Prince Harry: If you agree with Piers Morgan, ask yourself this – Jim Duffy

If Prince Harry was your son, wouldn’t you back him all the way as he chooses a different life, asks Jim Duffy.
Harry gets a hug as he greets a guest at a sustainable tourism summit in Edinburgh International Conference Centre this week (Picture: Andrew Milligan-WPA Pool/Getty Images)Harry gets a hug as he greets a guest at a sustainable tourism summit in Edinburgh International Conference Centre this week (Picture: Andrew Milligan-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Harry gets a hug as he greets a guest at a sustainable tourism summit in Edinburgh International Conference Centre this week (Picture: Andrew Milligan-WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Many of you will not know, but I am an expert on the Royal family. I’ve met Prince Andrew and the Queen. Had a wee blether with her. But my Royal wisdom goes much further than simple encounters – I’ve watched The Crown.

And having engaged deeply with this most excellent Netflix production, I feel I am qualified, as a “Royal know-all”, to comment on this particular family. By studying each episode and doing a bit of Googling afterwards, my depth of knowledge is at PhD level.

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And like many out there in the UK, who feel entitled to comment and are “well read” on the Royals, having watched The Crown and indeed read the red-tops each day, I have an opinion. Especially when it comes to the Royal formerly known as Prince – our Harry.

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It seems to me so easy and cheap to make comment on Harry right now as it appears he is fair game for many TV and red-top commentators. Perhaps not quite yet, but no doubt a book will be in progress. Pictures of Harry with sensational headlines sell newspapers. It seems we cannot get enough of it.

But, rather than have a go at Harry, I thought it better today to reflect on who or what he now is and allow you to make your own mind up.

Vilified or beatified by Monday

And while we all take a ringside seat at the slow-motion car crash that seems to be the Royal family just now, it makes me think that your opinion on Harry is either like or dislike, trust or mistrust, admire or ridicule.

It’s the world we live in presently, a binary world where opinion is split with no middle ground. There seem to be no grey areas, just Harry is a selfish prat or Harry is to be admired for living his life, his way.

There’s a guy on the TV, Twitter if you use it and, of course, the newspapers who gives it rotten to Harry. This guy is Piers Morgan, a well-respected journalist and TV presenter. I’m not sure who respects him, but I guess within the entertainment industry, he holds some weight.

To put some meat on the bone here, if Mr Morgan tweeted something out about me this weekend, you can bet your bottom dollar it will pick up much commentary and I could be vilified or beatified by Monday.

At present, Mr Morgan is not best pleased with Harry and has expressly made his opinion clear on TV. And a TV host with such gravitas holds sway with many members of the public.

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So, Harry can be immediately loved or resented based on w hat is put forward. My question to you is this: how does this boy have a chance when so many commentators go down a negative rabbit hole with the masses following on?

Conversely, Harry, who let us remember is the son of the late Princess Diana, whom it seems this nation loved, has not made it easy for himself over the years. He has had a few ups and downs with the press and his judgement at times has been deemed by some as poor. Let’s face it though, his dad isn’t great with the press, media and the establishment that he represented at times.

And Harry’s mum made her mind up, after a dismal stint within the Royal family, to break free and plough her own furrow.

He’s only human

So, while some ridicule Harry for perhaps being a bit petulant, a bit quick to fire from the hip and a bit “hot-headed”, remember what DNA he has and it all kind of makes sense.

Harry is only human. Perhaps he was born into a role that is anathema to him, his temperament and his vision for his life. I mean, all he has to do is watch The Crown and he will quickly appreciate that his future is pretty gloomy – right?

Have you made your mind up yet? Demon or saint? Well, let me explore Harry a bit further. Having served his country, he set up what I believe to be one of the greatest Royal ventures since the Prince’s Trust.

Harry’s Invictus Games is inspiring and helps so many injured veterans of war, whose lives were turned upside down as a result of life-changing injuries they sustained. It has his personality stamped all over it and I believe he will still give it his best shot, despite leaving behind some military patronages as he sets up his new life. I’m pretty sure many Scottish soldiers and officers would agree that Invictus is needed and appreciated.

And now Harry is a dad. Being a dad is special, but filled with worry at the same time. Regardless of how much cash is swilling about, parenting is a worry for all humans. Harry is no exception and has made his mind up about how and where his kids will thrive. Of course, he will make a little money on the way and why should we grudge him that opportunity? He will have to work for it.

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But, despite the fact that he is taking a stand and deciding that the next years of his life will be lived on his terms, there is still the binary calculation we all make on him, based on what we read and not what we feel for the human being called Harry.

I am sure you will make your own mind up on this former prince. But there is one question that I would like to leave you with. Imagine he was your son. I bet you would back him all the way as he breaks free and becomes true to who he is – would you not?

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