...For November 2003

November 30, 2003 - November 29, 2003 - November 27, 2003 -
    'Cowboy Harry' giddy over Outback

    SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) -- Galloping off into the distance, hooves flying, stirring up a cloud of dust -- "Cowboy Harry" displayed his "jackarooing" skills to the media. Britain's Prince Harry, riding a chestnut horse called "Guardsman" and wearing a traditional Australian bush hat, laughed and joked with the other cattle hands, or jackaroos as they are called in Australia, as they steered 30 bulls into a mustering yard on Thursday.

    "It's a great country," said Harry in a statement released to coincide with the media opportunity on the sprawling 16,000-hectare (39,540-acre) Tooloombilla Station near Roma in southern Queensland state.

    "I have had a great time working out here, meeting people and learning a bit about how to be a jackaroo, and of course the rugby was absolutely fantastic," said the 19-year-old prince, who is in Australia for a working holiday during his gap year. Australian and international media hounded Harry when he first arrived in the outback in late September, with reports he even considered returning to England as the prying media were preventing him from learning how to be a jackaroo. But after a request to leave him alone, Harry settled into bush life, roping and mustering cattle, visiting a rodeo, and learning general farm maintenance. Harry's bush day starts around 7.30 a.m. and doesn't end until 6.00 p.m., with a two-hour lunch break when the sun is fiercest. Harry took leave from jackarooing to support England in the recent Rugby World Cup, cheering them on against South Africa in Perth and then again in the final against Australia in Sydney. During his time in Sydney, Harry enjoyed the city's nightlife and was photographed at various hotels and trendy bars.

    Media reports of his nocturnal activities praised Harry for his down-to-earth attitude, with people reporting him "shouting" or buying a round of beers at the bar and dancing the night away. On Thursday, invited media were kept in the distance, forced to train long lenses on Harry as he rode his horse. But the prince showed his good nature and, after penning the cattle, rode to a nearby fence to pose "cowboy-style" for photographs. Leaning against the timber fence rail, bush hat shading his face from the blistering sun, Harry smiled at photographers as his horse nudged his shoulder. After satisfying the media, Harry mounted his horse and galloped off into the bush, waving goodbye with his hat and leaving a cloud of dust.

  • Harry's royal muster By Charlie Hamilton

    The world's royal-watching media gathered in the Queensland outback today to watch Britain's most celebrated jackaroo bringing in a herd. Prince Harry, who has been in Australia for three months as part of a year off from study, looked at home in the saddle as he and five other cattle hands mustered bulls around Tooloombilla Station, near Roma in southern Queensland. The 19-year-old, dressed in an open-neck blue shirt, jeans and brown Akubra hat, looked relaxed as he guided a herd of 30 short horn and short horn charolais cattle around part of the 16,000 property. He rode his chestnut-coloured horse, Guardsman, alongside the steers as they were brought in from the outer reaches of the property, and at one stage galloped ahead to open the cattle pen. He laughed and joked with the other station workers before dismounting and strolling over to a fence post where he posed for photographers. Prince Harry has been working as a jackaroo during his stay; learning how to handle cattle, repair damaged fencing and other general farm maintenance.

    "I have had a great time working out here, meeting people and learning a bit about how to be a jackaroo, and of course the rugby was absolutely fantastic," Prince Harry said.

    "It's a great country."

    The mid-morning temperature soared to about 30 degrees but this did not appear to bother the young prince. His normal working day at the station begins about 7.30am (AEST) and ends about 6pm with a two-hour lunch break when the Australian heat is at its most fierce. Tooloombilla Station is owned by Annie and Noel Hill. Mrs Hill was a long-time friend of Harry's late mother Princess Diana, while Mr Hill is a son of millionaire polo star Sinclair Hill, who is close to Harry's father, Prince Charles. Referring to Princess Diana's former butler Paul Burrell's comments earlier this week about a meeting between himself and Prince Harry, a Palace spokeswoman said: "There are no plans for a meeting to take place while Harry is in Australia.

    "If anything was to take place it would involve both he (sic) and William."

    Asked about Harry's feelings towards Burrell, the spokeswoman reiterated the sentiments expressed in a joint statement by the princes following publication of the former butler's reveal-all book about Diana. The young men said in the statement they could not believe someone who was entrusted with so much "could abuse his position in such a cold and overt betrayal". Prince Harry will remain in Australia for the next few weeks but will return to the UK to spend Christmas with his family.

  • Harry better king than Will: Burrell

    By Steve Connolly

    PRINCESS Diana's former butler Paul Burrell believes Prince Harry would be more suited to being king than his elder brother Prince William. Mr Burrell is in Australia promoting his tell-all book, A Royal Duty, while Prince Harry is also Down Under, facing the media today in outback Queensland.

    "Harry has that spirit, he has a great character and a great personality," Mr Burrell said of the 19-year-old prince. It's very different to William – they're like chalk and cheese. William looks like his mother but is like his father. And Harry looks like the Spencers (Diana's family) but is like his mother. It's a mixture of different personalities."

    Mr Burrell, interviewed on ABC radio in Brisbane, also ventured into rumours about the boys' parentage. Diana's former lover James Hewitt last year denied persistent rumours he was Prince Harry's father. Mr Hewitt, who has red hair like Prince Harry, was Diana's secret lover for five years but said the prince was already a toddler when he met the princess.

    Mr Burrell, who started working for Prince Charles and Diana in 1986 – two years after Harry was born, said: "Those boys were born of a very loving union".

    "The princess always loved the father of her children – the Prince of Wales."

    A statement issued on behalf of the two princes accused Mr Burrell of a "cold and overt betrayal" of their mother and "abusing his position" by writing the book. But Mr Burrell, who has been denied access to the princes since Diana's death in a car crash six years ago, said he hoped to be able to meet with William and Harry to explain his side.

    "I'd be happy to meet with them whenever they want in a private situation," he said.

    "When they do read the book they will know what I haven't said."

  • Prince Harry back in the saddle

    Prince Harry is back in the saddle in his role as a Jackeroo in the Australian outback. The Prince took some time off to cheer on England in the Rugby World Cup but is now hard at work again. He looked relaxed as he and a team of five other cattle-hands mustered bulls around the Tooloombilla station, near Roma, southern Queensland. The 19-year-old helped guide the herd of 30 Short Horn and Short Horn Charolais cattle around part of the 40,000 acre property. He rode his chestnut-coloured horse named Guardsman alongside the steers as they were brought in from the outer reaches of the property, and at one stage galloped ahead to open the cattle pen. He laughed and joked with the other station workers before dismounting and strolling over to a fence post where he posed for photographers. He has been working as a jackeroo during his stay - learning how to handle cattle, repair damaged fencing and general farm maintenance. He released a short statement regarding his experiences in the country which read: "I have had a great time working out here, meeting people and learning a bit about how to be a jackeroo and, of course, the rugby was absolutely fantastic.

    "It's a great country."

    Harry's normal working day at the station begins at around 7.30am and runs through to around 6pm with a two hour lunch-break when the Australian heat is at its most fierce. The cattle station is owned by Annie and Noel Hill. Mrs Hill was a long-time friend of Harry's late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, while Mr Hill is a son of millionaire polo star Sinclair Hill, who has coached Prince Charles.
November 26, 2003 -
  • Achievement Brings a Princely Award

    By Peter Archer

    PRINCE William and Prince Harry's former Ulster-born Eton housemaster, Andrew Gailey, spoke of the young Royals' schooldays yesterday.

    "They both put in a lot and gained a lot," said Dr Gailey.

    "They enjoy life and are fun young men. They were tremendous."

    William and Harry had very different personalities, he said.

    "They are both very different people. They are very independent young men. "But they are both very considerate and thoughtful. It's the normality - it's what they want and it's what they have achieved."

    Dr Gailey, who is a former pupil of Campbell College, Belfast, was speaking after being invested at Buckingham Palace as a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) - a high honour bestowed by the Queen. His award was presented by the Prince of Wales.

    "The Prince said how grateful he was for the boys' time at Eton," said Dr Gailey, a graduate of St Andrews University in Scotland where William is now an undergraduate.

    "William likes the cold and journalists hate it," he said. "If it was the Arctic, he might like it even more."

    Harry, a talented horseman and international polo player, is currently in Australia, gaining work experience as a jackaroo Aussie cowboy, before enrolling at Sandhurst military academy.

    Ulster born and bred journalist Philippa Kennedy, former news editor of the Daily Express - the first female to hold that position on a national tabloid - and now consultant editor of Press Gazette, received an OBE - Officer of the Order of the British Empire. Former Olympic 400-metres hurdles gold medalist David Hemery, who last year stepped down as president of UK Athletics, was awardedß a CBE - Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

    "I won Olympic gold in 1968 and was awarded an MBE in January 1969, so this is 34 years on," said Dr Hemery, 59. "The Prince asked me about my involvement in sport and I said 'I run my dog, Sir'. He said his way of staying fit was not to eat. I didn't question him on that but I think it's all about balance."

    Dr Hemery, who has a doctrate in education, specialises in developing people's potential in all walks of life, including business management as well as athletics.

    "My work is to help people in leadership to wake up to the benefit of 'growing' their staff. There is something special in everyone and that talent has to be unlocked by engaging and involving people."

    Former Turner Prize winner Anish Kapoor, the Indian-born British sculptor, received a CBE, along with BBC Radio 2 Controller, James Moir, who as a TV executive commissioned the hit series Absolutely Fabulous and signed up a string of stars including Terry Wogan, Noel Edmonds, French and Saunders, Ben Elton, Alexei Sayle, Les Dawson, Bob Monkhouse and Jasper Carrott.
November 25, 2003 -
  • William Becomes The Prince of Clubland

    Like many other British 21-year-olds, Prince William is a big fan of London clubland. But when it came to becoming a member of one of the capital's nightspots, Wills eschewed the pounding dancefloors of the city's best-known venues for something a little more refined. The world's most eligible bachelor has applied to become a member of White's, the most exclusive gentleman's club in London. In so doing he follows in the footsteps of his father, Prince Charles, who held his stag night there a couple of decades ago.

    According to member Tom Stacey, those hoping to join require a proposer and two seconders before their application will be considered. Their name will then "sit around in a book for a while, collecting signatures, until it has about 35", reveals Tom. And there is also a membership fee of £850, though none of these requirements should prove too difficult for Wills. White's has its origins in the early 18th century, when its gaming room, known simply as "Hell", became popular with young London aristocrats. Such was the establishment's reputation that the then Earl Of Oxford called it "the bain of half the English nobility". Since then, however it has become a veritable pillar of London society. Gentleman's clubs are enjoying something of a renaissance in well-to-do circles of British society. In recent years young aristocrats, who have long been turning their backs on gentlemen-only bars, have been making a return to this bastion of British tradition.

  • HARRY HITS BONGOS AT ENGLAND CUP BASH

    By Alexandra Williams

    PRINCE Harry bashes on a bongo as he celebrates England's World Cup glory at the players' all-night party in Sydney. Wearing a team blazer over his rugby shirt, he leapt on the stage for his impromptu performance which had the victorious squad dancing and singing.

    One onlooker said: "Harry was swigging the beer but he wasn't drunk. He was in his absolute element."
  • Burrell offers Harry an Aussie chat

    By Sam Baden

    PRINCESS Diana's former butler Paul Burrell today invited Prince Harry to contact him while the two are both in Australia. Mr Burrell, a long time royal servant whom Princess Diana referred to as "my rock", has not had any contact with Princes William or Harry since last month's publication of his controversial book about Princess Diana. Mr Burrell is in Australia to promote his book A Royal Duty, based on his experiences with Princess Diana and letters allegedly sent to and from her. He said he hoped to make contact with Diana's sons on his return to Britain. "I've been on this world tour publicising this book but as soon as I get back to the United Kingdom I hope very much that my lawyers can sort it out so that we can meet in private," he told Melbourne radio 3AW. He said he had not met up with Prince Harry, who has been working on a cattle station in central-western Queensland as part of an educational gap year. The Prince also visited Sydney for the Rugby World Cup final on Saturday and played in a polo match on Sunday in Richmond, north-west of Sydney. But Mr Burrell urged Prince Harry to contact him.

    "Well if he's listening to this come on let's get it together," Mr Burrell said.

    Princes William and Harry have criticised Mr Burrell for what they called a "cold and overt betrayal" of their mother.

    "We cannot believe that Paul, who was entrusted with so much, could abuse his position in such a cold and overt betrayal," the princes said in a statement last month. But William and Harry, who often played with Mr Burrell's children at Kensington Palace when they were growing up, have indicated they were willing to meet him to discuss the matter. Among the key revelations contained in Mr Burrell's book is a letter he claims he received from Diana in which she talked of a plot to kill her. The Princess allegedly wrote saying her life was at its "most dangerous" phase and she feared a certain individual was planning "an accident" in her car. The letter was allegedly written 10 months before she died in a car accident in a Paris road tunnel in 1997. The former butler also said the Queen had a fondness for Australia.

    "She (the Queen) adores Australians and she can do a wonderful Australian accent, you should hear her at her height," he said.
November 24, 2003 -
  • Harry parties with winners

    By NICK PARKER, SALLY BROOK and from TONY ROCHE in Sydney

    ECSTATIC Prince Harry saluted England’s World Cup heroes — then went out boozing with them. Harry was allowed into the England dressing room after the dramatic match — which he watched wearing a team shirt given to him by Jonny Wilkinson. He hugged Wilkinson, captain Martin Johnson and coach Clive Woodward.

    Harry said: “I’m delighted that England has won the Rugby World Cup. It was a final I shall never forget.”

    Later the Prince joined several England stars as they partied into the early hours in the Opium nightclub.

    One impressed senior player said: “Harry loves his rugby, and I’ll say this for the lad, he can drink.”

    Harry has cheered on England since their group win over South Africa, which he celebrated by kissing Woodward’s wife Jane, who was sitting next to him. He has been at every game, including the 28-17 win over Wales in the quarter-final and the 24-7 defeat of France.

    It was during that game that Harry cheekily hung a St George’s flag in the stadium. On it he’d written the message home: ‘Hi, Dad & Willy’.

    The Prince sat next to Woodward’s daughter Jessica, 17, on Saturday, and hugged her as England triumphed. He was among thousands of fans who poured into Sydney’s clubs and bars after the game. There were 35,000 supporters in the Telstra Stadium to savour the victory — and sing the team’s theme song Swing Low Sweet Chariot. England fans made up nearly half the crowd despite the home nation playing.

    One celebrating fan said: “It was like a home match at Twickenham, there was so much singing. “And at least half the English fans there were wearing an England rugby shirt or had a Flag of St George painted on their face.”

    Many England fans flew out for the weekend on flights costing around £3,000 and then had to fork out £1,000 for a black market ticket. Back home, pals of some of the England stars told of their joy. Try-scorer Jason Robinson, nicknamed Billy Whizz, was cheered at the Crofters pub in Leyland, Lancs, half a mile from his home.

    Landlord Bob Parker 56, added: “We’ve had all the flags out for this match and it’s been absolutely belting. Jason was fantastic — he took us to the limit in here when he scored. We raised the roof we were cheering so loud, it was just brilliant. These lads have really played from the heart. We were going wild.”

    Civil engineer Steven Curry, 29, said: “Jason’s try was Billy Whizz at his best. He deserved to do well, he’s a nice bloke. He’s very down to earth.”

    The Sun received emails from jubilant England fans all over the world telling us how they celebrated the historic victory. Peter Digweed sent one from VIETNAM.

    It read: “Five hundred English fans along with the same number of Aussies packed into the Hilton Hotel in the capital Hanoi. There was a great atmosphere and the strains of Sweet Chariot could be heard all around the city. The city is today awash with St George flags flying from windows and cars and it’s a great day to be English!”

  • IS HARRY TRYING TO LAND RUGBY GIRL?

    By Charlie Hamilton

    PRINCE Harry has sparked rumours of romance over his friendship with the daughter of England's rugby coach. The prince, 19, watched the Rugby World Cup Final on Saturday alongside 16-year-old Jess Woodward. They sat together in an executive box in Sydney's Telstra Stadium and at one point Harry put his arm around her. She had flown out to Australia to join her father Clive, who masterminded the English team's triumph.

    An onlooker said: ``She is very striking and it's no surprise that Harry has taken a shine to her.''

    Last week, Harry was pictured hugging Jess's mum Jayne when England won their quarter-final. After the final victory Harry was invited to the England dressing room. He also went to the team's celebration party at the Opium Club in Sydney with cousin Zara Phillips. Exuberant Harry, wearing an England shirt, stayed until 4 am.

    But his late night did not stop him from helping England romp to victory against Australia in a polo match yesterday. He saddled up and took part in the match in Sydney. Harry wore the number one shirt in England's red and white colours. Playing under his pseudonym Harry Wales, he and his three teammates secured a 6-4 win. Torrential rain almost forced the game to be cancelled. The prince, who played for all six chukkas, failed to score but performed some crucial saves. Playing for the Mountbatten Memorial Trophy, the game was part of the Young England/Young Australia polo test match at Windsor Polo Club. Several hundred fans braved the wind and rain to cheer the teams on. Prince Harry is currently in Australia for three months as part of a gap year. He has been working on a cattle station near Injune in Queensland. When he returns to the UK, he is believed to be intending to pursue a career in the military.

  • WORLD CUP HEROES: FAN WHO STOLE SHOW ..AND HARRY WINS TOO

    By Jane Kerr

    PRINCE Harry was smiling in the rain yesterday as he celebrated another victory over Australia. Following the Rugby World Cup triumph, the prince took part in an international polo match. He was covered in muck from head-to-toe as Young England defeated Young Australia 6-4 in the Mountbatten Memorial Trophy at Windsor polo ground, near Sydney. Photographers and TV crews were invited by Prince Charles's office to cover the event as a thank-you for giving Harry privacy during his gap year in the outback. The prince toasted the rugby team with champagne in their dressing room on Saturday.

    He said: "I'm delighted England have won the World Cup. Both teams played brilliantly and it is a final _ I shall never forget." Meanwhile, Harry has set tongues wagging over his friendship with England coach Clive Woodward's daughter Jess.

    Harry, 19, spent most of the game next to the 17-year-old, and at one point put an arm around her in an executive box in Sydney's Telstra Stadium.

    An onlooker said: "She is very striking and it's no surprise that Harry has taken a shine to her."
November 23, 2003 -
  • Harry's turn to hammer Aussies

    By Drew Warne-Smith, Dominique Jackson

    EITHER as spectator or star, ardent rugby fanatic Prince Harry just can't get enough of trouncing Australia on the sporting field. A day after the young royal joined 40,000 countrymen in the stands to watch England defeat the Wallabies, Harry was at it again - this time on the other side of the fence. England's No.1 fan donned the No1 striker's jersey in the Young England v Young Australia match at the Windsor Polo Club on Sydney's outskirts yesterday. Riding a pony lent by Kerry Packer's Ellerston stables, the prince lived up to his star billing, knocking through a goal to help ensure another England triumph, 6-4. Despite concerns that Harry might surface with a hefty hangover after the Rugby World Cup final, the prince won rave reviews for his polo performance.

    "God, he's got a good seat,'' said spectator Jane Roarty, Harper's Bazaar fashion director, referring to the prince's riding ability, not his physique. "He's a very competent one-goal player,'' was the view of umpire Earl Herbert.

    "He's certainly not outclassed,'' said NSW Polo Association president Max Graham.

    Prince Harry's press secretary, Kirsteen Clark, confirmed the prince had visited the English rugby changerooms after the final to congratulate the players and staff, and had celebrated the victory with friends afterwards.

    "He enjoyed every minute. He felt both sides played tremendously well and he was thrilled,'' Ms Clark said.

    "He's had a great time at the rugby, and now with the polo. He's looking forward to experiencing more of Australia and all it has to offer.'' Just as at Sydney's Telstra Stadium, constant rain muddied the Windsor Park pitch yesterday and meant conditions were far from ideal for riders or guests. And like the Wallabies, the Australian team struggled in the heavy going. While there was not a Packer to be seen, Eileen Bond, first wife of disgraced tycoon Alan Bond, was among the notables who sipped champagne and braved the foul weather for the event. And many a pair of expensive stilettos were ruined in the slush underfoot at the Bollinger marquee.

    "This rain just cost me a thousand dollars,'' one girl was overheard saying.

    Tight security ensured Harry's appearance - for once not in his favourite Jonny Wilkinson No.10 jersey - was confirmed only an hour before the match. Despite a long queue of young fillies and their mothers hankering for a moment with the prince, Harry remained confined to the English team marquee. The match, the first Prince Harry has played publicly in Australia, was organised by the Ashton family, the Australian polo bluebloods who run the Millamolong Polo Club. The club has brought together professional English polo players in Australia for the Rugby World Cup and members of Sydney's Windsor Polo Club for a series of Tests. The Young Australia side lost the first encounter a week ago - a match that was also decided in extra time.

  • Harry celebrates rugby win with polo Down Under

    While thousands of rugby fans nursed hangovers after England's historic Rugby World Cup victory over Australia, Prince has Harry climbed onto a horse to play in a polo game between youngsters from the two countries. The match on Sunday, billed as a polo test between Young England and Young Australia, ended 6-4 for the English team and was played in "very heavy conditions," said Greg Wood, a spokesman for the New South Wales premier's office.

    "Harry was just a member of the English team," Wood said, when asked how the young royal had done. Before the match began in Richmond, 50 km (30 miles) west of Sydney, "there was a big downpour, making it very heavy underfoot", he added.

    The conditions were not unlike those of the evening before, when England's team defeated Australia's Wallabies before a capacity crowd. Harry, third in line to the British throne, was one of the 83,000 fans at Sydney's Telstra Stadium, shown on television waving and cheering his team to the first championship victory of a northern hemisphere team in the World Cup's 16-year history. The 19-year-old prince arrived in Australia in late September and has been working on a sheep station in the outback as part of his gap year -- a year off taken by many students between school and university.

  • Young prince's polo glory

    By Charlie Hamilton

    PRINCE Harry today moved off the touchline and onto the playing field to help England romp to victory against Australia in a polo test match. The young prince, who last night watched the England rugby team win the World Cup after a nailbiting final in Sydney, today saddled up and took part in the match in Richmond, NSW. Despite torrential rain that nearly led to the match being cancelled, Harry banished any cobwebs that may have followed celebrations from last night, to deliver an outstanding performance. Playing in the number one shirt in England's red and white colours, he galloped around the polo field and despite not scoring any goals, performed some crucial saves.

    The 19-year-old played under his now infamous pseudonym Harry Wales, and triumphed with his three team-mates securing a 6-4 win. He was playing for the Mountbatten Memorial Trophy as part of the Young England/Young Australia polo test match at Windsor Polo Club in Sydney's western outskirts. Prince Harry played for all six chukkas in a heavily waterlogged field. Several hundred spectators endured the wind and rain to cheer him on. After the match, the muddied but unbowed prince and his fellow players were presented with trophies and bottles of champagne.

    Prince Harry is currently in Australia for three months as part of a educational gap year and has been working on a cattle station near Injune in central-western Queensland. He has also been travelling extensively, visiting family and friends across the country. A keen sports fan, the prince has been a regular at many of the World Cup rugby games. When he returns to the UK, he is believed to be intending to pursue a career in the military.
November 22, 2003 -
  • Prince refuses plea from sponsors to ditch 'old' shirt

    By Simon Hart in Sydney

    It was a marketing executive's dream: Prince Harry at the World Cup final wearing an England rugby shirt emblazoned with the sponsor's logo. The company, O2, drooled at the prospect of worldwide media coverage, as pictures of the Prince - and the logo - were flashed around the world. Only it didn't happen - because the shirt, which he refused to change was an old model bearing the company's former name, BT Cellnet.

    The sponsors had noticed Prince Harry, 18, wearing the "wrong" shirt at England's other matches and tried everything to persuade him to ditch it for the latest version, complete with the O2 logo. They sent him several new jerseys and enlisted the help of the Rugby Football Union, their £8 million commercial partner. The Prince, however, was having none of it - and not because he was being a stubborn teenager. Prince Harry, who has been a much- photographed spectator at England's World Cup games, had a genuine reason for hanging on to his old shirt: it was a present from Jonny Wilkinson. The Prince also felt that, as England had won each time he wore it, it was a "lucky" shirt. However, O2 did not give up without a fight and in a clever ruse, persuaded the Rugby Football Union to arrange for Jonny Wilkinson to send one of his new shirts to the Prince. Even that did not persuade him to abandon his lucky jersey, and yesterday, once again, the world's television cameras focused on the royal teenager in a rugby shirt bearing an obsolete logo. Last night, senior executives at O2 - created two years ago when BT Cellnet was sold off and rebranded - were frustrated but philosophical about missing one of their biggest opportunities for free publicity.

    A senior manager said: "It's very disappointing for us because the Prince has attracted worldwide media attention on television and on the front pages of newspapers, but the commercial value for us has been zero. We sent the Prince a few new shirts but he wanted to wear what he considered to be his lucky shirt. England did win the World Cup, so maybe it was a lucky shirt after all."

    The Rugby Football Union sympathised with O2 but also admired the Prince's commendable loyalty to England's star player.

    A spokesman said: "We tried to get him to change, but wearing Jonny Wilkinson's old shirt is his way of supporting the team. If he wants to wear Cellnet we can't stop him. Royalty are not going to be commercial."

    The disappointment of 02 was compounded by the fact that its opportunities to capitalise on its sponsorship in Australia had already been severely curtailed. The World Cup organisers banned teams from wearing sponsors' logos on their shirts and insisted on "clean" stadiums to avoid "commercial clutter". Under the tournament rules, no sponsor other than an official commercial partner can advertise within 500 yards of any of the grounds, while team logos were banned from training pitches and even the clothes worn by players as they travel to a match.

    The O2 spokesman said: "We have to abide by the rules. Part of our preparation as England sponsors is to take that into account."

    It is not the first time the Prince's patriotic choice of clothing has drawn controversy. He wore the same shirt to the quarter-final match against Wales earlier this month, even though his official title is Prince Henry of Wales.

    Janet Ryder, a Welsh Assembly member, said: "This sums up the Royals. Harry's father is the Prince of Wales and he hasn't brought up his sons to support the country he is supposed to promote."

  • Harry gets his Crown in Sydney

    By Angela Cuming

    Beer in one hand, ciggie in the other, chanting rugby songs and clad in a Barmy Army T-shirt. Sound familiar? That's right, Prince Harry was at it again yesterday, engaging in his pre-match warm up before heading to Homebush Bay to cheer the lads on. Mid-afternoon, the young royal and his minders descended on one of Sydney's hottest new bars, The Loft, at King Street Wharf, for a fortifying ale.

    The 19-year-old rugby fan reclined on a lounge in the public bar, sporting a Barmy Army T-shirt and sucking on Crown Lager to the amusement of a young Australian, who asked aloud: "Did you see that - he's drinking Crown!"

    When The Sun-Herald approached Harry, he declined a request to sign a Wallaby jersey.

    "I am very excited to be here. I hope England wins," he said.

    And win they did.
November 20, 2003 -
  • THE PRINCES PLAYGROUND

    Free to wander complex William and Harry treat as a secure haven
    By Ryan Parry

    ON my first day at Windsor I entered a small door near the laundry room. I walked down a set of winding stairs and through a narrow corridor then went down more steps and through another door. What I saw astonished me. I was looking at a huge rectangular summer house with impressive Victorian wall decorations, giant stone elephants and exotic plants. Luxury: Pool For princes

    Two giant polished granite urns sat either side of a small wooden chest in front of a huge caged polo practice horse. I could have easily planted a bomb in the chest for when Prince Charles and the Princes William and Harry used the horse.

    SPORT OF PRINCES: I walked through the castle's sun-drenched games rooms with indoor badminton court and table tennis table A full-size badminton court marked out on the floor and a table tennis table came next, and then came the crowning glory - a luxury Victorian swimming pool overlooking the royal garden. Next to the pool the royals can sit and enjoy a drink from the bar, normally stocked with lager, spirits and wines for visiting VIPs and their guests. But all I noticed was a rotting lemon on a china plate. Again the bar was the perfect place to conceal some kind of explosive device.

    STATELY: I was amazed by the giant, polished granite urns Staff told me William and Harry love to spend time mucking around in the pool and practising polo shots on the horse in the netted cage. As autumn sunshine poured in through the stunning arched windows, I wandered around amazed at the sheer opulence of it all.

    HORSE: For polo practice No one knew I was there and no one knew my motives. I had plenty of time to take photographs of the place Princes William and Harry treat as a secure haven. Had I not quit when President Bush arrived on Tuesday night, I was due to help at a shooting party Prince William has planned for December 20. My colleagues said it would be a relaxed event, "just the prince and his pals". My access that night to the second-in-line to the throne would have been assured. As would the devastation any terrorist with my access could have caused.
November 18, 2003 -
  • Harry Climbs Sidney Harbor Bridge

    Prince Harry followed in the footsteps of many of his countrymen, climbing to the top of Sydney's most popular tourist attraction yesterday. Harry scaled the arches of the Sydney Harbour Bridge with members of his entourage and was said to be blown away by the experience. The prince described his Bridgeclimb adventure, an attraction that is enjoyed by more UK visitors than Sydneysiders, as the "most fantastic time." Like many other Brits, Prince Harry then headed to Sydney's Olympic stadium to watch England's victory over France on their path to the Rugby World Cup final against Australia. The young prince is reportedly revising his travel plans so he can enjoy Sydney for another week and attend the World Cup final.

  • Harry's 6am ruck 'n roll

    PRINCE Harry and a pack of pals gave themselves a late pass to celebrate England’s World Cup rugby win over France — by going clubbing until SIX in the morning. The 19-year-old donned a baseball cap, stone-washed jeans and his lucky white England shirt. Harry, who is spending a gap year in Australia, was seen during the small hours at several bars in Sydney. He sure had scrum fun — so much that even a punch-up in one pub failed to persuade him to blow the whistle.
November 17, 2003 -
  • Prince Harry's king of clubs

    PRINCE Harry is proving himself king of the Sydney night life. After spending most of his time in Australia in the country, the young royal partied until 6am yesterday after England booked a berth in the world cup final against Australia. After spending much of Friday acquainting himself with the sights and sounds of Sydney, Prince Harry on Saturday headed to the rugby to watch his adopted team, the Wallabies, overcome the All Blacks 22-10 at Telstra Stadium. Then it was back into the city for a visit to the hip Hugo's Lounge in Potts Point, where he stayed until about 3am. Despite the big night, Prince Harry was still setting a hot pace yesterday, showing other climbers a clean pair of heels as he scaled the Sydney Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb.

    According to onlookers, he appeared "blown away" by the experience and had the "most fantastic time."

  • Harry Kicks Up Heels After Win

    THE Rugby World Cup final between Australia and England may not be the only reason Prince Harry has extended his Sydney stay, with the redhead royal apparently enamoured with the Harbour City's night life. After spending most of his time in Australia in the bush, Harry partied in the city with his entourage all weekend and was out again until 6am yesterday. Harry pre-booked the private function room at the Soho nightclub in Kings Cross where he celebrated England's win with cousins Zara and Peter Phillips until shambling out about dawn. Part-owner of the nightclub Tina Parras said Harry was relaxed and enjoying himself at the 40-strong party.

    "Harry was having fun with his friends," Ms Parras said.

    "He was wearing an England football jersey, as were most of his friends. Basically, they seemed like a nice group of people celebrating the football."

    Harry's celebratory weekend started shortly after arriving in Sydney on Friday, with the young Prince enjoying a few beers at Paddington's London Tavern before going to Potts Point's exclusive Hugo's Lounge. Harry, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, enjoyed a few vodka-cranberries before briefly hitting the nightclub's dance floor and chatting with the DJ. Hugo's Lounge owner David Evans said that the Prince's cousins were among the 25 or so "Eastern Suburb's people" that joined his party. Harry was seen leaving Hugo's bleary-eyed and red-faced at 3am. On Saturday night he backed up with a BridgeClimb of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and headed out to see the Wallabies earn their spot in the final. After the match he headed to The Loft at King Street Wharf, again with Zara and a group of friends, where he sipped on alcoholic iced-teas until about 2am. The Prince was this week due to return to the Outback station near Roma, where he has been working as a jackaroo as part of his sabbatical year.

  • Harry Sends Get Well Message to Sophie

    Sports fan Prince Harry made the most of a high-profile outing to the England rugby World Cup matches Down Under on Saturday, sending thoughtful messages to friends and family back home.

    An England flag draped the stands from where he cheered on his home country, and on it were scrawled the words: "Get well soon, Sophie" – a message to his aunt, the Countess of Wessex. Prince Edward's 38-year-old wife remains in hospital after welcoming a baby daughter prematurely nine days ago.

    But the Countess apparently wasn't the only one on Harry's mind. Also written on the flag was "Hi, Dad and Willy" – a note to Prince Charles and Prince William – as well as "Hi, Wiggles", thought to be a reference to the 18-year-old Prince's former nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke, whose husband Charles Pettifer accompanied Harry at the match.
November 16, 2003 -
  • Harry's flag alert to dad and Wills
    By CHARLES RAE

    PRINCE Harry and chums cheer England on to victory in Australia yesterday — after scrawling messages on a flag of St George to folks back home.

    One corner bore the words "Hi Dad and Willy." Another, with a kiss underneath, proclaimed: "Hi Wiggles and Fred". The "Fred" was thought to be Frederick, the two-year-old son of ex-royal nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke.

    Rugby-mad Harry, 19 — in white shirt — is the lad's godfather. There was also a note for new mum Sophie Wessex, in hospital after giving birth. It read: "Get well soon Sophie."

  • Prince's cryptic scrawl to family and friends
    By Jenny Booth

    PRINCE HARRY raised both arms aloft and roared with delight as the England rugby team overpowered the French to win a place in the World Cup final in Sydney. Like many a teenager on a gap year, the 19-year-old Prince appeared to be thinking of his family back home. Scrawled in felt pen on an English flag of St George held up by his group of friends and bodyguards were the words: "Hi Dad & Willy."

    Patrick Harrison, a spokesman for Clarence House, said: "Prince Harry was at the match and is delighted that England have got through to the finals. I'm sure his brother will have been watching, too. There were quite a few at the Palace watching it."

    Mr Harrison could not, however, throw any light on two more cryptic pieces of graffiti on the flag: "Hi Wiggles!" and "Hello RG, smile Tobe, alright!!" The rugby-mad Prince went to Australia in September to work as a jackeroo on the Tooloombilla cattle ranch in Queensland for four months, after finishing his A levels. He has attended most of England's games since the start of the tournament.

  • Harry's cup runneth over

    IT MADE for an unorthodox postcard, but what appeared as a message from Prince Harry to his father and brother will no doubt reach them nonetheless. Sunburnt after a weekend in hot Sydney, the royal teenager last night sat behind a large English flag bearing the handwritten message in the right top corner, "Hi Dad + Willy". Holding a small video camera, Prince Harry showed no outward signs of tiredness despite his busy weekend in the Harbour City. Wearing an English team jersey the Prince behaved like a practised rugby fan, screaming instructions at the referee and even joining in with a chorus of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.

    At one stage, he leapt to his feet and bellowed a Lleyton Hewitt- style, Come On when English kicker Jonny Wilkinson put his team in front for the first time in the match. England fans sitting just in front of the Prince began turning around and yelling, "Go Harry" when he stood. One English fan joked that Prince Harry looked so excited that he was in danger of toppling over the railing. After spending much of Friday acquainting himself with the sights and sounds of the city, Harry went to watch the Wallabies' defeat of the All Blacks at Telstra Stadium on Saturday night. Then it was back to the city for a visit to Hugo's Lounge in Potts Point, where he stayed until about 3am. Despite the big night, Harry set a cracking pace yesterday, showing other climbers a clean pair of heels as he scaled the Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb.

    Onlookers said he appeared to be "blown away" by the experience and had the "most fantastic time".
  • DRUG BOYS GET THE BOOT FROM ETON

    By Rupert Hamer

    TWO Eton schoolboys have been booted out in a clampdown on a growing drug problem at the top public school. One was apparently still high on drugs when quizzed after a three-day bender. The other was a friend of a former top politician's son.

    A source at the £21,000-a-year school said of the second boy: "He was basically a good chap led astray by others. But the headmaster is keen to get to grips with the problem and pupils can expect no mercy if caught with anything." A school spokesman said the two boys had not been expelled but had left for "drug related reasons".

    Dozens of pupils, including two friends of Prince William and Prince Harry, have been suspended or booted out in the past three years. Anunt Sharma, a chum of Harry's, was sent down for a month last year for smelling of cannabis and Edmund Weil, a sixth-form pal of William's, was kicked out in 2000. He was with Prince Charles's godson, the Hon Nicholas Knatchbull, 20, when their car was stopped by police, who found cannabis in it.
November 15, 2003 -
  • HARRY'S GAP YEAR IS GOING UP IN SMOKE

    SO, Your Royal Highness, remind us again why you chose Australia for your gap year? Ah yes, it was for the huge personal challenge of labouring on a cattle ranch, leading a healthy outdoor life and studying Aboriginal culture. Nothing to do with a six-week booze-up, fags, girls, yacht parties and World Cup rugby matches, then? Yes, folks, here's Prince Harry broadening his mind and preparing for life as an Army officer.

    Brother William spent his gap year grafting in chilly Chile for Operation Raleigh- cleaning toilets and teaching children. But Operation Harry doesn't look quite as tough.

    Harry, 19, flew into Sydney from his remote Outback cattle station for England's semi-final clash with France...and 15 minutes later was in a pub. He joined pals in the packed London Tavern Hotel where he sat on a window ledge smoking and downing bottles of his favourite American beer. The Prince chatted to a pretty blonde pal and then moved on to a celebrity club above a strip joint - staggering out at 3am. And yesterday Harry joined cousins Peter and Zara Phillips for a party on a yacht - and a few more beers. Tough life, isn't it?

  • HIS SPOIL HIGHNESS

    THE silver teaspoon for his morning cuppa must be placed in the saucer at an angle of exactly 5 o'clock. His fluffy white bath towel should be specially folded so he can wrap and dry himself without exertion. His socks are turned down so he can slip them on with minimum effort. And at bedtime his teddy bear must be tucked beneath the covers so its paws don't get cold. They sound like the crazy requests of a spoilt Hollywood superstar - but these are just some of the daily demands of PRINCE CHARLES. A royal source told The People: "Charles's lifestyle would put Louis XIV to shame and is totally inappropriate in 21st century Britain. From the moment he wakes up to the moment he goes to bed, his every whim is catered for."

    The Prince may be feeling hard done-by after claims by a former valet sparked a sleazy sex scandal, but nothing will shake Charles out of his pampered routine. While the Queen is trying to modernise the Monarchy her son is still living a life of outrageous royal excess - with a staggering 85 SERVANTS, plus nine gardeners at his country home, Highgrove. Former butler Paul Burrell, the Prince's ex-valet Ken Stronach and a string of courtiers have all confirmed Charles's rigid demands. He is obsessive about his routine and will fly into a rage if anything is changed or out of place. Our source said: "He is so spoilt he has almost forgotten how to do the most basic of tasks for himself.

    "On his tour of the Gulf last week he even called an aide over to take his shoes off for him. But this is the man who needs an aide to hold the specimen bottle when he gives a sample of urine."

    Insiders say that because Charles doesn't receive money from the Civil List, he believes his pampered life is his business. But here is the startling truth:

    Morning tea

    Charles's "wake-up" tray of tea and toast is delivered every morning by a senior valet - and has to be laid out with military precision. He takes strong Earl Grey tea with a splash of milk. The china cup and saucer must be placed to the right of the tray with a silver tea spoon pointing outwards at an angle of 5 o'clock. A plate in the centre of the tray must have the Prince of Wales Feathers at 12 o'clock. The royal toast - made from Duchy of Cornwall wholemeal bread - is lined up in a silver toast rack, never on a plate. Three balls - no more, no less - of chilled, organic butter are placed in a small butter dish. A silver butter knife rests on top of a starched, white linen napkin. At weekends Charles sometimes wants a light, cooked breakfast. He insists on his own Duchy of Cornwall organic sausages, with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes. A pot of English mustard has to be placed on the left of the tray with a pot containing freshly ground black pepper directly behind it. A tiny dish of sea salt (flakes, not grains) must be lined up level with the pepper on the opposite side of the tray.

    While Charles takes his morning tea his valet pulls back the curtains and picks up Charles's clothes left on the floor from the night before. The servant then goes into the en-suite bathroom to draw Charles a morning bath. It has to be deep, warm but not too hot and scented with expensive Floris bath oil. Before stepping into the tub Charles shaves and cleans his teeth. The valet has already squeezed a precise amount of Macleans toothpaste onto the Prince's toothbrush. Despite his wealth, Charles has a silver gadget engraved with his crest to squeeze the last drop out of the tube. A chair beside the bath is draped with a warm, fluffy white towel. It must be placed length-wise, with both ends folded in to the middle so Charles can rise from the bath, sit on the chair, and wrap himself up with ease.

    As Charles takes his bath a servant lays out his first set of clothes. The Prince often changes outfits five times a day - and insists on matching ties to shirts and socks to silk pocket handkerchiefs. He has more than 200 ties but chooses one from six picked out by the valet. Charles's £2,000 bespoke suits, made by Saville Row tailors Anderson and Sheppard, are also colour co-ordinated. Charles's shirts are handmade by exclusive Turnbull and Asser. His valet carefully folds the chosen one on the bed. All the buttons are undone and the cufflinks already in place. A footman spends at least an hour polishing Charles's shoes, picked from a selection of £1,800 John Lobb leather lace ups. The shoes must be placed, laces loosened, by a chair in front of a bedside table. And to save Charles even more effort his socks are on the chair seat, folded so he only has to slip his foot inside and pull them up.

    If Charles wants to watch TV before going to sleep his valet places The Times TV page - neatly ironed and folded - on a footstool. The remote control is lined up beside it with the television set on standby. Charles slips into his silk dressing gown, which has his crest on the breast pocket. A tattered teddy bear in a red jumper which Charles has treasured since childhood sits on his bedside table during the day - next to Charles's favourite photo of Camilla in a silver frame. But at night the valet has to tuck teddy up in bed with its paws under the covers so they don't get cold. A glass of iced water is on hand. Charles insists on round ice balls rather than cubes, believing they "chink" less noisily in the glass.

  • Harry's big night out

    BEN JOHNSON and PHILLIP KOCH

    IT was a right royal red face that greeted Sydney yesterday when Prince Harry was spotted outside a Kings Cross strip club at 3am.

    "No photos, please," requested one of the four bodyguards in his security detail. But then Prince Harry, 19, wasn't looking his best – grabbing one bodyguard's shirt to remain upright when he left a nightclub. He had been at Hugo's Lounge, a nightclub situated above strip club Dancer's Cabaret, in the heart of Sydney's red light district.

    "We set him up a little VIP area on the terrace and he was having a great time," confirmed maitre d' Michael Brayshaw.

    "At first he was drinking Veuve Clicquot (champagne) and then he was helping himself from the bar. He did not want to be babysat and was just happy to be amongst it. He was chatting to everyone and allowing them to have a snapshot."

    Prince Harry arrived in Sydney from Roma about 9pm – and wasted no time before he started partying. He was taken straight to the London Tavern in trendy Paddington where he was reunited with his two first cousins – Princess Anne's children, Peter and Zara Phillips – at a private function. The 80 guests included Sydney impresario James Erskine, who is the managing director of entertainment group SEL and a close friend of Captain Mark Phillips, Princess Anne's former husband. He has previously played host to Peter and Zara Phillips during their trips to Australia at his $10 million waterfront mansion in exclusive Vaucluse. Prince Harry has spent the past month working as a jackaroo on a Queensland property for a "gap year" break between school and uni, before he returns to England. While he was at the London Tavern, Prince Harry's team of bodyguards made sure none of the other drinkers got too close to the young man who is third in line to the throne. The Prince himself, however, seemed very relaxed, perched on a window sill, drinking beer, smoking cigarettes and enjoying the company of a group of young women. Prince Harry kicked on to Hugo's Lounge in Kings Cross – and was seen stumbling out of the hip nightclub about 3am yesterday. But it is the Rugby World Cup that has taken the teenager and passionate sports fan to Sydney. Prince Harry will be at Telstra Stadium at Homebush tonight to watch England do battle with France in the remaining semi-final. Prince Harry, who played rugby at Eton school, is expected to spend at least another week in Sydney before returning to Queensland. He is expected to play for Young England against Young Australia in the 2003 Polo Test Match at Windsor Polo Club at Richmond, northwest of Sydney, next Sunday.

  • Beyonce can make Wills the King of Bling

    PRINCE WILLIAM will one day have to get married and provide an heir and spare should he wish to continue as part of the Royal Family. What better woman to fill the role than the beautiful booty-licious Beyonce? In fact, Prince Charles has already set the ball in motion by arranging a date between the little hottie and his eldest boy. Like most red-blooded males, William has a crush on the Destiny’s Child singer and was disappointed not to see her in concert in Glasgow this week. For once Charles got up off his butt, made a few calls and now William will not only see her perform in London, but will also meet her backstage. I reckon this could be part of a cunning plan by the senior Royals to save the House of Windsor. Looking to someone like Beyonce makes a hell of a lot more sense than a blushing English virgin. Who can forget how tormented life with the Royals made Princess Diana? Even gutsy Sarah Ferguson was crushed by the “grey men” who run the Royal household.

    Beyonce is streetwise, well used to fame and has her own money, which will appeal to the notoriously tight Windsors. She looks good in a frock and would bring a bit of excitement, street cred and coolness to the ailing and doddering “Firm”. She is a religious girl which would come in handy when William takes over as Defender of the Faith and head of the Church of England and she is also pretty clever at getting herself out of sticky situations. After coming under attack for her skimpy outfits and sexy writhings on stage, she replied with a straight face that God had told her it was perfectly all right to show off her body and had actually given her permission to do so. I didn’t see anyone arguing with that.

    She is only a year older than William and she is already a worldwide superstar so the paparazzi would hold no fears for her. What a fab wedding it would be, with the girls from Destiny’s Child as bridesmaids and P Diddy providing the disco. Also, if the line of succession skips Charles and moves to William as most people want it to, just think how good Beyonce would look at her coronation wearing the ultimate bling bling crown jewels. It is a match made in heaven and could save the Royals from themselves. Long live the future Queen Beyonce.
November 11, 2003 -
  • 'Harry Wales' roars support for England

    By Hugo Duncan, Daily Post

    WELSH sports fans spent much of yesterday reflecting on how their heroic rugby team nearly pulled off an historic victory over the English. Many spoke of their pride, of the three tries scored to England's one, of a bright future for rugby in Wales. But for some there was only one thing worth talking about - the shocking revelation HRH Prince Henry of Wales (otherwise known as Prince Harry) supports England. Irate callers bombarded a BBC Radio Wales phone-in yesterday afternoon to complain about the younger son of Prince Charles.

    One, who identified himself as Tom, stormed: "I think it's disgusting. If Harry comes to Wales to visit, does he expect us to cheer him? I certainly won't after this." Prince Harry's love of rugby has been well documented, and in the last couple of years the 19-year-old has been regularly pictured at Twickenham and else-where supporting England. But his decision to do so again at Sunday's thrilling World Cup quarter-final - which Wales lost 28-17 - prompted yesterday's ferocious backlash.

    Another caller, John, said: "Harry wearing the England shirt shows how little he cares about Wales." And William rang in and added: "It's the bloodline that's important, and the Royals are German - why aren't they supporting Germany?" Prince Harry, who was christened Henry Charles Albert David, is the second son of the Prince of Wales and third in line to the throne. At school he chose to be called Harry Wales. Last night, rugby fans in North Wales told the Daily Post what they thought about his decision to support England.

    Gareth Williams, 39, said: "We have never been against the Princess Royal supporting Scotland so why shouldn't Prince Harry support England? It doesn't really bother me in the slightest. "I think some of the comments which were made were unbelievable. My immediate reaction was 'Get a life'. People were quoting things from Edward I - yet there was a great game of rugby just hours earlier. "Prince Harry is a young lad on the other side of the world. He should be left to relax. It was a shock to hear some of those comments."

    Mr Williams, who is fixture secretary at Caernarfon Rugby Club, added: "Rugby prides itself on fans being able to sit together. On Sunday England and Wales fans were together. We all go to the ground together and have a good time."

    John Edwards, from Colwyn Bay, dismissed it as "petty", while Denbigh Rugby Club member Jeff Jenkins said: "I couldn't care less. These people must have nothing better to complain about. "Prince Harry wearing an England shirt is hardly important and I would have thought people would be looking at more positive things than that after the game." A spokeswoman for the Prince of Wales said: "At the beginning of the World Cup Harry wished all the teams well - England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland."
November 9, 2003 -
  • Prince's boys having a ball

    CHARLES’ two sons were out enjoying themselves as the royal storm threatened to engulf their dad. In Australia, a jubilant Prince Harry was jumping for joy during England’s World Cup rugby triumph over Wales. The 19-year-old Prince was spotted hugging Jane Woodward, wife of England rugby coach Clive, as the team won through to the semi-finals. Striking blonde Jane threw both arms around Harry in emotional scenes after the final whistle in Brisbane.

    Meanwhile Prince William partied at a Pizza Express in Fulham with THREE blondes. Restaurant staff opened a downstairs area specially for the 21-year-old royal after he asked management for a private spot. But later, as his entourage went out for a night on the town, Wills was pictured leaving alone for an early night.
November 8, 2003 -
  • Harry's had his heir cut

    PRINCE HARRY has shaved off his crowning glory for a macho new military look.

    The prince was spotted sporting the new skinhead-style crop at yesterday’s rugby World Cup showdown between Scotland and Australia. The prince’s shaggy ginger locks had been clipped close to his head while he spends part of his gap year ranching Down Under.

    “Harry’s been working on a cattle station in the middle of nowhere. There isn’t much time for hair gel and blow drying,” said a pal.

    “Anyway, he’ll have to get used to a short back and sides soon.”

    The prince plans a career in the army after studying at Sandhurst, the prestigious officer cadet school. It's a far cry from the gelled style he flaunted last September when top fashion photographer Mario Testino snapped his official 18th birthday portrait. Now he's lost his locks for a more down to earth style, no one could accuse him of putting on heirs and greases.
November 6, 2003 -
  • Wills gets Beyonce date

    By MARTEL MAXWELL PRINCE William has landed a date with sexy singer Beyonce Knowles — after his dad tried to fix them up. The royal heart-throb has asked for tickets to see her perform in London next week and will meet her backstage after. Prince Charles told Beyonce his eldest son had a CRUSH on her when they met at his Prince's Trust Party In The Park concert in July.

    He told her: "Both my sons have your album and I think Wills quite fancies you."

    Destiny's Child star Beyonce, 22, who had a No 1 solo hit with Crazy In Love, said: "I went red in the face and couldn't believe it.

    "I'm sure William can't believe his father said that and I'm sure Charles will be in trouble when he gets home."

    Wills, 21, had planned to watch Beyonce when she performed in Glasgow on Tuesday night. But he had to cancel at the last minute due to university commitments in St Andrews. Now he has asked for tickets for him and four pals when Beyonce plays at Wembley next week. And he jumped at the chance to meet her when organisers offered him a VIP backstage pass. Beyonce has admitted she fancies Wills too, saying: "I'm thrilled — Wills is very good-looking."

    Devout Christian Beyonce reckons God has given her permission to wear skimpy clothes and shake her famous bum.

  • Wills and Beyonce to Meet In London

    Prince William will finally get his chance to meet R&B diva Beyonce when she plays in London next week. The handsome royal has requested tickets for her concert at Wembley Arena, and organisers have arranged for him to meet the singer back-stage. Back in July, Beyonce met Wills' father at the Prince's Trust Party In The Park. She was somewhat taken aback, however, when Charles revealed that Wills had a crush on her. "I went red in the face and couldn't believe it," said the 22-year-old. "I'm sure William can't believe his father said that and I'm sure Charles will be in trouble when he gets home."

    But the incident obviously hasn't dampened his desire to meet the Destiny' Child chanteuse. Wills had hoped to see her perform in Glasgow on Tuesday night, but his college commitments at St Andrews made that impossible. He asked tour organisers to arrange tickets for her gig in London, therefore, and is expected to attend with a group of friends.

    "I'm thrilled – Wills is very good looking," said Beyonce. There's not much chance of romance, however, as the Texan belle is already "crazy in love" with rapper Jay-Z.
November 2, 2003 -
  • Harry's charity job

     Prince Harry will honour a promise to his mum and work for one of her charities in the second half of his gap year. He will help the sick and underprivileged when he returns from the Australia leg of his year out at Christmas. Royal aides have already discussed the work with a number of Princess Diana's favourite charities, including anti-land mine campaigners and the Great Ormond Street Hospital.

    A friend said: "People will be surprised at how hard Harry will be working. He is dead keen to get cracking".

  • Brits want William to be king

    London - Britons are increasingly backing Prince William to inherit the throne ahead of his father Prince Charles, according to a series of polls published on Sunday.

    A total 39% of respondents agreed that William, second in line to the throne, should succeed Queen Elizabeth II as Britain's next monarch, up 11 points since last year, a YouGov poll showed. Those backing heir to the throne Charles to be the next king also stood at 39%, but represented a fall of nine points on a year ago, according to the survey published in The Mail on Sunday weekly tabloid.

    The number in favour of Charles is in line with a separate survey of young Britons published on Sunday, which showed that 38 percent of 16- to 24-year-old respondents wish to see him succeed the queen. But young Britons overwhelmingly prefer William as the next monarch - 60% according to an ICM survey.

    The telephone poll of 502 young Britons was carried out last Wednesday and Thursday after the publication of a book by Princess Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, which heavily criticises the royal family's treatment of William's mother while she was alive. According to the ICM survey, 88% of young Britons believe William sets a "good example" on how to live, compared with 69% who say the same is true of the queen and 55% of Charles.

    Both royal polls were published just months after a leading British think-tank, the Fabian Society, said the monarchy needed a radical shake-up to survive. In the YouGov poll of just over 2 000 British adults, half of respondents said the monarchy should be retained only if reformed, up nine points from last year, while 21% said it should be abolished, a rise of three points. Meanwhile, a quarter of young Britons predict that the monarchy will be dead within a decade, while 82% agreed that the royal family is "over-privileged" and 75% said it is "out of touch with ordinary people".
November 1, 2003 -
  • Prince Harry to spend part of his gap year in Argentina 'to become world-class polo player'

    By Andrew Alderson

    Prince Harry intends to spend several months of his gap year in Argentina in an attempt to become one of the best polo players in the world. The Prince, who has captained the England schoolboy polo team, believes that playing with the elite players in the sport is the best way to develop his already formidable skills. The Prince, who is currently working on a farm in Australia, has developed a growing passion for polo after coming to the game relatively late in his mid-teens. According to friends, he wants to travel to Argentina at the end of next year, during the South American summer. There he would have the chance to play alongside Adolfo Cambiaso, who is widely regarded as the world's best polo player, and other leading Argentinian players.

    Robert ffrench Blake, the Prince of Wales's polo manager, confirmed yesterday that Prince Harry was considering a spell in Argentina. "I am aware that visiting Argentina is an option," he said.

    "Any young player who wants to improve his game can do no better than go to Argentina to improve his riding and his skills, and spend six hours a day in the saddle playing with the best players in the world. Harry's game is coming on well. He is naturally very talented, well co-ordinated and he's a natural sportsman. How good he becomes depends entirely on how much effort and time he gives to the game. But he has the ability to become a four or five- goal player."

    Tournament polo players have a handicap from minus two goals, when they start to play, up to plus 10, a rating which only the best achieve. Prince Harry has a one-goal handicap, while Britain's best player, Henry Brett, has an eight-goal handicap. Prince Harry has been encouraged to travel to South America by some of his British polo-playing friends, who have already spent time in Argentina and Chile.

    The Prince, 19, however, fears that he will develop a "playboy" reputation and intends to combine playing polo with other work, possibly on an Argentinian ranch. The Prince intends to return to Britain from Australia before Christmas and wants to become involved in charity work or work with the underprivileged early next year. He is planning to take up to two years off before attending the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2005. Claire Tomlinson, who was Britain's best woman player in the 1990s and whose sons, Luke, 26, and Mark, 21, are leading players, said: "It would be wonderful if Harry had the opportunity to go to Argentina and play with the world's best players.

    "If you want to be really good at something you go to the country where they do it best. Harry is learning fast and showing signs that he could be a very good player."

    Margaret Brett, the editor of Polo Times magazine and the mother of a leading player, Henry Brett, 29, said that Prince Harry's game would undoubtedly benefit from playing in Argentina. "There, they live, breathe and sleep polo," she said. "Harry has the potential to go a long way in the game. He works very hard on the field and hits the ball well. As he gets more experienced, he will learn more about tactics. Going to Argentina would be a wonderful thing to do in his gap year. He would love it and they would love him."

    Prince Harry intends to play some polo for the next two months in Australia, turning out for the Black Bears, a team owned by Urs Schwarzenbach, the billionaire Swiss financier. The Prince will spend some time on Mr Schwarzenbach's New South Wales ranch. Before travelling to South America, Prince Harry is expected to play in his first international tournament: the 2004 World Cup in Chantilly, France. He has already been praised by some of the most respected figures in the sport.

    In Argentina, polo players and administrators are looking forward to Prince Harry's visit. They are convinced that it will benefit his game enormously and that it could bring him up to professional standard.

    Adolfo Cambiaso, 28, the world's leading player who has a handicap of plus 10, said: "He will be welcomed with open arms here in Argentina. It is the best place for him to improve his game because it is one of the main sports in the country and the standard is very high - the best in the world. There are also so many clubs in this country that he will be able to choose the best level for him to develop. But I have played with him before and he is already quite a good player."

  • Polo beckons prince

    by JOHN THIRSK

    A TINY community of 200 people four hours drive west of Sydney is preparing to host Prince Harry in a polo match between Young Australia and Young England. There are many indications the prince will attend the Young Australia v Young England match at Mandurama on November 16. Mandurama locals say they will respect the prince's privacy, but the owners of Millamolong Station, James and Sue Ashton, where the game will be held, are trying to keep the lid on local excitement.

    Mr Ashton, who has initiated forthcoming polo games at Millamolong and at Windsor Polo Club, in outer western Sydney, said: "I honestly don't know whether Harry will be playing either here or at Windsor." An insider told The Sunday Telegraph: "Nobody tells you anything about Prince Harry, but I do know that he is one of the most promising young players in England at the moment.

    "His brother Wills is good, but Harry is considerably more aggressive on the field. We hope the rumours don't scare Harry away, because this is a private visit while he is on holidays. The fact Harry is in Australia, likes his rugby and polo – and both are on the same weekends – is more than a coincidence. There is a possibility Harry will play, but no one in the polo community really knows."

    The Mandurama match will be part of a four-day polo carnival held in conjunction with the Ambassador's Cup. This is a tournament involving visiting polo enthusiasts from New Zealand, England, Argentina, France and South Africa, who are also in Australia for the Rugby World Cup. There will be two meets – the one at Millamolong Station and one at Windsor the next weekend. Next month's Rugby World Cup semi-finals and final are scheduled on the same, consecutive weekends. England are fancied to at least reach the semi-finals, and Harry is a known rugby "nut".

    Harry's polo coach, an Australian who plays professionally in England, also happens to be "in town" for the rugby and polo. England have named two of their four-member team, with the "other two players" yet to be announced. Harry, 19, is a third-generation polo player. Both his grandfather, Prince Philip, and his father, Prince Charles, play. His aunt, Princess Anne, who is also visiting Australia at the moment, represented Britain at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games as a showjumper.