Hey, it seems our Prince Harry has had his first 'scuffle' with photographers, photographing him leaving a nightclub. It's the first time I've ever heard of our royal family having a pagga with the paparazzi, and the 'palace' version of events seems to differ greatly from that of eyewitnesses as to who was the cause of the incident.
This brings me to another point; it's likely the royal family will get their own view of events to be stamped on history; I'd love to know what really happened when Princess Michael of Kent (yes, Kent!) apparently caused a furore in Dal Silvano restaurant New York with a comment regarding the colonies in May this year. There, restaurant diners claimed she had 'told them to go back to the colonies', whereas her Press corps stated she had said she would be 'ready to go back to the colonies'. I personally feel she was capable of making the more offensive version of the remark, as she (and her husband, come to think of it) have the reputation for being bungling anachronisms who often 'put their foot in it'- indeed, PMoK is known as 'Princess pushy' in the tabloid press.
The point I'm trying to get across is that our 'beloved' royal family seem to be able to get away with white-washing (are you still allowed to say that?) what the public sees & hears about their increasingly inappropriate public behaviour. I know politicians do this all the time, but the royals have no need to cling to power by lies; I just think they should act with decorum, that's what we pay them for, but if they don't, they should at least tell the truth...

Yes, it appears Prince Harry is going to be the tearaway of the two princes. Still, he's got to expect intrusions in his private life being a part of The Royal Family regardless of what he does.

I'm only disappointed that the main result of the fracas was that the other paparazzi were able to sell their pictures for ten times their normal amount 'cause the prince let his anger and frustration with their behaviour show.

Think on this: even if you ignore the fact that his mother died while being chased by these ..er.. "gentlemen", how many people could resist pushing the camera into the face of someone who came within range under those circumstances?  (especially after a few drinks).  Having ones nose broken on impact with ones own camera should be accepted as an occupational hazard.

Maybe he should arm himself with a tin of spray paint, instead ;)

re PMoK, I can't believe that she *didn't* make that remark: it would be completely in character.  IMO, she should have something like "OK, so I did say something inappropriate" rather than coming up with something totally incredible: the royals don't have the power to whitewash things any more, and most of them conduct themselves with really quite remarkable decorum and gravitas (especially when you compare them to elected heads of state).

Thinks... this might be worth a poll :)

Setting the way back machine, sometime in the 70's, I think it was, your Princess Anne made
a visit to Canada & the US.  She was at some party and someone asked her about the troubles
in Ireland.  Her reply was,"Oh the Irish,  they're pigs"  Damage control stepped in to say she didn't
say that, what she said was" Oh the Irish, they dance jigs".  They really expected us commoners
to believe that?  ::)

Oh yeah, If I were Harry I might have done the same thing, considering the circumstances.
The paparazzi are shameless and ask for what they get.

Setting the way back machine, sometime in the 70's, I think it was, your Princess Anne made
a visit to Canada & the US. She was at some party and someone asked her about the troubles
in Ireland. Her reply was,"Oh the Irish, they're pigs"


I think you'll find that was Princess Margaret, not Princess Anne (and to be fair, the IRA had just murdered Louis Mountbatten who'd have been her uncle, IIRC)

I don't know anything about this story other than I've read here and the picture I saw on the front page of The Scum Sun.

Put yourself in Harry's shoes.  You're on your way home after a good night out with your mates and several photographers are blocking your way.  I reckon anyone after one or two polite attempts to get through might start pushing a bit.

I think they've all had at least one incident witht the press.  Princess Anne famously told the photographers to "Naff off"

Princess Anne famously told the photographers to "Naff off"

Interesting bit of etymology: use of the word "Naff" in this context came from the sitcom "Porridge".  The writers realized that prisoners were going have to swear to have any "street cred", but knew that they couldn't broadcast these swearwords: the BBC at the time wouldn't, even after the 9pm watershed.  So they came up with "naff" as an alternative expletive... as in "naffin' 'eck, Fletch", "Naff off, Godber" etc.

When I first heard that Anne had *actually* said "Naff off", my first (or probably second) thought was that it meant she probably watched "Porridge".. so she went up in my estimation ;)

Yes, it appears Prince Harry is going to be the tearaway of the two princes.
The young guy who shares my house claims to know the person who sold Harry the dope in his Feb' 2002 scandal. The dealer in question was taken in by the police, and although they couldn't prove anything, they still made him sign up to some sort of secrecy act procluding him from releasing details to newspapers etc. So no 'whitewash' there, then...
I'm glad in some ways that the royals do show they're human. That being said, they seem to choose some unfortunate circumstances in which to do so...

When I first heard that Anne had *actually* said "Naff off", my first (or probably second) thought was that it meant she probably watched "Porridge".. so she went up in my estimation ;)


My thoughts too Phil, when I read that  :)  Exactly the same thought process  ;D

I think part of their job is TO antagonize these people into getting PO'd so their shots are worth more.

If they are pushed, they should be allowed to push back.


Good take Cheer!  I have no great affection for Harry I would add, but I don't have anything against him either.  As you say, he is pitched into what is these days an incredibly surreal existence.  They are willing him desparately to fail....

Personally I think he should have snotted the guy one, and made the whole shooting match a level playing field  :)

Now might be the time to bring up Kitty Kelly's book "The Royals." Not sure how much of it is true (although it's a great read), but she also touches on the fact that there is no way in hell Harry is Charles' son.

The young guy who shares my house claims to know the person who sold Harry the dope in his Feb' 2002 scandal. The dealer in question was taken in by the police, and although they couldn't prove anything, they still made him sign up to some sort of secrecy act procluding him from releasing details to newspapers etc. So no 'whitewash' there, then...
I'm glad in some ways that the royals do show they're human. That being said, they seem to choose some unfortunate circumstances in which to do so...


I'm not surprised he had to sign something. IMO The Royals use their status for their own means.