By Elaine Sihera (13 January 2009)

In a 'News of the World' exlcusive on 10 January 2009, royal rebel Prince Harry stands accused of racism in a bombshell home video as he swaggers in front of his army comrades. The soldier prince pours shame on the Royal Family as he calls an Asian squaddie "our little Paki friend" and tells another officer cadet jokingly wearing a camouflage veil off duty: "F*** me, you look like a raghead" - an offensive term for an Arab.

Athough Clarence House issued an apology for his behaviour, the Ministry of Defence said last night: "This sort of language is not acceptable in a modern army" and The Equality and Human Rights Commission demanded a formal inquiry into Prince Harry’s jibes. Extracts from the shock video can be seen on notw.co.uk. In this article, Elaine Sihera, writer and consultant in diversity management, argues why Prince Harry should be sacked from The British Army.

Why Prince Harry Should be Sacked From The British Army
By Elaine Sihera (13 January 2009)

Prince Harry made a couple of racist remarks on tape and they were shocking. There have been many people trying to excuse his behaviour, trying to blame 'pc' culture for any negative reaction against him and trying their best to pretend it is not important, just a storm in a teacup. But it is extremely important what the Royal Family does, if it is to enjoy the respect of the people the Queen presides over. The Queen is head of the Commonwealth and if her family is not going to have the respect for every country within that diverse circle, especially people of colour, what on earth is it saying about their role at the head of such diversity?

Prince Harry cannot afford to be a law unto himself just because he has a title and enjoys a privileged life. That comes with specific responsibilities in the way he behaves, in valuing others and setting a good example as a role model for the taxpayers money. If he just wants to be a yob, to treat people how he likes and to say what he wants, what's he doing as a prince? Furthermore, he said those things in the Army - an army which has been a bastion of institutional racism up to a few years ago and has gone to lengths to clean up its act, to make its forces more diverse and its image more appealing, especially in recruitment.

How are Harry's comments supposed to promote such diversity? Most important, how on earth can one have a commanding officer who uses such racist terms so freely within a diverse team, who clearly ingratiates himself to his troops for acceptance and approval and so easily, in a cavalier manner, crosses the line of maintaining discipline and respect? It is not just the issue of racism here which is of major concern to service people in this country, it was the clear threat to discipline through disrespect that came out on the tape, in a force that depends on the troops strictly obeying orders to protect their lives.

Prince Harry was trying desperately hard to be one of the lads from a position as team-leader which would not have encouraged that and without the respect to enforce his position. Such behaviour demeans the role of officer and puts discipline at risk.

Make no mistake about it, Prince Harry has racist tendencies due to his own ignorance. One act of racism (dressing up in a Nazi uniform) might be excused as youthful mirth but calling a 'friend' a Paki, which is a known derogatory and hate-filled word, then following it up with 'Raghead' is no accident. That is someone with little regard and respect for others. A Palace comment says the reference to Raghead refers to the Taliban. That's even worse. It explains why we are not winning the war in Afghanistan. Perhaps if we treated the Taliban with a bit more respect, for who they are and are proud to be, we could get the upper hand by being shown some respect ourselves.

Moreover, the language we use is not accidental. It defines who we are, it shows how we see ourselves and we will only ever use words we are completely comfortable with, the ones that come easily to us without thinking; the ones our family and friends use; the ones that tell where we are coming from and where we are going. So language is the essence of our identity. If we keep using hate-filled words it tells others who we are and how we perceive others. If a member of the BNP called someone a Paki would we dismiss it so easily? Would we excuse their behaviour? Would we blame it on 'pc'? Of course not. So why are people trying to excuse it in Harry? The fact that Prince Harry seems to be comfortable with racists words and acts is very disturbing and should not be condoned by decent people who cherish their own traditions and heritage.

Respect is at the heart of how we treat others and we cannot say we truly respect and value someone if we are not sensitive to how they might feel, if we do not accept who they are and if we do not value their heritage. Yet unless we value ourselves too and what we stand for we cannot appreciate others or hope to get respect from them either. Respect is nothing without sensitivity and if we are willing to use hate-filled discriminatory words in our routine dealings with others, what does that say about us?

Prince Harry needs to grow up. There are all kinds of ways of enjoying one's self, but not at the expense of others, and not when one is in a privileged position of authority to know better. From his drinking binges to racist language, he needs to learn some responsibility and he won't do that by people excusing his actions - yet again!

This incident is unacceptable in 21st century multicultural Britain, unacceptable to members of the Commonwealth and, most important, unacceptable to the army representing Britons and the inclusive message they are trying to give, especially from a Royal Prince. He should be sacked forthwith. Perhaps he might begin to appreciate just what his accident of birth really means in exercising personal responsibility.

Elaine Sihera is a writer and consultant in diversity management. Author of "Managing the Diversity Maze", and publisher of the Elaine's Den website (www.elainesden.org).