# Prince Harry dresses as a Nazi - so what? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 13, 2005, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540 "2005-01-13T11:38:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Tenar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@Tenar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenar)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/81 "2005-01-15T00:06:54Z")
> [@APB](#): > > And, for future reference, what are the PC guidelines on appropriate costumes for ‘Natives and Colonials’ fancy-dress parties? EXACTLY! The second Harry decided to go to the party, he was doomed no matter what he wore. There is just no good costume for a Royal (or anyone with a desire to avoid offending) to wear to a thing like that. Yes, he showed **LOUSY** judgment. But I can’t see any 20-year-old who was not related to Holocaust victims or survivors really “getting it” that the Holocaust is not ancient history. BTW – when I was in college, I thought it was hysterically funny that one of the Frat houses had a Pearl Harbor Day party with the slogan “Get bombed with a J.A.P.!” Talk about an idea with something guaranteed to offend just about everyone. But then, I was 18 or 19 at the time, and I thought it was great even though I have always hated the expression \*\*“J.A.P.” \*\* (In case the expression has faded from usage, J.A.P. stands for “Jewish American Princess.” It is NOT a compliment.) Regarding Billy Carter: actually, the biggest stir I remember him causing during his checkered career was when he decided to whip it out and take a whiz right out in public on the tarmac at an airport. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/82 "2005-01-15T00:17:26Z")
> [@Tenar](#): > > EXACTLY! The second Harry decided to go to the party, he was doomed no matter what he wore. There is just no good costume for a Royal (or anyone with a desire to avoid offending) to wear to a thing like that. Yes, he showed **LOUSY** judgment. But I can’t see any 20-year-old who was not related to Holocaust victims or survivors really “getting it” that the Holocaust is not ancient history. The Holocaust is the only concern. His family were directly related to the war. London was bombed heavily. Civilians all over the UK died from Nazi bombs. The Island was at real risk of falling at some stages. That said the only real issue for me is the stupidity of the decision considering who he is. Muppetry of the highest order. ---
**Author:** ![legion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@legion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legion)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/83 "2005-01-15T00:30:11Z")
I wonder how the jerk who sold the pics feels now? Apparently he offered them to the Sun newspaper because he thought they might be interested in the pics that showed Prince William in costume (can’t remember what the costume was, but it was harmless). The guy from the Sun feigned indifference at the pics of Harry and got all the pics for £10,000. The Sun admit they would have paid up to £200,000 if the guy realised the gold he had photographed! ---
**Author:** ![Tenar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@Tenar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenar)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/84 "2005-01-15T00:40:23Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > The Holocaust is the only concern. His family were directly related to the war. London was bombed heavily. Civilians all over the UK died from Nazi bombs. The Island was at real risk of falling at some stages. No arguments there. As I am in the US rather than the UK, my referents tend to be Holocaust survivors rather than the assault on England. I didn’t mean to artificially narrow the field of people Harry pissed off, or to leave out the reason why his being a Royal made his behavior particularly offensive. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/85 "2005-01-15T01:22:00Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > The Sun newspaper, which broke the story Thursday by publishing a photo of Harry wearing a swastika armband and Nazi regalia, reported that Charles was “incandescent with rage” over the incident. … > > > > “There will be no publicity and they will go with a Jewish charity,” an unnamed royal source was quoted as saying in the tabloid. Everyone repeat after me; Never, **ever** take anything written in “The Sun” as having anything except a marginal and passing resemblance to the facts. Likely translation of above quote; No-one knows what Charles said, so we made something up. No-one else had any information, so a nobody we won’t embarrass ourselves by naming made a guess. ---
**Author:** ![SallyCan\_tDance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@SallyCan\_tDance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SallyCan_tDance)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/86 "2005-01-15T01:33:39Z")
> [@curly chick](#): > > How so? > > Queen Victoria’s husband, aka Prince Albert, aka Harry’s great great grandfather was German. The rest of 'em on the paternal side were all British, were they not, apart from his grandpa Phil?.. > Really, why does the German tag persist?.. > And anyway, even if it _is_ Prince Albert who brings the in the idea that the British Royal Family are German, being a German is not the same as being a Nazi. Surely the Nazis hadn’t been invented when Albert was around? Actually, Victoria was Albert’s first cousin ( :eek: ), so she had not only a German mum but all the Hanoverian ancestry from her father’s side. Also, as has already been mentioned, Edward VIII was quite chummy with Hitler - you can probably find photos of his post-abdication visit to Old Adolf, in which he is shaking AH’s hand and looking very happy. So you can imagine why Queen Liz might have a bit of a problem with all this; it cuts somewhat close to the bone in terms of their recent history. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/87 "2005-01-15T01:48:14Z")
> [@legion](#): > > Apparently he offered them to the Sun newspaper because he thought they might be interested in the pics that showed Prince William in costume (can’t remember what the costume was, but it was harmless). Wills went as a lion or something. If only his nitwit brother had stuck with the khaki outfit and left the swastika off. You’ve really got to wonder about his judgement. But context is everything. It was a party and Hal is, well, shallow. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/88 "2005-01-15T02:30:57Z")
The Royals are decadent remnants of an archaic system that measures the worth of a person by which set of genitalia they were pulled out of.Yes, I know that sentence ended with a preposition, learn to cope.While I consider genitals to be important, I don’t think it’s the most important thing about someone. The offence is not how Harry was dressed, but that the way he dressed is considered important. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/89 "2005-01-15T02:33:09Z")
> [@Tenar](#): > > There is just no good costume for a Royal (or anyone with a desire to avoid offending) to wear to a thing like that. Prince William went as a leopard (which I would have paid to see.) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/90 "2005-01-15T03:28:48Z")
> [@APB](#): > > And, for future reference, what are the PC guidelines on appropriate costumes for ‘Natives and Colonials’ fancy-dress parties? Poor Wills can’t even get the party theme right, since a Nazi is neither a native nor a colonial. However, to answer **APB** ’s point, in my opinion you can’t go wrong with [Dudley Do-Right](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0160236/?fr=c2l0ZT1kZnxzZz0xfHR0PW9ufHBuPTB8cT1kdWRsZXkgZG8tcmlnaHR8bXg9MjB8bG09MjAwfGh0bWw9MQ__;fc=1;ft=2;fm=1). ---
**Author:** ![SallyCan\_tDance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@SallyCan\_tDance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SallyCan_tDance)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/91 "2005-01-15T03:35:35Z")
Does anyone feel that Harry is a bit of a genetic throwback to Henry VIII? (He was a bloodnut who frequently offended people as well). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![infamousmom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d6d6ee/32.png) [@infamousmom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infamousmom)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/92 "2005-01-15T07:50:38Z")
> [@marky33](#): > > Britain’s Prince Harry turned up a friend’s fancy-dress birthday party dressed in Nazi uniform. > Does it really matter? I suppose Harry can always claim it’s genetic. He does, after all, come from a long line of German princelings, and his great-great-uncle David spent a lot of time kissing Hitler’s ass back in the day. ---
**Author:** ![infamousmom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d6d6ee/32.png) [@infamousmom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infamousmom)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/93 "2005-01-15T07:52:54Z")
> [@Tenar](#): > > EXACTLY! The second Harry decided to go to the party, he was doomed no matter what he wore. Oh, I dunno about that. He might have dressed up as Scarlett O’Hara and attracted a bit less attention. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![marky33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@marky33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marky33)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/94 "2005-01-15T08:18:01Z")
> [@Northern Piper](#): > > Poor Wills can’t even get the party theme right, since a Nazi is neither a native nor a colonial. I believe his costume was that of an Africa Korps officer. A member of a German army based in North Africa could, I suppose, be viewed as a coloniser. Recently on these boards there was a discussion about how there should be no restrictions on the content of comedy. Most agreed comedy should be allowed a free rein. Is a fancy-dress party not carried out for comedic (if that’s a word) effect? If Harry decided to do a bit of stand-up, would he, because of his position in life, have to employ restraint over and above that a comedian not of royal descent? ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/95 "2005-01-15T08:50:49Z")
The German presence in North Africa was nothing to do with colonization. There were there to help out the Italians ( who’s colonies they were ) after they had lost several battles( and thousands of men ) fighting the Allies. So Harry got that wrong. Had he wanted to have been authentic he should have gone dressed as an Italian. After 1918 Germany had no colonies , unless you count the countries that were occupied during WW2 . ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/96 "2005-01-15T09:16:09Z")
> [@marky33](#): > > I believe his costume was that of an Africa Korps officer. No, it was just whatever kids where these days with some Nazi stuff thrown on. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/97 "2005-01-15T09:17:27Z")
No, it was just whatever kids **WEAR** these days with some Nazi stuff thrown on. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/98 "2005-01-15T09:20:40Z")
> [@SallyCan'tDance](#): > > Actually, Victoria was Albert’s first cousin ( :eek: ), so she had not only a German mum but all the Hanoverian ancestry from her father’s side. This is true, and consequentially the joke from [Blackadder Goes Forth](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096548/quotes): > [@](#): > > **Captain Darling** : I’m as British as Queen Victoria! > **Captain Blackadder** : So your father’s German, you’re half German, and you married a German! is not only wrong (Victoria’s father was nowhere near 100% German), but actually an _understatement_ (since by most standards Victoria was **more than** 50% German)! ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/99 "2005-01-15T11:29:44Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Anyway, what I’m asking is, what **else** did she do that was seen as scandalous? I can understand why the Townsend affair was seen as a scandal when it happened, but it doesn’t sound as if it were morally wrong. Is it to be held against her even today, and after her death? Other than that, was she known for outrageous statements and actions? > > (What I also know is that she liked to hang out with the Beatles, although her enthusiasm waned after they began smoking pot. In 1968, Pattie Harrison was busted for possession. Shortly afterwards, George encountered Margaret at a club and asked if she could “use her influence” to help. “Oh, dear, no, I don’t think so!” she replied. And that was the end of her association with them.) The problem wasn’t that she had an affair with Gp Cpt Peter Townsend, but that she wanted to marry him. He was divorced (a big deal in those days). As a senior royal she had to get the Queen’s permission to marry - it wasn’t granted. This is rather unfair as he had divorced his wife for adultery. (as a footnote to history; his ex wife - Rosie - married my pal’s grandad - small world isn’t it? She died early last year). This is where it all started to go wrong for her - Enter Bungalow Bill Wiggins and John Bindon (he of the pint glasses). ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540/100 "2005-01-15T12:00:51Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > The problem wasn’t that she had an affair with Gp Cpt Peter Townsend, but that she wanted to marry him. He was divorced (a big deal in those days). As a senior royal she had to get the Queen’s permission to marry - it wasn’t granted. This is rather unfair as he had divorced his wife for adultery. Right; I knew that. > [@](#): > > (as a footnote to history; his ex wife - Rosie - married my pal’s grandad - small world isn’t it? She died early last year). Whoa! Small workd indeed! > [@](#): > > This is where it all started to go wrong for her - Enter Bungalow Bill Wiggins and John Bindon (he of the pint glasses). Now those names I don’t know! What was the deal with them? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-dresses-as-a-nazi-so-what/284540.md?page=6)