Prince Harry is trouble for racially insensitive comments again. After tapes were released of conversations Prince Harry had with some of his friends in the military in 2005-6, Harry had to apologize. He used the words “Paki” and “raghead”, and it became such a big deal, major British politicians like Tory leader David Cameron were weighing in.

The current scandal happened much more recently. It was back in November, at a birthday party for Prince Charles (Harry’s father), and Harry was speaking to British comedian Stephen K. Amos, who is black. Harry said to Amos, “You don’t sound like a black chap.” Critics are calling it “racist stereotyping”. Good Lord, why even let Prince Harry speak any more? People magazine has more details:

After putting his foot in his mouth with comments about a Pakistani army officer, Prince Harry is now unwittingly back in the spotlight with another racially insensitive remark – having apparently told a comic, “You don’t sound like a black chap.”

Harry, allegedly attempting to be funny, delivered the line in November, when black comedian Stephen K. Amos performed at the 60th birthday of Harry’s father, Prince Charles, according to Amos, who appeared Tuesday on the U.K. chat show The Wright Stuff.

At the time, recalled Amos, “I wanted to say, ‘How is I supposed to sound?’ ”

Reaction to the exchange has been strong. “Many young people will be disgusted by his remark,” said Naomi Byron, national secretary of Youth Against Racism in Europe, reports the U.K.’s Daily Mirror.

“But it is not just Prince Harry that is at fault,” she is further quoted as saying. “The aristocratic, rich circles he moves in obviously don’t have a problem with this kind of racist stereotyping.”

Added former Commission for Racial Equality chairman Lord Herman Ouseley: “It is very sad that Prince Harry thinks black people all talk in the same way. It just goes to show how ill-educated members of the upper classes can be.”

A spokeswoman for Harry tells PEOPLE, “We don’t comment on allegations about private conversations involving the prince, and we are unable to confirm whether it did or did not take place.”

Contacted by PEOPLE, Amos’s agent also had no comment, as the office has not been able to talk to the comedian.

From People Magazine

Was it racist stereotyping? Yes, probably. Was it offensive? Mildly. But I think it’s probably more about the cloistered, aristocratic, all-white world that William and Harry have been raised in. They literally don’t know what to say to people who don’t have a similar background. Or, could it be, that people are simply over-reacting to something that was taken the wrong way? It’s a tough call.

The whole “sounding like a black chap” thing reminds me of this interesting column I read in Time magazine a few weeks ago. The article was about Hollywood’s use of the “Voice of God”, the all-seeing narrator, the voice of Bible and all that is knowledge and suffering. The article traces the transition from the British “VOG” in Hollywood to the African-American “VOG”. The article was making a political point – that we actually have a president who has a genuine “Voice of God”. Here’s a little bit from the article:

The therapeutic notion that suffering confers dignity and authority has spread just as the suffering of African Americans over generations has become universally acknowledged. Above all, black American ministers have replaced British politicians, at least in perception, as the world’s most eloquent public users of the English language. Our homegrown Martin Luther King Jr. has knocked Winston Churchill off his perch as the ideal.

What’s most inspiring about this development is that it can’t be faked. There is no element of affirmative action here. Sidney Poitier won’t do. The point is not to be black but to sound black. And unlike the integration and near domination of African Americans in professional sports, this is not even a matter of genuine talent breaking down the floodgates. Plenty of white or white-sounding actors could say “THIS [pause] is CNN” as well as [James Earl] Jones. Most people who have heard that phrase a hundred times don’t know whose voice it is and — unless the question is raised specifically — they aren’t even consciously aware that the person is black. They relate to the voice on a subconscious level, and they associate it with power and authority.

From Time Magazine

Of course, this is directed as a specific American experience – when we Americans think of God’s voice, we imagine Morgan Freeman, Martin Luther King or maybe Denzel Washington. Apparently it’s different for the British.

Prince Harry is shown with Former England Rugby International Will Greenwood “at Twickenham for the England v Italy Six Nations rugby match” in London on 2/7/09. Credit: WENN

The speculation around the break-up of Prince Harry and Chelsy Davy continues to grow. Immediately following the news of the break-up, many claimed Chelsy was the one to do the dumping. Some say it was mutual. Many say Prince Harry is heartbroken.

What I find unusual is the level of reporting – People magazine and some of the more respected British papers are speculating and many “royal” and “insider” sources are coming forward. It’s interesting because, to my knowledge, the princes are still supposed to be relatively off-limits to the press. I guess no one can deny a juicy break-up story.

After five years of dating, what caused Prince Harry and girlfriend Chelsy Davy to finally call it quits last week?

Those close to the prince believe time and distance may have pulled the 24-year-old royal and the Zimbabwean-born beauty apart, PEOPLE reports in its upcoming issue, on sale Friday.

Chelsy, 23, is set to graduate from Leeds University this spring and is homesick for Africa, while Harry seems more committed than ever to army life.

When they split was announced, a royal source told PEOPLE the pair felt their relationship “had run its course.”

Still, the news came as a shock to some of Harry’s friends. “I don’t see this as long-term,” a friend says of the couple, who broke up briefly in 2007.

Another pal, however, believes it’s for real. “It came right out of the blue,” he tells PEOPLE. “But I don’t think if he was madly in love with her, he would have knocked it on the head. I think it is a case of, ‘Let’s call it a day; we had some fun.’ “

From People

Here’s something that’s just wrong. Paris Hilton is now going public with her claim that she would not go out with Harry because she became friends with Chelsy Davy last year. Maybe Chelsy isn’t the clever girl I think she is.

Of Prince Harry, who recently split from girlfriend Chelsy Davy, [Paris Hilton] said: “I think he’s a nice guy, I love Chelsy though – I think she’s so sweet – so I wouldn’t try anything.”

Last year it was reported that Prince Harry ignored Miss Hilton’s attempts to attract his attention while dancing at a London nightclub.

According to reports she spoke briefly to Prince William but was ignored by Harry, who was at Whisky Mist in Mayfair with his then girlfriend.

Then in November Miss Hilton reportedly struck up a close friendship with Miss Davy while she was filming in the UK.

She said at the time: “Chelsy was absolutely stunning and such a sweetheart. We chatted for ages.”

From The Telegraph

Ugh, you know you’re in a bad place when Paris Hilton chimes in about your break-up. I tend to believe the speculation that Chelsy broke up with Harry, but that there had been problems in their relationship for a while. They’re both so young, and they’ve been doing this on-and-off, long-distance thing for a while. I hope both can move on with some grace, and Prince Harry knows where to find me if he needs a shoulder to cry on.

Prince Harry and Chelsy Davy are shown at a rugby match on 11/22/08 and a service in remembrance of soldiers lost in Afghanistan on 5/5/08. Credit: WENN

Fans of hot ginger royals rejoice! Prince Harry and Chelsy Davy have broken up. Officially now, because it’s in People magazine and because a “royal source” actually confirmed the breakup. Chelsy and Harry have been dating on-and-off for five years, according to People, but I think it’s been shorter length of time. People magazine also claims that Harry is 23, when he’s 24 years old. He’s a Virgo born in 1984, which makes him 24 – I know this because I love a hot ginger man, and we‘re the same sign.

The breakup comes at a weird time. The couple just took a romantic vacation to Mauritius, and Prince Harry is still feeling the sting of the public’s anger over his recently publicized 2005-6 racist comments. Chelsy is a Zimbabwe-born heiress who is usually photographed with a drink and cigarette. She’s got a great figure, but I don’t understand why people talk about her like she’s some great beauty – she’s rather average looking, in my opinion.

Britain’s Prince Harry and his Zimbabwe-born girlfriend Chelsy Davy, 23, are calling it quits after five years, a palace source confirms to PEOPLE.

The 24-year-old prince parted amicably with Davy, a post-graduate law student at Leeds University, three weeks after the couple spent a romantic holiday together in the Indian Ocean nation of Mauritius.

“They are remaining friends,” says the royal source. “There have been all sorts of reasons given [for the split] but suffice it to say they felt that it had run its course.”

According to the British newspaper News of the World, Davy, the daughter of a millionaire safari operator, made the decision to break up after tiring of the prince’s playboy antics.

The pair met through mutual friends in 2004 and conducted a long-distance relationship for three years while Davy studied at a university in Cape Town, South Africa, and Harry was enrolled at Britain’s Sandhurst military academy.

Last week, Harry – who recently came under fire for uttering racist comments caught on videotape – began a new phase of his military career, a 2½-year course with the Army Air Corps in helicopter pilot training.

From People

For royal watchers like myself, this news is pretty good. Harry will most likely go through a phase where he will hook up with random eligible girls, then in a little while he’ll settle down with some fun, interesting girl who will provide some good gossip. Harry has always reminded me of his uncle, Prince Andrew, The Duke of York. Andrew is a pretty good guy who always liked the ladies, especially the ones who aren’t that classy. Andrew also had a long, distinguished military career, which I see for Harry. And whenever Prince Charles takes the throne (in like twenty years or whenever), Harry will be the new Duke of York, the title bestowed on the second son of the monarch. In any case, I’m rejoicing that Prince Harry is back on the market, and I know I’m not alone!

Prince Harry and Chelsy Davy are shown on 12/29/08 during their vacation on Mauritius Island. Credit: Bauergriffin. They’re also shown on 5/5/08 at a service for soldiers lost in Afghanistan. Credit: WENN

Prince Harry aka Prince Hot Ginge is in a world of trouble. Videos have been obtained by Britain’s News of the World that show Prince Harry using racial slurs. It is believed that Prince Harry himself is the cameraman, shooting footage of his Army buddies. On the videos, you don’t “see” Harry, you only hear his voice. He refers to a Pakistani soldier as a “Paki” and in another video, he says to another soldier, “F–k me, you look like a raghead.”

People are freaking out about this – even politicians are weighing in. David Cameron, Britain’s Conservative leader and the presumptive next prime minister claims that this language is unacceptable, but that Harry has apologized, and he’ll leave it at that. The palace spokespeople are issuing lots of statements, and Prince Harry might even be investigated by the Ministry of Defense.

Britain’s Prince Harry apologized through a spokesman Saturday after videos surfaced showing him using offensive language to describe people in his military unit.

In one clip, a voice said to be Harry’s calls a soldier a “Paki.” In another clip, the voice tells a soldier wearing a cloth on his head that he looks “like a raghead.” The British newspaper News of the World posted the videos on its Web site Saturday. It did not say how it obtained them.

A spokesman for Prince Harry apologized in a statement released by St. James’s Palace Saturday. The spokesman said the prince — who is third in line to the British throne — “understands how offensive this term can be, and is extremely sorry for any offense his words might cause.”

It is not the first apology for offensive behavior by Prince Harry. In 2005, he was photographed wearing a Nazi uniform to a party. He said he was sorry for that incident.

“It was a very stupid thing to do and I’ve learned my lesson, simple as that really,” he said in a September 2005 interview with Britain’s Press Association, marking his 21st birthday. “I’d like to put it in the past now. What’s done is done. I regret it.”

The videos that surfaced Saturday were filmed by the prince himself during his military service in 2006, according to the News of the World Web site.

“Ahh, our little Paki friend… Ahmed,” a voice says as the camera zooms in on a soldier from across the room. The video does not show Prince Harry’s face. The soldiers were waiting for their flight to Cyprus for a mission, according to the Web site. The Royal family said the ‘Paki’ term was a nickname for a friend in his platoon.

“There is no question that Prince Harry was in any way seeking to insult his friend,” the St. James’s Palace statement said.

The second video was filmed after arriving in Cyprus, according to News of the World, and shows a British soldier with a cloth over his head.

A voice, which the News of the World claims to be Harry’s, is heard saying, “(expletive) me, you look like a raghead.”

St. James’s Palace said, “Prince Harry used the term ‘raghead’ to mean Taliban or Iraqi insurgent.”

Dickie Arbiter, a former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Harry’s grandmother, urged people to take the prince’s words in context. “Harry is not the same man as he was three years ago,” Arbiter told Britain’s ITN network. “You don’t think when you are shooting a video.”

And he pointed out that Harry was serving in the army, where language is not always delicate. “It is quite common for names to be used in the military…. He’s a serviceman first and foremost, but people see him as a prince first and he has to be careful of what he says.”

The British Ministry of Defense said it was not aware of any complaints against Prince Harry and would investigate the allegations of inappropriate behavior, according to a written statement released Saturday.

“Bullying and racism are not endemic in the Armed Forces,” it said.

David Cameron, the leader of Britain’s opposition Conservative Party, said Prince Harry’s remark was “obviously a completely unacceptable thing to say.”

But he told the BBC’s Andrew Marr program that he saw no need for the prince to be disciplined. “No, he has made an apology… and I think that’s enough.”

From CNN

I completely understand why people are freaking out – Prince Harry was using inappropriate language, and he should face some kind of punishment from the Ministry of Defense and from the public at large. That being said, I seriously doubt that with the “Paki” slur, he meant to do anything other than tease his friend, someone he obviously knew pretty well. As for the “raghead” slur, that’s just unfortunate. Harry’s served in combat in Afghanistan, and now that we (“we” being America, Britain and NATO troops) are going into eighth year of occupation and nation-building in Afghanistan, you’d think that our troops would have picked up on some racial sensitivities.

Prince Harry is shown at a rugby match with his girlfriend Chelsy Davy on 11/22/08. Credit: WENN

Prince Harry and his longterm girlfriend Chelsy Davy, 23, were photographed enjoying the sun and sand on Mauritius Island yesterday while on vacation for the holidays. Harry wore a pair of lose red swimming shorts while Chelsy was gorgeous in a navy blue string bikini.

There was a mild controversy yesterday over photos of Prince Harry drinking beer from a tube attached to a funnel, also called a beer bong, with some friends cheering him on. The 24 year-old engaged in the frat party practice with buddies who are vacationing on Mauritius with him. Those weren’t the first photos of the third in line to the throne engaged in a questionable drinking practice. Last year Harry was pictured snorting vodka.

Harry is thought to be enjoying a last binge before he starts pilot training in mid January. Once he begins intensive training to become a helicopter pilot for the Army Air Corps he will be barred from drinking for up to months at a time.

Thanks to Bauergriffin for these pictures

Sometimes I’m happy America doesn’t have a royal family, but then I check out the two princes, one a hot ginger and one a hot blond. These boys are enough to make me a royalist.

The big news across the pond is Prince William’s new, hot, scraggy beard. He debuted the beard during a Naval exercise, and decided to keep it for the holidays. But fear not, beard-haters! Apparently, Prince William doesn’t care for it, and a clean shave is required for his next assignment with the RAF.

The 26-year-old Prince grew the facial hair during a recent 10-day exercise in Barbados with the Navy’s Special Boat Service. He returned a week ago but appears so enamoured of his new look that he has yet to shave it off.

He was photographed on a pheasant shoot at the Queen’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk with his brother, Prince Harry, and girlfriend Kate Middleton. Rules on facial hair in the Armed Forces differ according to the service. The Royal Navy allows a full beard – although no moustaches, goatees or ‘designer stubble’ – if permission is sought from a commanding officer.

It is believed that the Prince’s beard was an attempt to disguise his identity during the SBS mission. He is also following family tradition, as the Prince of Wales grew a beard while on Naval exercises in Alaska in 1975.

However, beards are banned in the RAF and the Prince must be clean-shaven when he reports for duty next month to commence an 18-month training course to qualify as a search and rescue pilot.

[From Telegraph.co.uk]

I’m actually not a beard hater – some men look better with something going on in the beard/goatee area. Unfortunately, Prince William is not one of them. But that doesn’t mean Britain can’t have a little beard freak-out, right? Apparently, some newspapers are already doing polling on it.

In other royal news, oddsmakers are still trying to make some money on the never-ending speculation of a royal wedding between Kate Middleton and Prince William. A 2009 royal proposal has 11/8 odds. That’s good for Middleton, right?

Britain’s Prince William proposing to girlfriend Kate Middleton in 2009 has odds of 11/8, according to bookmakers William Hill. The British public thinks the likelihood of the 26-year-old royal – who has been dating Kate since 2003, after the pair met at Scotland’s University of St Andrews – asking the brunette beauty to marry him are very likely.

In September, it was claimed William will not get engaged to Kate for at least another 18 months, and would have to speak with several members of the royal family and the government before going down on one knee, according to a senior member of the Royal Household.

The source said: “There is a lot of planning involved in a royal engagement announcement of a member of the family as senior as Prince William. “A number of high-profile people have to be informed formally, and the couple have to be introduced to the Prime Minister of the day, among others. All this takes time. As far as I am aware I cannot see there being an engagement between the prince and Miss. Middleton for at least 18 months.”

William’s hopeful marriage prospects are not the only ones in the royal family. William Hill have revealed Prince Harry proposing to his Zimbabwe-born girlfriend Chelsy Davy has odds of 6/1, while Prince Andrew – who was previously married to Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York – getting engaged has odds of 50/1. William Hill spokesperson Rupert Adams said: “Every year there are a couple of big odds winners from the bets!”

[From Monsters and Critics]

I don’t think either prince will get engaged this year. Prince Harry won’t because he’s the wild one, and wild ones don’t settle down at twenty-four. But I suspect Prince William won’t get engaged because, as it turns out, he’s probably a lot like his father. Meaning he just can’t make up his mind about marriage and about Kate Middleton. If I was a betting woman, I’d put money on Kate finally dumping him for good in 2009 – if she’s smart. But maybe she thinks that she’s waited so long, maybe another year being The Royal Girlfriend is good enough. Poor Kate.

Prince William is shown attending church on Christmas day. Credit: BARM/Fame Pictures

Daniel Craig has made a few comments about who should be the next Bond after he’s finished his stint. It’s almost like he can’t wait to get out from under the career defining role and pass the burden on to someone else. Craig has said that the next Bond should be black, or even American. But after a recent red carpet meeting, he’s decided he knows the “perfect” next James Bond. Daniel and Prince Harry were introduced at the Royal premiere of the latest Bond flick and Craig seems to think there’s no better Bond replacement.

Daniel Craig has named the ‘perfect’ man to replace him as James Bond – Prince Harry.

The actor, who met the young Royal at the premiere of Quantum Of Solace, said: ‘I think Prince Harry would make a fantastic James Bond. He’s suave, and just a little bit dangerous.

‘Like Bond, he is unpredictable and would be a perfect Bond. He’s got everything it takes.’

[From Daily Mail]

For some reason, I can see this. Harry has developed the dashing Bond persona, the rebellious, but still posh and elite thing that made early Bond, but he also has that craving for danger that characterizes Craig’s Bond. If the increasingly more attractive of the two princes ever decided to go into showbiz, Bond would certainly be the way to go.

Alas, I have doubts the Queen would approve, so Prince Harry is just going to have to be a real life Bond-esque character. Maybe Craig can get a private audience with Liz and Chuck and convince them that Harry becoming Bond would be the best PR the Royal Family could hope for.

Daniel Craig and Satsuki Mitchell are shown in the header at the Quantum of Solace premiere in Sydney on 11/15/08. They are also shown at the Paris premiere on 10/30/08. Credit: Bauergriffin. Prince Harry is shown at HM Naval Base launching The Khumbu Challenge for wounded Service personnel on 11/4/08. Credit: WENN

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No, Prince Hot Ginge hasn’t come out in support of dead terrorist/freedom fighter (take your pick) Guy Fawkes. Instead, he appeared at the launch of the Khumbu Challenge 09 wearing a poppy for Remembrance Day on his uniform. The Khumbu Challenge, in case you’re wondering, is an adventure training exercise which enables military personnel wounded in battle to climb to Mount Everest’s base camp.

At the launch the Prince, who is the expedition’s royal patron, promised to buy Plymouth war hero Ben McBean “a beer” after the double amputee reached the top of a climbing wall. The Royal Marine, who lost an arm and a leg in Afghanistan, is hoping to take part in Exercise Khumbu Challenge.

The Ministry of Defence said places on the challenge will be offered to individuals injured in conflict to give them an opportunity to “enhance their rehabilitation programmes” and put them back in a military environment.

About 90 personnel will undertake various challenges in the Khumbu region of Nepal in October and November next year.

Mr McBean was praised by Prince Harry as “the real hero” after the two returned together from service in Afghanistan in February.

[From PrinceofWales.gov.uk

Prince Harry, who served a 2 1/2 month tour of duty in Afghanistan, also requested that proceeds from the British premiere of Quantum of Solace be donated to the Royal British Legion and Help for Heroes, which supports those who've been wounded in battle.

Le sigh. Is it any wonder all the girls love a man in uniform?

Photo credit: WENN

Prince Charles committed quite the royal accident recently when he invited Dita Von Teese to perform at Prince Harry’s upcoming birthday party in September. Charles met her at a Cartier event, and had no idea who she was – other than a “dancer” as she put it. Thinking she was pretty – and she does appear very classy – he said Harry loved dancers and suggested she perform. Once he’d been informed by his aids about exactly what kind of dancing Dita does, he “his fist to within an inch of its knuckle.”

The generously-eared royal [Prince Charles] met the gothic flasher at the toff-infested Cartier International Polo Tournament at the Guards Club in Windsor, London. Charmed by her alabaster assets, he asked what she did for a living and Dita, 35, replied: “I’m a dancer.” This vague job description failed to convey that her act involves giving a rhythmic biology lesson in a giant martini glass and doing the sort of things to a massive olive which are illegal in most countries.

Perhaps buoyed by the sun and Pimms and presuming her performance involved a cheeky Charleston, Chazza invited her to perform at Prince Harry’s 24th birthday. Our man said: “Poor Charles was so embarrassed when he realised what he’d done. He genuinely had no idea about her raunchy stage act. She was stunned when he suggested the idea, explaining that his son loved a good dance.

“But he gnawed his fist to within an inch of its knuckle when his aides explained what sort of dancing she did for a living.” We’re sure Prince Harry will forgive his old man when the burlesque performer toasts his big day with a giant glass of champagne garnished with her own breasties.

[From the Daily Star]

It’s hard to tell just how accurate this story is, but it certainly seems like the kind of mishap that could legitimately take place. Prince Charles doesn’t exactly strike me as someone who is super up-to-date and current on the hot celebrities. Though one would think he would have someone apologize to Dita Von Teese and cancel her performance. As interesting as that would be, I think it could make for quite the royal scandal. And they really don’t need any more of those.

Here’s Dita Von Teese and Prince Charles (with his wine powered Aston Martin – coolest thing ever) at the Cartier International Polo tournament in London on Sunday. Images thanks to WENN.

Prince Harry has been carrying on his mother’s good work by spending time rebuilding schools in Lesotho, a small, landlocked African nation of 1.8 million people. One out of three people in the country has HIV or AIDS. Harry first visited the country during his gap year between high school and college. After being moved by the experience, he set up a charity he named Sentebale – which means Forget Me Not in the local language – which focuses on helping the country build important infrastructure and deal with the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Prince Harry is once again raising a hand to help the AIDS-stricken African nation of Lesotho, this time building a special-needs school with his army buddies from the Household Cavalry’s Blues and Royals regiment. Harry, 23, says he hopes the facility in the northern town of Butha Buthe will be the first of many that can be provided by his Sentebale charitable foundation, reports Britain’s Telegraph.

“At Sentebale, as long as we can keep funding the projects, we can make a massive, massive difference,” the newspaper quotes Harry as saying – as he was building a ramp to help disabled students get to school. Once completed, the Thuso Centre will welcome more than 40 children with severe physical and mental disabilities – the first such school of its kind in the small kingdom.

“Everything here is just so positive and fantastic,” says the royal. “Once the project is finished, we hope to make another in the center [of the nation] and one in the south. The children of Lesotho, the vulnerable children of Lesotho, that’s what we’re working towards.”

[From People]

Prince Harry also mentioned that his trip to Lesotho was not a photo op, but that he hoped his presence would bring more attention to the country. He said that many NGOs have left, believing the country too small and it’s problems too great to be solved. Which is incredibly sad to hear. Harry has been to the country several times to help build and oversee Sentebale.

Here’s Prince Harry touring the Royal Norfolk Show in England on June 25th. Photographer: Anwar Hussein; Images thanks to WENN.