Harrys Game

[pcstru]

So how many other public servants would still be in a job if photos of them playing nude billiards had turned up on (say) Facebook?

[Mcshammer_dj]

Not that I ever have done this but this is only a problem because someone decided to take sneaky pictures and try to profit from them!!!. Personally I am not really interested in what he does in the supposed privacy of his hotel suite. I do however support all the work he has done for the Help the Hero's, admire his desire to be a real active member of the armed forces and think he is publically a much more useful member of the royal family than some I can think of...

[Disease]

I see nothing wrong with what he has done, he deserve downtime as much as the next 27 year old red blooded male, give him a break.

[pcstru]

Sure he does but that wasn't the question. If photo's of a teacher turned up on Facebook (taken by someone else then posted on their wall or otherwise made public), do you think they would be told they deserve a bit of downtime? Similarly, soldiers on R&R might find themselves on a rap if they misbehave and bring their regiment and profession into disrepute. There seems to be a common attitude of "well done Harry" in response to this - I guess that's another advantage of such enormous wealth and privilege.

[sonofsanta]

I hear Prince Phillip is very disappointed with him over the photos. How dare he lose that lovely Nazi uniform he got him!

 

Ha ha bloody ha.

 

But personally speaking, y'know, whatever. At the end of the day he's a normal human being and if he had his gameface on all the time he'd go mad; he needs to relax as much as anyone. Admittedly most of us don't get the chance to do it in a VIP Vegas lounge with two naked Americans, but he had a reasonable expectation of privacy and the only thing he's really guilty of is a lack of judgement with his company.

 

It is sweet how the British press are refusing to publish the photos despite the fact that every Brit who's heard has gone on to Google and been looking at the photos 30 seconds later, though. Given that we abided by the Americans' wish to downplay the Batman shooting and deny the killer the notoriety he sought, it would've been nice if they could've returned the favour on this, though.

[Mcshammer_dj]

I would guess that the emergance of a photo of a teacher appearing on facebook in similar circumstances to the said pictures of Harry would discussed at a school level but if this was not instigated by the person themselves I would be amazed if they were to be disiplined. However I also note that the emergance of facebook and such products have merged the private life of the individual with the puplic image. I suppose it is up to how individuals actually want elements of their private live to be in the public domain. The problem with Harry is that he is in the public gaze at all times, and for all the great things that he does he will always be noted for the bad things.

[AMLinington]

Yes. Boys will be boys and what he gets up to in the privacy of his hotel room is his business. Would you photograph and publish photos of him asleep? Or having relations with his significant other? Of course not. If he was playing Naked Billiards in a public location - such as a bar or club, then fair game, but to invade the privacy of his room is not on. Just because he's in the public eye doesn't give people the right to do that.

 

But personally speaking, y'know, whatever. At the end of the day he's a normal human being and if he had his gameface on all the time he'd go mad; he needs to relax as much as anyone. Admittedly most of us don't get the chance to do it in a VIP Vegas lounge with two naked Americans, but he had a reasonable expectation of privacy and the only thing he's really guilty of is a lack of judgement with his company.

 

I agree completely. If he was a normal person he'd be able to go out to the pub and get lashed, maybe get arrested for public indecency, stumble home and then wait for the hangover. As a Prince he can't do that. If he wants to go to a club for a drink he's got security guards and death threats to worry about - that's not fair! If I couldn't go down the pub for a quiet drink or out into town for a night out, or out to the local curry house with the boys from work I think I'd go nuts!

 

I certainly don't believe he should be hauled up for bringing a profession into disrepute if his activities were in private. Would you discipline a person for 'bringing the profession into disrepute' for their sexual preferences in the privacy of their home? Of course not! If they got caught in a public place then fair game, but behind closed doors - hotel room or otherwise, what you do is up to you. Just because someone unscrupulous videoed it doesn't mean he was wrong for doing it. Lets be fair - naked billiards is hardly scandalous is it really? It's the same as a person trusting their partner enough to let him or her video them having sex then posting it on the internet! What an awful thing to have happened.

 

Silly Harry. Choose your friends better next time!

[CAM]

Unfortunately a teacher is a bad example as the kids would see it, take the and leave the position untenable. Also, the higher up you go in an organisation, the more people there are looking to discredit you and tear you down from your pedestal to take your place with, say, a sex scandal or two! Can't really tear Harry down from his pedestal though and take the place of being the Queen's grandson.

 

The British media are chomping at the bit to publish the photos though judging by some of the very clever front page editing in the less reputable rags.

[pcstru]

Would you discipline a person for 'bringing the profession into disrepute' for their sexual preferences in the privacy of their home?

 

I personally don't much care what people do in their own time. But I do know of cases of teachers being disciplined for "bringing their profession into disrepute" and soldiers being disciplined for much the same (it's not that long since homosexuals were banned from the armed forces for instance). I can't see the Daily Mail commenting "what a shame his friends weren't discrete" if a school head was caught in much the same situation. They would be crying out for blood. There's a distinct whiff of hypocrisy in the media reaction to this.

 

Also, I should think his security detail might be either looking for jobs this morning or have been severely reprimanded and demoted. Which to some extent if fair enough - maybe they didn't do their jobs (although I'm not sure what they could have done) but it was Harry who chose to subject them to the elevated risk.