The news that Prince Harry is going to Sandhurst is a reminder that, whatever else one may say about the Windsors (and there's a lot one could say), they've never been hesitant about risking their necks for Grandma and Country. No dodgy National Guard exemptions at Buckingham Palace, no ma'am. Prince Andrew was a helicopter pilot in the Falklands War; the Queen's uncle the Duke of Kent was killed on active service in 1942; Lord Louis Mountbatten, Prince Philip's uncle, had his destroyer blown up from under him the year before; and Harry's great-grandpa was at the Battle of Jutland. I'm not sure if this proves anything, but if a certain American dynasty really does intend to establish itself as the nation's ruling house then its scions would be advised to follow H.W.'s example rather than W's.
Posted by Alan Allport at September 24, 2004 11:31 AMPerhaps it is not a coincidence that Prince Andrew is the most accepted of the Queen's sons (or at least the one least pilloried by the press despite his dubious taste in women)? Prince Edward, the youngest, dropped out of the Royal Marines whislt still in training, though, so the royals are quite capable of dodging as well.
Posted by: Mags at October 1, 2004 07:50 AMWell, to be fair, it's not as though Edward was ducking out of a war at the time he dropped out.
Posted by: Alan Allport at October 2, 2004 11:19 AM