The Malaysian Insider

LONDON, Jan 12 – Prince Harry is “guilty of racism which upsets and offends many British Asians,” the leader of a Muslim youth organisation said today.

The Royal has also been condemned by senior politicians, who said that his remarks about an Army colleague were “offensive”.

David Cameron, the Conservative leader, said the Prince’s reference to an Asian member of his platoon as “our little Paki friend” was “obviously completely unacceptable.” Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, said the remarks, caught on camera, “will have caused considerable offence”.

St James Palace has said Harry – third in line to the throne – was using a nickname for a friend and the comment was made without any malice. An apology from the prince was issued last night.

But today Mohammed Shafiq, director of Muslim youth organisation the Ramadan Foundation, said Harry’s comments would offend many Asians.

“The use of this sort of racism has no justification and I am saddened by those that are advocating using this term is not racist.

“Prince Harry, as a public figure, must ensure that he promotes equality and tolerance and this rant, whether today or three years ago, is sickening and he should be thoroughly ashamed of himself.”

This morning Cameron became the first senior politician to comment on the race row, during an interview with Andrew Marr on the BBC. “It is obviously a completely unacceptable thing to say and it is right that he has apologised,” he said.

“I think that it is important in the great institutions, whether it is the Army or whether it is political parties, we have had to root out attitudes ... and that has to go right across the institutions.”

Asked if Harry should be reprimanded he said: “No he has made an apology, I think it is important he is clear about that and I think that is enough.”

Clegg told the Sunday Live programme on Sky News: “He shouldn’t have used those words. It will have caused considerable offence and has obviously caused him a considerable amount of embarrassment. He has apologised, quite rightly, and I think we should now move on.”

Asked if he would fire a member of his senior team for using such comments he said: “I would almost certainly have to, yes. But it is not a question of whether Prince Harry can be fired, he has apologised, he has apologised profusely. I think we now have got to draw line under it, but it has obviously caused considerable offence.”

In a statement issued last night, Clarence House said: “Prince Harry fully understands how offensive this term can be, and is extremely sorry for any offence his words might cause. 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.”

The video footage was made while the prince was a cadet at Sandhurst Military College, and released by the News of the World newspaper last night.

In a separate incident, Harry is heard calling another officer cadet a “f****** raghead”.

Former soldier Patrick Mercer, the Tory MP who was sacked from a frontbench role after making his own controversial comments on race in the British Army, said Harry’s comments were a “serious mistake”.

He told the BBC: “It’s an extremely grave thing he has done – it’s a serious mistake. This is a deliberate action that the young man has taken, but I would underline that – the young man.”

Mercer stressed Harry had apologised and had also grown up during the past three years. He added: “(Harry) has been willing to go on operations and risk his life, that’s a hell of a thing to do.”

The Ministry of Defence said last night that it took all allegations of inappropriate behaviour “very seriously and all substantive allegations are investigated”.

But it added: “We are not aware of any complaint having been made by the individual. Bullying and racism are not endemic in the Armed Forces.”

The video shows Harry when he was on manoeuvres while still an officer cadet at Sandhurst military academy. The “Paki” remark came as the Prince joined other cadets gathering at an airport for their flight to Cyprus.

As he filmed one cadet lying on the departure lounge floor, he said: “How to admin yourself while waiting for the RAF to square you away.”

The camera panned over other snoozing soldiers, with Harry commenting “now that is bad admin, bad admin” before zooming in on the face of an Asian cadet.

He said: “Ah, our little Paki friend ... Ahmed.” Ahmed is thought to be Ahmed Raza Khan, a Pakistani who won the award for the best overseas cadet at Sandhurst.

Later, while taking part in night manoeuvres in Cyprus, Harry told a comrade: “F*** me, you look like a raghead. Look at me. Look at me ... look away.”

In Cyprus, he turned the video on himself as he walked along, mocking the “pointless tasks” he and his colleagues had been given to do.

He added: “Maybe not pointless tasks, we have been given by the real Company Sergeant Major, which apparently is all very much worthwhile towards our education in the field.”

He is then shown making a mock mobile call to the Queen, the Commander in Chief of the British Army, in front of other cadets. Harry is filmed making a joke call to her, saying: “Granny I’ve got to go, got to go, send my love to the Corgis and Grandpa.”

He signs off by saying in front of them: “I’ve got to go, got to go, bye. God Save You ... yeah, that’s great.”

Harry – who is training to become an Army Air Corps helicopter pilot – served on the front line in Afghanistan last year in what was widely seen as public relations triumph for him and the British Army. – The Times 0f London