Prince Harry shaved his big ginger beard! And he just did a press conference to announce the news. No, not really. These are photos of Harry entering the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London, where he did a press conference with some of the other members of the Walking with the Wounded South Pole Challenge. This is his first big public event since coming home from the challenge last month, his first event since shaving his beard and his first event since resigning from active duty military service. Harry now works a desk job, but he’s still with the army and he’s still Captain Harry Wales. As for this press conference… Dominic West was there (he led the Commonwealth team) and he had some funny Harry stories.
Prince Harry kept up morale on his trek to the South Pole by telling “filthy” jokes and building elaborate castle-style latrines, one of his fellow adventurers has revealed. The Prince also celebrated reaching the bottom of the world by drinking champagne out of a prosthetic leg belonging to one of the wounded servicemen on his team – while others danced naked around the Pole.
Harry’s antics were disclosed by the actor Dominic West, who was the celebrity patron of one of three teams competing to reach the Pole first on the trek to raise money for the charity Walking With the Wounded.
He said: “It was cool having Harry there because he was very much part of the team. He seemed to specialise in building the latrines and he built these incredibly elaborate ones. He did one with castellated sides and a flag pole, a loo roll holder, and you’re sitting there thinking ‘this is a real royal flush’. He must have spent about 40 minutes making it. I remember thinking that he did art A-level and you can tell he is artistic.”
The three teams, representing Britain, the US and the Commonwealth, had to dig latrine pits at each overnight stop during their journey, with a wall of snow around it to keep out the wind while people used it. They reached the pole on Dec 13 after pulling sleds all the way to the pole with their supplies on them.
West, who was part of Team Commonwealth, said the Prince also told “eye-wateringly rude jokes, which for a non-soldier like me was quite shocking”.
He added: “He was very kind to me – when I was having trouble with the skis he helped me out and I thought what a nice guy.”
The three teams were initially competing to get to the Pole first, but when the Antarctic weather made conditions worse than expected they joined forces to make sure they all got to their goal safely.
West said: “When we got to the Pole a couple of the guys stripped naked and ran round the Pole. It was a sunny day with no wind so it was safe to do that. The Icelandic truck drivers who were driving the support vehicles had saved some booze for us to celebrate, so we had a bit of a binge, we were drinking champagne out of one of the team’s prosthetic leg.”
West said he had suffered mild frostbite on one cheek and other team members had been frostbitten on their fingers and ears, though none had needed surgery when they got home.
Prince Harry, 29, who has now shaved off the beard he grew during the trek, returned home in time for Christmas.
Harry said: “The conditions were a lot tougher than we necessarily could have expected. The wind and the storms proved horrendous. However, video doesn’t lie and Team UK did win. We did. Those are the facts. To the Australian contingent if you’re watching – sorry. On a serious note, inspiring others is one of the of the cornerstones of this charity, to demonstrate to those who have experienced life-changing injuries that everything is still possible. I hope this truly unbelievable achievement will remind everybody that they can achieve anything they want to. Our wounded, injured and sick do not want pity, they simply want to be treated in the same way that they were before they were injured, with respect and admiration. For some the journey may be more of a challenge and it falls to all of us to help them in any way we can.”
I sound like a broken record, I know, but I really admire the man Harry has become and the issues he cares about and the way he conducts himself, dirty jokes and elaborate toilets and all. He seems like a genuine guy with a good heart who slips up sometimes but he cares deeply about working hard and taking care of people. I think his mother would be very proud of him. I think Diana would also be surprised by just how well Harry turned out.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
why would she be surprised?
proud, yes.
Yes, why would she be surprised? She raised them with love, affection and attention unlike previous Royals — as much as she was allowed / could do.
So, I don’t think she would be surprised at all. Unless she means since the grand parents had more of a role since she died? And they are not known for their warmth or affection in the past.
Who knew he was a so well rounded? I just love Harry. He’s a really cool guy and I love him even more that he has an awesome sense of humor.
He’s so much more than his brother will ever be…
maybe he gets to be more because he doesn’t have to be King.
You can’t place the blame entirely on expectations. Character is a major factor. The most celebrated monarchs in British history weren’t raised to be heirs. All were 2nd+ children.
Further, the heirs don’t have to live up to what is expected of them. Look at Victoria, George V, Edward VII.
HM was serious child who took her duty very seriously. We’ve had her so long that we think she is the model of how they should behave, but she’s simply followed orders from previous generations without much of her own stamp or character.
Possibly but that doesn’t excuse William from his notable lack of public duties. He and Kate are fast becoming known for shirking that responsibility. He’s doing a “gap” year now. From what? He only did the barest minimum of flying to get his wings. Taking a “bespoke” course at Cambridge on agriculture management while Kate hangs out in Bucklebury. No, William has become a bit of a disappointment and I think Harry, had he been first, would have thrown himself into the role with a lot more passion and enthusiasm.
Whether you get to be King or not doesn’t stop you from finding a passion. Harry has actually been interested in the military since a young age and it shows. Not only by his service, but the charities and events in which he takes part. Prince Charles has shown environmental causes to be one of his interests and that shows through his charities and events, as well. William has interests, but nothing that defines him and that’s what he’s missing. Honestly, if Kate is really taking up children’s charities as her cause, then she’s already outpaced William in that aspect.
I would like to add that Harry and Charles, IMO, are far more likable because they have found causes which they can put their name behind. There is no getting around being royal (aside from abdication), so you should find something worthwhile to support.
I wouldn’t mind watching him and Alex Skarsgard dancing naked at the pole!
+ 1
Love harry, seems like a really decent guy.
Me, too. Diana would be proud, as Kaiser said.
I hate the word sugar but I’m totally sugar for Harry, I just love him. And this fondness is a very recent development, few years ago I used to really dislike him. This sudden fondness makes me go soft on all the Kate sugars, I guess I understand illogical fondness towards a person you don’t really know.
One lump or two, Angelic?
Although I don’t feel as you do, it’s such a lovely sentiment. Awwww.
I know a group of pals who’ve met Harry on the party circuit in Central London.
He’s friendly enough, red as a lobster and extremely flirtatious
They’re a mixed crew and see him as somewhat scatty
Funny thing is Harry is known for somewhat dodgy remarks on other races private and public.
He famously referred to one of his colleagues as a ‘Paki’ on an Army video and said to a famous Black British comedian Stepehn Amos on introduction ” But you don’t sound like a black chap”
It was a truly WTF moment and displayed his ignorance
Even if he no doubt, thought this in private one would imagine he would have the sense not to say it especially coming years after his Nazi uniform gaffe.
I agree with an earlier post that this is just moody docile Prince Charles and exciting charismatic Prince Andrew redux. It’ll probably play out the same way
I guess its lucky for Harry that the hate on for William is strong (as well as maybe Harry marrying the ‘right sort’ ) means his own BS & transgressions are swept aside or written with the most flowery explanations by Ingrid Seward, Kondracke and the Hooray Henriettas!
Harry gets his share of negative press. I don’t think his “BS and transgressions” are swept aside. Most recently, there was an absolute fusillade of bad press after the Vegas outing.
The “hate on William” only appears on certain forums and blogs. It’s very selective. In the mainstream media he is portrayed quite favorably. He has been voted favorite British royal for two years running.
http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/11/20/who-is-britains-favorite-royal/
That said, you’re right, Harry has his share of unpleasant personal characteristics. My take is that on celebrity blogs he is more fun to follow because he does more interesting things, like the Walking With the Wounded project, and quite frankly, he appears to be more fun. I know I prefer to read about him.
As far as his being more popular because he is marrying “the right sort”, he isn’t even engaged to Cressida yet, much less married. His popularity pre-dates that relationship by many years.
I remember the incidents you describe quite clearly as well, and we should remember them as they are part of Harry’s character and upbringing. It’s not all charm and fun and hard-work on his part.
Just an FYI, not sure how it is in the UK but in the US, when you say that someone is “resigning from active duty military service”, it means that they are leaving the military. Resigning from active duty means you have retired. (Don’t forget, over 90% of all military jobs are not combat roles.)
If Harry is still in the military, but has rotated out from flying helicopters on the front lines to a desk job in London, then he hasn’t resigned at all. He’s still active service, just no longer in a combat role.
I am obsessed with the stories Dom West has told regarding the expeditions. I want to hear from Skarsgard!
Sounds like they had quite a lot of fun and that it was a proper expedition. Harry could spend his time being a socialite, there are and have always been zero expectations on him, especially as he was a rather boisterous and awkward teen and youngster bound to get himself into trouble with his partying ways. So congrats to him for actually choosing to be involved in life and help others, first by actually serving his country, then being a true flag bearer for veterans especially wounded vets and now for continuing with a new job in veteran advocacy. Good for him. It’s far more than his brother’s ever did and you get the feeling that Harry actually gives a damn. And yeah, he’ll still go to Vegas and get buck naked and carry on well…like a soldier on leave. But at least he balances his antics out with the good he does , with his sense of service.
btw hope they had cameras on their expedition and that they’ll do a documentary, sounds like it would be interesting!
There are two documentaries due: One on ITN in England, supposedly some time in March. Then one on NBC, supposedly a little bit later in spring.
ooh! Great news! Will be looking out for those. Thanks a lot for the info cr 🙂
I think the “eye-wateringly rude jokes” come from the same part of his personality as the “paki” comments. He probably likes to share a joke with his grandpa Philip.