Prince Harry "Risking His Life" in Afghanistan

[Just_Believe18]

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blog...hanistan-152024526--abc-news-celebrities.html

Britain's Prince Harry is "in the thick of" fighting in Afghanistan and has had "multiple engagements" with the Taliban during his time in the war zone, according to a new report in the UK's The Sun.Harry, 28, is one month in to a four-month tour of duty as a chopper pilot in Afghanistan. He is stationed at Camp Bastion in Helmand province, on the front line. Citing an unnamed "military source," the Sun reports that Harry, known as Captain Wales in the British Army, is part of a four-man team on around-the-clock standby to both fire at the enemy and provide cover for aircraft rescuing wounded soldiers.

You know, I have always had a lot of respect for Prince Harry, even when all the popularity has centered around William. Here is a member of the royal family who truly serves out of sacrifice for his countrymen. He reminds me of the days of old when kings used to lead their armies into battle. If the United Kingdom commits to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, then their royalty and parliament should send their sons to battle with the rest of its citizens. I only wish our American Congress felt the same.

 

[Sausy]

I agree with you about Harry. With leaders in both parties getting military deferments and finding ways to avoid battle Harry's sense of service is very admirable. Whatever all the media stuff about his raunchy social life , Harry has a sense of service( and his brother too) that few show among our elected officials in Washington.

 

[Jack Springer]

He's impressive -- has balls.

I look forward to when he and all the others can come home from that horrible place.

 

[rareboy]

Well of course he has balls.

At least the ones we've all seen.

 

[TheFireGod]

Wales as his surname? Not Windsor?

 

[maxpowr9]

Can't say the same about Romney's sons. At least Beau Biden is in the military and Obama's daughters are too young.

 

[Just_Believe18]

He's impressive -- has balls.

I look forward to when he and all the others can come home from that horrible place.

I agree.


lol, rareboy. Good one.

 

[MassRuss]

Wales as his surname? Not Windsor?

Here are a few answers to your question.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110826162307AA4PzzF

He is a brave young man, serving with many more brave young people. Aside from Beau Biden & McCain's son who was in I think Iraq,, we've never seen a Bush (not since H W IN WWII) a Cheney or a Romney anywhere near a battlefield

 

[Telstra]

.
Was he surrounded by securities ?
If so what is the point of going there ?

 

[ChickenGuy]

This is his second posting to the country. The first was about a couple of years ago and was done 'in secret' and under a media blackout when he was stationed with the army on the front line, but it ended abruptly when a reporter for an Australian magazine broke the news and blew his cover.

At that time, immediately after it was found out, I remember there was A LOT of reporting and analysis in the papers and on TV debating whether it was right to (1st) put such a prominent royal in danger, and (2nd) to give the Taliban such a huge 'target' to chase after for the propaganda victory if they ever killed him, and (3rd) whether or not his presence was putting other soldiers in danger.

Strangely, this time round I've heard absolutely NO concerns about his posting from the media, which is not to say that I either agree or disagree with the points above, just commenting on the oddly abrupt change in the media's attitude.

Wales as his surname? Not Windsor?

This is exactly what I thought as well, I'd have assumed Windsor would have been chosen as the correct surname, don't know why they're both (William & Harry) going by 'Wales' which sounds a bit silly - and in any case, it's their father who's the prince, not either of them (yet)

 

[Benvolio]

Actually his name is Henry Windsor. Wales is intended to make him less conspicuous, but I doubt if it works. Edward's name, by the way, is Mountbatten-Windsor. The decision was made when he was born to carry on his father's name as part if his, and his only an Earl, but will become Duke of Edinburgh, on his father's death.

 

[JayHawk]

Isn't he from the House of Windsor but the son of the Prince of Wales, Charles?
He gets short changed in the title department too being the mere His Royal Highness Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales. Whereas of course his Brother is His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, Baron Carrickfergus, Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

You would think with Harry's documented successes in the affairs of love he would be granted a most noble order of the Garter title would you not?

As a British prince, Harry holds no surname; however, as with the other male-line grandchildren of Elizabeth II, he uses the name of the area over which his father holds title; i.e., Wales. Past precedent is that such surnames are dropped from usage in adulthood, after which either title alone, or Mountbatten-Windsor is used when necessary.[82] Prince Harry, however, continues to use Wales as his surname for military purposes and is known as Captain Harry Wales in such contexts

 

[MassRuss]

Royal Order of the Jockstrap would be more fun....think of the pictures.

 

[JayHawk]

Something just dawned on me as I re-read the wiki quote I put up there concerning Harry.... he could use Mountbatten-Windsor but chooses to use Wales.... did you know everyone in the military has to stencil typically by hand every item they own and in boot camp that is hundreds of items given to you. Perhaps his father encouraged him to keep a five letter variety for ease of stenciling.....?

His brother went by Wales in the services and his Father doesnt have a stenciled name on his fatigues that i can find.

 

[mightbe]

He's also a prince, so something tells me he doesn't hand-stitch all of those.

 

[Corny]

.
Was he surrounded by securities ?
If so what is the point of going there ?

He is a helicopter pilot. And if he had 20 bodyguards with him in the chopper, it won't save him if they shoot it down.

 

[Benvolio]

Henry's name is Windsor. It was the family name adopted by his great grandfather George V during WWI when the name Sax Colberg Gotha was too German. For the same reason, Phillip's mother's family changed its name from Battenberg to Mountbatten. It is only Henry's uncle Edward who carries the name Mountbatten-Windsor.

 

[rareboy]

Sax Colberg Gotcha

Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

 

[rareboy]

As far as the Battenbergs changing to Mountbatten...they just got tired of being confused with cake.

 

[LuvFindsAndyHardy]

It is only Henry's uncle Edward who carries the name Mountbatten-Windsor.

Actually, the reason for that is because Mountbatten-Windsor was chosen as the form of the family name for those out of the direct line of succession. If Princess Anne the Princess Royal, for example, had never been married she would also carry the Mountbatten-Windsor surname, since she never became a royal duchess.

In terms of Wales vs Windsor, there is a custom for Dukes to use their titles (of "blank") as last names in common parlance so I assume that Wales is a progression of that. Take, for example, the Dowager Duchess OF Devonshire (formerly Deborah Mitford of the famous Mitford sisters.) The Devonshire family name is Cavendish but she publishes her books about Chatsworth under the name "Deborah Devonshire." The princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are known unofficially as Beatrice York and Eugenie York not Beatrice and Eugenie Windsor. Since Wales is the only princely title I can think of that has "of" in it's title, the same rule should apply.

Now that Wills is a royal duke himself, I assume that he can also be referred to as William Cambridge. Harry is not yet a royal duke so his name comes from his father's title.