Prince
Harry of Wales
photo credit: Glyn Lowe Photoworks via photopin
cc
When I think about HRH Prince Harry of Wales, many different words come to mind; words like kind, charming, funny, loyal, and loving. Prince Harry is a man with many different facets, or layers. These layers make him one of the most beloved members of the royal family today. He is able to separate work (military), royalty, family, and play very well in a way that many people (royal or not) are unsuccessful. I thought it would be fun to examine Prince Harry closer to see just what he’s made of!
Family Focused
Prince Harry has always been family focused. From his relationship
with his parents and brother to his relationship with his
sister-in-law, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry has
proven time and again that family comes first. One of the most
poignant images I have of Prince Harry’s youth is him walking
behind his mother’s coffin in September 1997; atop the casket, a
card addresses to ‘Mummy.’ Probably the most important person in a
young boy’s life is his mother. During this age, she teaches him
many important life lessons. The look on his face said it all; he
was a devastated young boy. In the same church, over a decade
later, Prince Harry was celebrating a more exciting and lively
event … his brother’s wedding! As he escorted Prince William to the
altar, you could see the excitement and happiness written all over
his face. As he lovingly turned to William and said, “Wait ’till
you see her!,” I couldn’t help but tear up. Here is a brother,
although deemed “unimportant” and the “spare” by many, loves his
brother enough to consider his brother’s happiness his own. Another
example of his family orientation was during the 2012 London
Olympic Games as he cheered on his cousin, Zara Phillips to an
equestrian silver medal.
Charity Centered
Sentabale, Prince Harry’s charity, helps children in Lesotho
(Africa) who have been affected by AIDS, a disease his mother,
Diana, Princess of Wales, was passionate about. He also is patron
of many other Great Britain based charities, such as Walking with
the Wounded, WellChild and The HALO Trust. While on official
charitable visits, Prince Harry is superb at showing the value of
the charity’s work. Although crowds gather to see him, Prince Harry
is able to truly showcase the charity in a way many royals are
unable to successfully accomplish. His work has changed the lives
of countless people.
“Party Prince”
From the moment Prince Harry “flew the coup,” he has had a
party-boy image and has been a favorite target of the tabloids.
Whether it was turning his father’s basement into a club, coming
out of bars intoxicated early in the morning, or his most recent
Las Vegas trip, Prince Harry has shown the world that he loves to
have fun. Even when on official engagements, he has an informality
about him, his speciality: dancing! I think it’s important for
everyone to remember that Prince Harry is only twenty-eight and is
behaving as such. It is unfair to judge him when this stage of his
life allows him to live this type of lifestyle.
Serviceman
Maybe the most important facet of Prince Harry’s life is his role
in the military. He has served in Iraq and Afghanistan, serving
Queen and Country. Although he did not attend university, Prince
Harry was able to graduate from Sandhurst in 2006, before Prince
William. His time in the military has allowed him a normal life as
Captain Wales. In a post-overseas tour interview, Captain Wales
said that his fellow comrades mainly treated him as just one of the
guys. I believe this fact is why he loves being a military man so
much. He and Prince William crave normality and their military
careers allow them this.
Uncle
Surely you didn’t think I could write a blog post without
mentioning Prince George, did you? But, in all seriousness, Prince
Harry has had two official engagements since the birth of the third
in line to the throne and has spoken of his joy both times. He
seems to be just like any other doting uncle who is overjoyed at
the birth of his brother’s son. I can only imagine the excitement
that he feels at the prospect of sharing his vast knowledge of life
with his nephew.
Gorgeous (Hi, @aliciahockly!)
I asked on Twitter this week about the word that comes to mind when
you think about Prince Harry. Much to my delight, one lovely
Twitter friend backed up my belief that Prince Harry is indeed a
handsome man. I know that all the ladies out there will agree with
us. I mention this only because his charming personality allows him
to reach people that other members of the Royal Family would not
necessarily be able to.
Overall, Prince Harry is just “one of the guys,” who just happens to be of royal blood. His many different facets allow him to conform to the situation and thrive in all settings. Prince Harry will forever be an integrate part of the British Royal Family, allowing the institution of Monarchy to move forward into the future!
