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Hold on, I haven't had my say yet, a few people have asked me about this today!!!
I don't think Prince Harry was being racist or intended any malice in his comment. I'm sure his friend took it for what it was and this kind of harsh but friendly banter goes on all the time between groups of people. The context however is the problem, this isn't a group of friends taking the pee out of one and other in isolation, this is something that has managed to make it to the public domain, and purely because he is a prince, son of the heir to the throne. The prince overlooking the fact that he is a public figure, and on tape making such a comment is actually more significant than the comment itself. Which really just shows him to be a bit silly. I don't think he is a racist and it is purely the media that has blown this out of proportion, confusing (but not necessarily extending) the boundaries of what racism is! I also see it as a shame that such stories take prominence over the harsh realities of the warfare in Afghanistan and the fantastic job that our troops are doing there.
However the bottom line is that the term he used is one which is offensive, used as a derogatory and oppressive term. Now if the meaning is reclaimed, redefined or desensitised between friends or a group, there is no problem (e.g. nigger in the black communities) however, the act was placed in the public domain and quite understandably caused offence, and is therefore unacceptable. The Prince has done the right thing and apologised for his thoughtlessness, but it still relies on the general public to detach the signifier from signified in his naïve/stupid comment!
Unfortunately Prince Harry did not choose to be a public figure and I'm sure sometimes he wished that he wasn't. I feel quite sorry for him in the same way I do for children born into deprivation (it's our old friend determinism again!) Unfortunately Harry's ability to make diplomatic decisions isn't quite up to the same level as his responsibility. But then why should he be diplomatic? There are no required qualifications or intelligence or diplomacy test to be a royal, you just have be born! Some of his fellow soldiers probably tease him about the lack of genetic diversity in royal blood lines (is that politically correct enough?) but I'm sure it takes it all in good humour!
Speaking about pubs Dave, a few weeks ago I experienced a group of blokes in a pub having a harmless laugh. Now amongst themselves, they obviously had no problem with each other's colourful language, it was only as their volume increased that they started to offend some of the people around them. Which is why, if they knew they were likely to get louder in volume, they should have made an effort not to swear in the first place.
Just to conclude before people start getting all touchy because someone talks objectively about the royal family (as I have experienced on this forum before) I have no problem with the Royal Family and do not think they are awful, oppressive or bad people. I just think they raise some interesting food for thought when examining our culture! If we can be critical of those of which we vote in then surely we can be of those which we don't!