthy humour.
If I had a pound for every time I was called a "Paddy" when I weas in England, I would be a wealthy man. This Politically Correct nonsense has gone too far. We are all adults and have to learn to live with the rough and the smooth. By all means eliminate outright rascism such as Nazism, but let us have some earthy humour to smooth the everyday trials of life.
Good on ya Harry!
Posted by Centaur | 12.01.09, 03:03 GMT