Britain's Prince Harry has apologized for using racist language after a Sunday newspaper published video footage of him calling an Asian army colleague a "Paki" and telling another he looked like a "raghead".
The video obtained by British tabloid the News of the World begins as Harry is waiting with his platoon in an airport departure lounge for a flight to a training exercise in Cyprus.
Touring the room with a video camera and making mock commentary as his colleagues sleep, he spots an Asian cadet and says: "Anyone else here ... ah, our little Paki friend ... Ahmed."
The word "Paki" is derogatory slang for an immigrant or descendant of an immigrant from Pakistan or India.
It's Dan the Man... F**k me, you look like a raghead
Later on in the footage the prince is once again behind the camera filming one of his comrades with camouflage netting over his head and as he looks up at the lens, Harry says: "It's Dan the Man... F**k me, you look like a raghead," a term that is racist against Arabs.
In another clip from the three-minute video, Harry pretends to make a mobile phone call to his grandmother in which he appears to be mocking her.
Harry says: "Granny, I've got to go. Send my love to the corgis. And grandpa...God Save You... yeah, that's great. See you, bye."
The paper said the video was recorded in 2006, a year after the 24-year-old prince was pilloried for wearing a Nazi uniform at a costume party, a gaffe that sparked an international outcry.
Royal apology
Prince Harry used the term 'raghead' to mean Taliban or Iraqi insurgent
The royal family issued an apology and insisted the prince—who is the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II—had not used the terms with any racist intent.
"Prince Harry fully understands how offensive this term (Paki) can be, and is extremely sorry for any offence his words might cause," a royal family spokesman said.
"However, on this occasion three years ago, Prince Harry used the term without any malice and as a nickname about a highly popular member of his platoon…there is no question that Prince Harry was in any way seeking to insult his friend," he said.
The spokesman also said: "Prince Harry used the term 'raghead' to mean Taliban or Iraqi insurgent." However there is no mention of that in the video.
Army's stance
The prince served with the army battling the Taliban in Afghanistan last year but was forced to return home after his security was compromised when a carefully arranged media blackout on his deployment was broken.
Harry, an army lieutenant, is to begin training soon as a combat helicopter pilot.
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defense said: "Neither the Army nor the Armed Forces tolerates inappropriate behavior in any shape or form.
"We are not aware of any complaint having been made by the individual," the spokeswoman said, referring to "Ahmed". She added: "Bullying and racism are not endemic in the Armed Forces."
Reaction
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), an umbrella group for British Muslim organizations, said Harry's language had been unacceptable and had harmed the image of the army, which has been trying to recruit more widely from minorities.
But MCB spokesman Inayat Bunglawala said Harry had done the right thing by apologizing. "It's now time to move on," he said.
Britain's equalities watchdog, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said the racism claims "appear to be disturbing allegations".
"We will be asking the MoD (Ministry of Defence) to see the evidence, share that evidence with us and their plans for dealing with it," a spokeswoman said.
"We will then consider what further action might be necessary."
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