Prince Harry An "Embarrassment" Says Photographer

Veteran royal photographer Arthur Edwards has heavily criticised the behaviour of Prince Harry, telling the BBC that the Prince is becoming "an embarrassment to the country".

Speaking to BBC News 24's HARDtalk programme (Thursday 5 April, 11.30pm), Edwards, royal photographer for The Sun newspaper, was asked about images of the Prince leaving nightclubs the worse for wear.

Edwards responds: "I think Prince Harry is dangerously becoming an embarrassment to this country."

He continues: "I like Prince Harry. I think he's just a fabulous young man, but you know he is an army officer now and that behaviour last week when he staggers out, falling over out of nightclubs, trying to attack a photographer.

"If he'd have hit that photographer we could have been all outside Horseferry Road magistrates' court last week, seeing him face a charge of assault.

"So you know this young man is no longer a boy, he's not 18, he's 22. He's a commissioned officer in the British Army in a really top regiment.

"He should be behaving a lot better and he knows that if he goes to these nightclubs paparazzi hang around. It's par for the course. Like outside Paris hotels there are paparazzi. Princess Diana knew that."

HARDtalk interviewer Stephen Sackur asks Edwards: "So you think he's an embarrassment?"

To which Edwards replies: "I think he's an embarrassment now yes. I think he's becoming very embarrassing. This continual attacking photographers.

"You know, the one thing about the Royal Family that I've always admired, even in the darkest times they act with dignity. They look straight in your face. They might not be happy. They might be feeling really miserable inside.

"Certainly I remember the Duchess of York feeling like that in some of her darkest moments. But she never behaved other than with dignity and I think that's what we've got to get back into Prince Harry, a little bit more about who he is. The fact that, you know, he's third in line to the throne."

Edwards has recently given evidence to the Culture Select Committee on privacy, press intrusion, and self regulation.

On Kate Middleton, he told HARDtalk, "Kate Middleton will marry Prince William one day, I'm almost certain of it."

Before adding: "... Kate Middleton is a private person. She's given no interviews. She's sought no publicity. She's just fallen in love with a prince. The harassment, the continual stalking by cameramen, that's not on."

BBC.co.uk