A few weeks ago, “sources” announced that Prince Harry would definitely be leaving military service for good this year. It was weird, because many believed (as I did) that Harry would spend much of his life in the military. He already served two tours in Afghanistan and he seemed to be following a path to promotion. But it’s really happening – Harry released a statement yesterday confirming the news. He says he will be done by June. Here’s his statement:
“After a decade of service, moving on from the army has been a really tough decision. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have had the chance to do some very challenging jobs and have met many fantastic people in the process. From learning the hard way to stay onside with my Colour Sergeant at Sandhurst, to the incredible people I served with during two tours in Afghanistan – the experiences I have had over the last 10 years will stay with me for the rest of my life. Inevitably most good things come to an end and I am at a crossroads in my military career. So while I am finishing off one part of my life, I am getting straight into a new chapter. I am really looking forward to it.”
Before he leaves military service, Harry will spend four weeks with the Australian Defense Force in April and May. After June, though, there are some mysteries to how he’ll spend his time. Some are saying that at the age of 30, Harry will be like his brother and take another “gap year” to sort out his future role. Unlike William’s “gap year,” Harry seems to already have some ideas and he won’t be using his gap year as just an excuse to go on vacation. Harry’s already planning on spending this summer in sub-Saharan Africa doing volunteer work with conservation groups. Then he’ll return to London to work for the Ministry of Defense’s Recovery Capability Programme, and likely try to make the Invictus Games an annual event.
Here’s what worries me though… it seems like William’s PR team is going to continue to use Harry’s misadventures (real or perceived) to make William look better by comparison. I hope Harry is able to keep his nose clean. And I hope he works non-stop.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
It sounds to me like he is going to do the same thing that he does now but without drawing an official salary from the Army? (Working with wounded vets and building up the Invictus Games, I mean.) I am excited for his tour of New Zealand too!
His plans are already so much more thought out than Willy’s. I think Harry really plans on becoming a working Royal.
Maybe he feels he can have more freedom to choose his own humanitarian projects as a civilian. I realize he could get the military to customize his service but why not go solo when you have that option.
It’s gonna be one helluva farewell tour for Harry. Ginger knows how to party, unlike his sibling.
I think Harry got it out of his system and knows how to at least keep his shenanigans hidden. Even if he doesn’t, it’s not going to hurt his popularity that much, not after 10 years and 2 tours. I also doubt that William’s PR people are that good. Nothing Harry does it going to make William look better and he has his kid(s) for that purpose anyway (excuse the cynicism but … yeah). William and his Duchess just need to BE better at their jobs not hire better PR people. There, problem solved.
I wonder if this is a cover for another undercover tour of duty?
I kind of hope not, as he has a huge target on his back for terrorists.
Interesting theory, but I doubt the Army would risk that at this point. They already sidelined him into a desk job.
The idea of the ever increasing target on his back probably contributed to his decision to leave though.
My opinion is he is at the point where his military career moving forward involves a lot of deskwork, which he doesn’t like. I think he would prefer to go out on missions or assignments, but he presents too much of a risk – as he did when it was revealed that he was in Afghanistan – so that is no longer an option. If it was, he might be more interested in staying.
I think he will take the year to evaluate his charity options and see where he should next focus his energies. He will make good choices, mostly because I think in his heart he really enjoys charity and doesn’t consider it a burden (like his brother).
Also, think he wants a wife. Go find one of those Harry. You know he wants kids to play around with.
i don’t think that William’s PR team is using Harry’s misadventures to make William look better by comparison. They are very close even with Kate and William never will be OK with this. Sorry
They’re so close he’s okay being deployed away and possibly missing the birth of his next niece or nephew? Reads like he won’t meet that new baby for months. When the engagement was announced he said he was looking forward to getting to know her. Why? Because in 10 years of their dating, he hadn’t spent time with William and Kate. That isn’t a close relationship.
I think they were close when younger, but William’s increasing shallowness and refusal to do his duty bothers Harry. Harry got the duty gene in that family, but that duty includes not showing up his brother.
I’m very close with my sister even she lives in an other country. Hence yes the’re close even if Harry could missing the birth of this baby
I’ve always had the impression that Harry never really spent a lot of time around Kate – Willy kept her at arms length from his family until the engagement. I don’t think she’d even met Charles prior – but i could be mistaken, i don’t recall reading anything to say otherwise.
Wasn’t it Harry and his friends who famously called her ‘The Limpet’? And yes i do believe Willy would throw his brother under the bus, Harry on the other hand wouldn’t as he is understands that the ‘heir’ needs to be protected/supported.
Thank you. Conspiracies abound but there is no evidence that Will and Harry are anything but close. The only one feeding stories about Harry to the press is his own, devoted dad.
Many here dislike or disapprove of W+K and insinuate less than ideal relationships between them and Harry but I see no proof. But after returning from Afghanistan I did see an eager Harry announce he was keen to first see Will and Kate.and during an interview William described how, after the wedding and before the brunch, he kate and Harry piled onto the bed at the hotel so they could see themselves on television. And Harry spent Christmas at Anmer Hall instead of Sandringham. Idk but that all sounds like more than just tolerating someone’s company to me.
Harry didn’t spent Christmas at Anmer. He was at Sandringham House.
For the queen’s lunch Harry was at Anmer Hall.
As I read through your comments again, it highlights that they only spend time together for big events. He returned from a war zone and was “longing to catch up with people behind closed doors.” The comment about wanting to spend time with W&K was in response to a direct question about her pregnancy. He didn’t volunteer that those were the people he wanted to see first; he was asked directly about the pregnancy and responded politicly.
He spent time with his brother and sister-in-law the day of the wedding. Normal, he was the best man. He didn’t spend Christmas with them, he was at Sandringham House with the rest of his extended family. There is no day-to-day closeness, and hasn’t been for over a decade. They lead separate lives and meet up for big family events.
So if Harry is not around William, Kate and George on a day to day basis there is nocloseness? This is strong supposition on your part. My siblings and I are all states apart and can only get together for holidays and special occasions but we are incredibly close. Again, besides creative interpretation, you give me no strong evidence.
They led separate lives for a decade. He didn’t spend time with them for the 10 years they were dating, proven by his own public statements. He didn’t know his brother was getting engaged, again from his own public statements. They live near each other and are never caught spending time together, when every move of Harry’s is photo documented. I can find multiple published reports that the Middletons were at a Christmas lunch at Anmer, but no published reports that Harry was at Anmer.
You’ve given nothing to sway my opinion with your creative interpretations either, and no strong evidence to prove there is a close relationship.
So Harry telling Bob Woodward in an interview that dating as a royal is difficult and his brother would have proposed to Kate two years sooner had it not been for the media never happened because you don’t wish it to be the case? It destroys your narrative that Harry had no idea his brother planned to marry and that somehow Diana’s ring mysteriously left his posession. Please.not only that but you insist on saying Harry and William are not close when there is not one single biographer or royal reporter who hasn’t strongly asserted that their closeness can not be denied and that very bond has been a hallmark of their relationship for decades. You hold so strongly to your desire to fabricate hostility between them that you will even ignore countless interviews, joint and individually, where they speak about their closeness. It boggles the mind.
I think his filmed surprise at the announcement is different than an answer in an interview when he was being interviewed about WWTW. He does say some very nice things in that interview. Harry’s quotes:
“We all thought that it was never going to happen for him. But it has happened and I think everyone’s going to be very proud of him.”
“Obviously, maybe he would have been engaged maybe a year or two years ago, but there was no reason for him to do that.” That is what he said. Harry never said it was the media’s fault, Woodward extrapolated that later. I think the longer they waited, the more the media pressure increased.
I think they are the only two who can understand their unique position in the world as Diana’s sons. I’m not denying it. I think Harry was raised to support his brother, and he does. I do not see, however, an ongoing and deepening closeness as they age. I see them pulling apart as they age. William devolving and hiding away in Norfolk as Bill Middleton. Harry trying to find his own place in the world without overshadowing his charisma-free brother.
You see what you see, I see what I see. We’re obviously never going to change each other’s minds.
http://time.com/3303724/kate-middleton-pregnant-prince-harry-and-prince-william/
You’re expecting me to believe a word Penny Junor writes? Nothing she writes is without an agenda, generally related to trying to get Prince Charles to like her. He appears to be her not-so-secret crush. If she wrote a positive description of any relationship, rife with “insider details” from “a friend,” it is because she was told to do so – doesn’t make it true.
Notasugarhere
Who plans his life around the arrival of a niece or nephew? Who does that? And you citing a quote from Harry over and over again is still not proof that he does not currently enjoy a normal, caring relationship with his sister-in-law. When the announcement was announced Harry said that William would have proposed two years sooner were it not for the media melee surrounding the courtship. If Harry was privy to his brother’s timeline that pokes holes in the theory you love so much.
He was quoted as saying he didn’t think his brother would ever marry. The day of the announcement, he was surprised on camera at the news of the engagement and the use of their mother’s ring (which belonged to Harry not William). He didn’t know it was coming.
So you get to contradict Harry himself? Interesting. And I love your inside knowledge about the ring.
I’m referencing what he himself did publicly, that isn’t contradicting him with himself. His first response, on camera, was surprise. Later he may have regrouped, thought of a more politic thing to say, and talked about media pressure. His initial response – the video proof of him being surprised by both the announcement and the use of the ring – has been discussed on here frequently. The information about the ring comes from Paul Burrel, discussed on this site multiple times.
Nota
I remember that statement from Harry. Harry did appear to be caught off guard and had regrouped by the time the 2nd insterview happened.
Imo
If you like these comments and links we’ve referenced are all archived on this site. You just have to search the proper months and years. With something as specific as the engagement you should find it easily if you like.
I am also on a gap year and it seems like a fairly common thing among my friends and we are of Harry’s generation. Most of us got this itch once we near age 30. Like Harry I worked for close to 10 years prior to this, and I have always wanted to take a year out to travel. And with no kids at the time being I figured it’s now or never.
Of course it is a risk quitting without a job and with no income stream for a year (things Harry wouldn’t have to worry about), but I’ve found that adopting a more frugal and modest lifestyle suits me just fine. I’ve been taking the train instead of cabs, have not bought new clothes or bags, dined more modestly but still have occasional treats. You learn to appreciate the little things, discover fun things to do which are free like concerts and galleries, and still have a good time albeit on a much tighter budget.
So, good for Harry if this is really what he wants and I hope he’ll have a productive time – you can learn so much even when not working. And he looks good in uniform and I love his little tummy flab in the last picture! 😀
I sure hope Harry can have an impact, but he has to be so careful about becoming another Andrew. He seems to be quite motivated to make a difference for others and I think he will still run rings around his lazy brother and sister in law. Plus, he needs to find a dedicated partner. There was a small blurb in the Independent last week saying he and Chelsy are in contact again. I still don’t think she wants the royal life.
Meanwhile, he’s being savaged over on Daily Mail. I always thought he was way more popular than his brother, but you’d never know reading those comments.
Yeah, I noticed that. The DM was saying about Harry what we frequently say about William (& Kate) here–not much of a work ethic, taking a ‘gap’ year, living off the public purse & giving little in return. I guess they feel freer to say that about Harry rather than the direct heir.
The ever present heir vs spare narrative continues. William’s gap year was reported as a transition year, with vague noises about thinking about the next chapter. The Palace tried to correct anyone who called it a gap year. To this day, some reporters still call it a transition year.
Harry’s year is being reported as a gap year, and that one word is blinding people to the fact that his year has plans attached. Not some vague thought about the next chapter.
He makes is clear he is getting straight to work. ‘So while I am finishing one part of my life, I am getting straight into a new chapter. I am really looking forward to it.’
It doesn’t state “year” in the official statement from Kensington Palace, but that’s what the press are running with.
Right. This whole spare vs heir thing is so obvious. It reads more like Harry is using this to transition into larger roles. Not to take time off to play around. Harry works hard. He’s always doing something charity related.
It’s telling how many comments here are already assuming he’ll party like a maniac for a full year. Facts aren’t cared for. Juicy gossip is.
Thank you! I almost lost it yesterday as royal commentators attempted to compare the two brothers. William is on an extended vacation from the rest of his life, while Harry is forging a new path, while still fulfilling his duty to the military. There is no gap in employment. He’s going from the military, which a lot of vets do, into private industry.
Jaysus he wears the shit out of that uniform.
+1
To infinity.
He gets to keep it too. I think.
I think you’re right… .Royalistas – isn’t Harry the figurehead for one branch of the military, William, Charles & Anne the others? I could be mistaken, but it seems I heard that…
Love, love, love that Harry.
And even though Harry has lapses in good judgment and can be a scalywag, I still adore him. He seems kind whereas brother Willy can be very mean.
My Finnish granny would have called him a hyvä poika (good boy) her highest compliment.
My favorite Royal. Always and forever.
He does, and always has. 🙂
Ever since he was 8 years old running around the base in Germany!
I know he will work a lot and do a lot of good. But the one night he goes to a bar, William’s PR team will pounce on it. It makes me sick.
How are you sure it is William’s team? It could be the media waiting to draw heir v spare comparisons, it could be sneaky courtiers or it could be general interest from the public driving sales. Why so much high drama as if this were Shakespeare or Machiavelli?
It’s William. If its a sneaky courtier–then he was directed or influenced to do so by William. Or because William is not capable of creating good press for himself on his own by working.
Murphy
I’m not sure about William being directly behind this. The Courtiers are sneaky, but this theory seems off to me.
If only Diana could see him!
I´m sure she would be proud the
way he turned out. . . .
Has he put on weight? That uniform seems to be straining round the middle.
I think he’s very silly to give the army job away now – history repeating itself with Andrew. The army gave him great air cover – I don’t see him putting in anything close to a full time job on all his “passions” and that’s what he needs to do to avoid criticism.
Andrew served from 1979 – 2001, 20 years vs. 10. Why belittle the amazing work Harry has done? WWTW, Sentebale, Invictus Games. Any one of might be considered success-enough for one lifetime, and he’s done enormous work with them by age 30. He lured away one of the top executives from OxFam. Sentebale isn’t some fly-by-night enterprise.
Do you see William putting in a full-time schedule at EAAA, when he didn’t put in a full-time schedule at SAR?
How is he not putting in the work on his passions? He just returned from Africa overseeing the construction of a new complex for Sentabale. He brought the Invictus Games to Europe after seeing the Warrior Games. He devoted an enormous amount of time and energy into seeing them be a complete success, and they were. He was roundly praised for his efforts. He is far more involved with his charities than the puff pieces you rarely hear about W&K.
AmandaPanda
(Cute Name!)
Just to echo Nota and TOMia
Harry is always doing something. His vacations are short and often near his next event.
He just gets minimal coverage that isn’t always painting him in the best light. Guy works hard and we don’t see or hear about much of it.
I’m ok with Harry taking a gap year. He worked/works, end of story.
I don’t like this at all as I had high hopes from harry but this disappoint me A LOT. This does sound like a lot like a gap year and a very bad one for several reasons.
1) The point of spending time overseas in Australian army when he is quitting military? I see no point for him to do this.
2) Doing charity work in conservation in Africa (while he regularly hunts) and whats the use and value of this to British ta payers ? And he couldn’t find anything worthy of doing in UK? William will be eaten alive if he made the same decision of spending months abroad working like this.
3)Now the security cost of him parading around the world on ta payers expense? It seems to me he hates media intrusion that he receives in UK , hence decided to hide behind this gap year.
Everyone criticizes William and Kate security cost when they are on vacation but this will cost us millions just so he can explore his options in Africa. It also seems to me he isn’t also interested in doing mundane royal duties anymore then his brother. This inclines me to think that Queen and Charles really don’t want young royals to work full time and thats why all 3 of them are allowed to do as little as possible and explore other options. how can we really criticize Kate for not working when both actual royal William and harry aren’t working full time royals?
Again if William would have decided to o to Africa and roam ed around in Australia he would be criticized to no end for all the reasons i mentioned above and Im sure excuses will be made for harry as he seems to be m,ore popular. I like him but this is not at all what i expected from him and his attitude towards his royal duties dosent seem very different then his elder brother. At least Williams plans don’t cost us tax payers millions and he will basically be working for a charity for free of cost.
I love Harry but I agree with you 100%
I guess I have to disagree because:
1) Australia is a commonwealth. Royals visit it from time to time to do promotional work, like W&K last year.
ADF chief Mark Binskin said Harry “would be able to see “first hand the work the ADF is doing to support wounded, injured, and ill members.” I think this is relevant to Harry’s charity work related to injured veterans.
And from NDTV, “After his time with the Australian military, the prince will undertake an official tour of New Zealand.” So it looks like Harry’s time down south will be more than just doing a regular military routine that can be done in the UK. Again from NDTV, “Prince Harry’s work in Australia will be an extension of his regular British Army duties.”
2) From MSN: “A spokesman said: “Prince Harry will spend a period of summer carrying out a programme of voluntary work alongside field-based conservation experts in Africa. He will focus his time learning how local communities in sub-Saharan Africa are working to protect and conserve their natural resources and wildlife.””
Even before retiring from the military and in the past year(s), Harry has been working with his father and brother on wildlife conservation, so I think this scheduled item is just a continuation of that work.
3) I think the difference between the upcoming schedule of Harry’s and W&K’s is that Harry is actually working during his ‘gap year.’ Like the others upthread said, it’s more like a ‘transition year.’
Harry has done ‘mundane’ royal work in addition to his full-time military career, but I think those are supposed to be done mostly by the senior royals including William, as Charles and William are the direct heirs. Now that Harry is leaving his full-time job, I think we will see him spend more time for his charities. W&K didn’t have a full-time job that took up their time away from doing royal charity work.
I think Harry does better with the media than William does. Harry gives great interviews because he has a charming personality. Imo, William gets snippy from time to time and sometimes comes off as encumbered and put upon and above doing interviews.
hES a British Prince and yet most of his charity work will include outside of UK, do you think thats fair to British tax payers? how about the cost of security ? Again his brother was criticized on this very site for taking up his new job (which is basically a free job since he will be donating his salary).
Also the Australian army made a diplomatic comment regarding this like every organization does with every royal but again how does it help him in carrying out his ultimate role of a full time royal? and whats the point when he is leaving army? he wont be working for another commonwealth army so Australia being a commonwealth country point make no sense to me. he will have a ceremonial role as a royal and for that there is no requirement for royals to work in foreign countries army. he surely knows how to inspect army parade and to salute , so again I dont see any reason for this rather expensive endeavor.
Isn’t it telling that it is media outside of the UK that fully reports the truth about Harry’s activities?
@An old prude:
Australia is a commonwealth, so it’s part of the Royals’ jobs to visit there. In my post, I mentioned that Harry is also going to do an official tour of New Zealand.
Why do the Royals go to commonwealth countries and do tours? Some say it’s to encourage those countries to stay a part of the commonwealth and it’s part of a good will effort.
As for Harry, I mentioned in my post that he’s there to learn how they do things including how they deal with injured military members. That’s pertinent to what Harry has been doing with his charity work. So for Harry, this trip is not a vacation but a work-related and educational travel in addition to promoting whatever programs the ADF have to show him. They get media coverage which benefits them.
Security goes with the Royals whether they go overseas or stay in the UK. It’s not like they get security all of a sudden only when they leave the UK.
As for William’s new job that he hasn’t taken up yet, it isn’t free. The organization isn’t getting back the salary that it has to pay him. It’s been reported that he’s going to donate the money to another organization. It would be nice if he would work for free or return the salary back, but he isn’t going to do so.
@The Original Mia – Yes, it is interesting if that’s the case. Iirc, Harry’s PR is with William’s PR team. Hopefully, Harry will get his own team up and running now that he will have more time to create and cultivate one.
I am so ready for Harry to separate himself entirely from the Cambridges. Not only PR, but also his charities. There’s no way in hell William & Kate should have had their names attached to the Invictus Games. No way. Harry did all the work, and those two get the credit in the media. That’s bull. I know there’s talk they are waiting for Harry to marry, but I don’t understand why. If anything, W&K should have created their own foundation when they married, instead of adding Kate’s name to W&H’s foundation.
William would be criticized because he is the second in line to the throne. Harry is soon to be 5th in line. They do not have the same expectations or responsibilities. It wouldn’t make sense for Harry to be a full-time working royal if William isn’t one. There are many calling for Harry to NOT be a working royal ever, that only the heir and his line should be working royals. Harry has to find something to do, something solid and worthwhile, or risk being turned into a laughing stock by the press.
Last year William did 73 UK, 70 oversees for a total of 143. He had no job at the time. Harry did 58 UK, 36 oversees for a total of 94 – not including Invictus Games, WWTW, or Sentebale. Harry worked a full-time job as well. If he only did royal engagements, he’d blow William out of the water and they can’t have that. William uses RPOs for a two week vacation on the beach. Harry uses RPOs for a week-long vacation — to work with Sentebale.
William’s plans have cost the taxpayers millions. The taxpayers wasted over $4 million to rehab the now-empty Kensington mansion because W&K abandoned it to live in Norfolk. Needed repairs weren’t done to other structures because of that Kensington work. The RPOs were all being retrained as paramedics (cost to the taxpayers) until the public got wind of that. It can be argued that William’s work on wildlife conservation in Africa – while he is also a hunter – doesn’t benefit the UK, so should he be allowed to continue that?
The press already calling this a “gap year” when there is nothing about “gap” or “year” in the official press release. He is working through June, doing conservation/argriculture work and Sentebale in the summer, returning in the fall to volunteer with wounded servicemen and women while looking for a job. His work with wounded servicemen and women DOES serve the taxpayers of the UK.
William needs to be in diplomatic training, not hiding away in Norfolk. 5th in line can’t be a full-time royal if the 2nd in line isn’t one. Harry has to build something outside of royal work, and who knows, may hope to leave Sentebale as a legacy for his children. His children will not be working royals. This is what HM Queen Sylvia of Sweden has done with World Childhood Foundation and Princess Madeleine.
As much as I resent the security cost, at least he is working and not spending millions on a flat he’ll never use whilst he is on perpetual holiday.
His security in AUS/NZ is a matter for their tax payers not us.
Have you forgotten that AUS/NZ are UK Realms and therefore his stay there isn’t as egregious as it sounds? OK, so he’ll never actually reign since he’ll be no 5 after this baby arrives, but AUS/NZ are 2 of the 16 realms that have his family as head of state.
I do find their stance on conservation imperialist, but at least he is going out to learn on the ground rather than pontificating from the safety of whichever palace or British country house he is hiding in.
Whether he actually learns anything will be revealed in due course, but at least he is trying.
It’s also been made very clear that on his return in Autumn, he will continue with the charities he is currently working on free of charge.
All of this to say that he hasn’t resigned with some vague notion of thinking over the next step. He’s put out solid plans for what he is doing for the first few months/rest of the year at the least.
And as much as I love Harry, i’ll be the first to criticise if he disappoints especially if it turns out that his ‘gap year’ was nothing but a long vacation.
I think that’s what you don’t understand as far as why we praise Harry and criticise WK.
Yes, on paper they all take vacations and have ludicrous security costs, but in the face of the necessary cost of it all, what ELSE they do matters.
William every so often makes announcements of his intentions and at first we believed him, but time has shown that his intentions are exactly that. He never follows through so it’s all pointless and a complete waste.
He had a 57rm flat with a rent paying charity removed so he could refurbish and live there as a step to finally stepping up to his royal duties…..
Even now I can’t believe he and the palace PR held to that lie. Shameless.
He talks a big talk about conservation and can’t muster one thought about the tortured elephants next door despite lots of private and public spotlight on the issue.
Harry said he was moving to a desk job, he did. He said he was organising INVICTUS games, he did.
If he says he is going to undertake conservation projects on the ground, and then come back to his charities, i’m more inclined to believe him because he has follow through.
And his charities are benefitting. I don’t know how long you’ve been in England, but I remember a time when military charities were an embarrassment. Defence was cut and no one gave any thought to returning soldiers or injured soldiers. All you heard was how the defence cuts were causing an underclass of ex-military people, many with injuries that various the govt didn’t want to discuss. Harry has done very well in spotlighting the issue. He demonstrates very well why having an engaged royal patron works better than some random celeb to a cause.
All of this to say that in the face of costs we can’t vote on ie their security, what they do matters and Harry has earned his security costs whilst WK have not.
And you know what, I haven’t heard that Harry has ever shut down an entire resort at a cost of nearly £1M so he can vacation. So for now, he is winning. William, not so much.
LAK
You don’t leave comments like this often. When you do though I always imagine you dropping a mic at the end and walking out.
And good points about the military. I didn’t know it was an issue not discussed for so long. And while Harry had a team to help him with Invictus Games He pulled his weight and his active part in building it made it possible to get it up in 1 year.
That’s no easy task you can claim and then leave to get done by others. You have to help and make sure it happens.
And those games were amazing.
As an Australian taxpayer with family in the ADF if Harry’s visit brings even a little bit of attention to the needs of wounded veterans I’m happy.
Being an Apache aviator he’ll be posted to Darwin, Australia; which is considered a terrible assignment by members of the Australian military.
Hahaha having just posted out of there with my husband I say this: it hands down beats Townsville or Wagga or Singo – most people I knew there quite liked it. Plus members get great allowances for going there, we lost about ten grand a year when we left. I’m kind of disappointed we left before Harry arrived, I’d love to see what he’d make of the nightlife lol.
I’m a territorian and he will love it here! I agree Ange, I’m sure he will love the nightlife in Darwin.
Tropical weather, great fishing and beautiful women, he will have the time of his life!
William’s PR team is going to try to make Harry look bad??? Puleease. Whoever came up with that has to be on crack. How silly.
That mantra is repeated so often here and gets trotted out ad infinitum that it takes on a life of its own. *sigh*
It would be so great to have a Prince or King BERNIE in the BRF!
It has been in practice for generations. It’s Not William’s PR. It’s how the monarchy preserves itself. The heir will always be boasted while the spare seen as the worse choice. Just look at David and Bernie. When David was the Heir he was raised up while Bernie was torn down as a terrible possibility for King. And to remind people how lucky they are that David was the heir. Then when David abdicated and Bernie was up roles were immediately reversed. David was the screw up and Bernie this whole time was the better brother.
* And I got none of this information from tabloids or gossip sites. This is all supported by history as it was documented and played out.
Also supported with the recent revelations about Charles, William, Harry and Harry accepting being thrown under the bus for the greater good even while he disagreed with it.
This is one of my favourite periods in British history and while i don’t think the press of the time tore down Bertie, they did little to support him. There was subtle shading about his shyness and public speaking abilities but he had a very strong sense of duty, which was passed onto his daughter QEII. David had the charisma and common touch that only really came to Bertie when he became King and the war began. He (david) was the George Clooney of his day.
David got away with a lot as there was an agreement between the gov/palace and the media – the British press refused to print anything about Wallis and his shenanigans, thou the international media had a field day. Much the same agreement that Willy got when he went to Uni – they covered up his indiscretions.
Anyway, after the war the people LOVED Bertie – much more than they ever did David, who many saw as a weak man who ran from his duty and responsibilities. The press didn’t need to tear David down – he did it himself with his selfish, ill advised and stupid actions – visiting Germany and meeting Hitler being one of the more infamous errors of judgement made in what is a long list of them. In a time where honour and doing your duty for your country was important – David was seen by those who went to war and came back as a coward. I know he wanted to have a public profile and to support his brother but you have to understand that having a former King working alongside the new King was always going to cause problems and it would have undermined Bertie’s rule – particularly as David was a bit of a loose canon with questionable friends and socialist ideals.
In short David was always the family screwup but because he was the heir he was cosseted by the establishment and the public at the time never knew half of it. Willy is a lot like him – he hated public duties and often refused to do them. There are many letters etc.. that are now in the public domain written by minsters/palace staff complaining that he often went days without opening and dealing with whatever was in the ‘red box’. He had an opportunity to make real changes – changes that he claimed he wanted to make, but instead he blew it. He didn’t need to abdicate – i know he was forced into a corner by Stanley Baldwin but if he really had a pair he could have waited it out till after the war (which everyone knew was coming) and if he played it right he could have got the the people’s backing to marry Wallis, backing that the gov would have to have listened to. But he saw an out of a position that he didn’t really want and took it.
We arent discussing Bernie and David. And I call the whole thing BS. William and Harry shouldn’t even be compared because they have entirely different roles. Somebody is bored and making this up.
Bertie and David had entirely different roles too, until time, circumstance, and history proved otherwise.
FLORC
Thank you for pointing out the fact that the heir v spare has a long history and is not some nasty bit of business on William’s part. Our collective disappointment in W+K doesn’t give us permission to just make stuff up.
Bertie not Bernie 😉
Clearly, ilovesunnydaze isn’t a fan of history. The heir vs spare thing is real. As @IMO has described it, it has a long and we’ll documented history.
Whoops! I wrote Bernie… Add that to Amner Hall… I noticed this after the post, but had to run off. I’ll blame by auto correct figuring out what i’m trying to type. Though I can’t really recall when I wrote the name “Bernie”…
ilovesunnydaze
It is what it is. This is extremely well documented and cememeted in history long before William and Harry existed. Being that William and Harry are Heir and Spare this is the case.
If you choose to ignore what has been said that is your right.
I think it speaks volumes though that Imo can be pretty pro Kate and still echos this.
Imo and I have gone toe to toe before here 😉
Betti
I was such a David and Wallis-Simpson fan! Didn’t know the full story though…
Still adore her jewelry! So Vibrant and original! Woman had Style!
And that point in history is amazing. We got to see how things play out both in public and in private. And how a crisis like Abdication is handled both in public and private. It’s so rare that gets covered in such detail if it ever has before.
And I’m a massive Churchill fan who played a large *snickers* role in history during that era. Though to meet him in all his brandy sweating cigar puffing, abrasive glory would… Well, let’s say I wouldn’t fault Lady Astor. Brillant man though. Ahead of his time.
So it’s history repeating itself? I don’t agree in this case LAK! And I’m fully aware of history. Some people have moved forward. This isn’t 1933! Willian isnt abdicating.
Pro and anti Kate are polarizing terms. If I were pro Kate it would blind me to her faults. If I were anti Kate I would go on and on about every little freaking thing about her like notasugar does. I don’t choose either.
I am into exploring ideas, looking at truth not repetitious hyperbole, not always agreeing with the herd and avoiding double standard royal watching. I read a lot and have seen time and time again how people project what they want onto the royals. This will never change but that doesn’t mean I have to forget everything I know and treat every bit of rf tittle as if it were an Elizabethan drama with dashing Harry, rogue William and wanton Kate as one dimensional characters.
And one just has to look at the tattered remnants of Princess Margaret’s legacy to understand heir v spare. But I agree with FLORC and sunday that William as saboteur is unrealistic. Well I guess it is realistic if you imagine that everything William does is evil. How exhausting.
Imo
Great point. I shouldn’t have labled you like that. Here and there it does seem like some are blind or refuse to see stories from any other angle.
Though Nota knows much it’s not like they obsess over the details and need to know. It’s a side effect of reading stories and retaining details. It’s not Kate that’s interesting here. It’s history unfolding. William, Harry, Queen, Philip, Andrew, Charles, Camilla. All interesting figures that are getting coverage in a new format that their PR is still adjusting to (social media). Post Diana I think plays a large role in a focus on the BRF as well.
This site is pretty balanced and decent with minimal projecting. There are few that can balance it this well and not lean to extremes. Though I’m guilty of incorrectly stating my post at times out of just being too lazy to type it all out. We have all been guilty of this at some point.
Example: Wiglet. Some say she always wears one. Some say absolutely never. It’s not an insult to say she does. It’s actually become pretty normal to do so, but people will project.
I find myself agreeing largely with what you say. Though this is also a gossip site. Not a news site. You get all types.