Prince Harry, the rowdy, fresh-faced royal who has swept across hearts worldwide, has figured out some international diplomacy when it comes to dealing with Americans.
Harry, who arrived in Florida on Wednesday for the Invictus Games, is coming prepared.
The Invictus Games are a multi-sport paralympic event, which Harry, now 31, founded to help armed service veterans. 2016 marks the third year for the international competition.
The prince’s charitable work follows in the footsteps of his mother, who is known as a great humanitarian.
“I don’t say ‘Right, I’m going to get involved in that because that’s what my Mum would want me to do’, though inevitably once I’m doing it I think, ‘Do you know what? She’d probably love this.’”
Harry told People Magazine that Princess Diana is never far from his mind. “I probably have a lot of my mother in me.
“All I want to do is make my mother incredibly proud. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
Prince Harry wants to make his late mother Princess Diana “incredibly proud”: https://t.co/t6VF1DX5my pic.twitter.com/72DuLY40q4
— E! News (@enews) May 4, 2016
“When she died, there was a gaping hole, not just for us but also for a huge amount of people across the world. If I can try and fill a very small part of that, then job done. I will have to, in a good way, spend the rest of my life trying to fill that void as much as possible. And so will William.”
Harry said that he adores his niece and nephew, and he would love to have kids of his own. But for now, he has been enjoying interacting with children on a worldwide basis.
“There have been moments through life, especially when we do a tour abroad, when I think, ‘I’d love to have kids now.’… And then there are other times when I bury my head in the sand going, ‘All right, don’t need kids!’ There’s no rush.”
But, Harry said, he has to make special preparations for a trip to America.
“Every time I get to meet kids and they have been told a real-life prince is coming, the disappointment on their faces when they see me without a crown or without a cape…you can tell in the UK and across the world that they are genuinely disappointed, because they live in this fairy-tale land!
“So I am going to pack a crown and a cape this time and some funny pointy-toed shoes.”
Prince Harry jokes that American kids will say, ‘you ain’t no prince!’ https://t.co/NGd5Hcw1Qj pic.twitter.com/zSbmoEsaR7
— People Magazine (@people) May 4, 2016
Harry added that he has fond memories of the rides at Disney World, although after 14 rides on Space Mountain, his policeman had to “vomit over the bench.”
“I’m worried because the American kids, especially next to Disney World, are going to be thinking ‘You ain’t no prince, you’re not dressed like a prince. You’re having a laugh!’ The pressure’s on. I’m going to sign the crown out!”
This year’s Invictus Games features all wounded war veterans. There has been some playful posturing between Harry, Justin Trudeau and the Obamas, according to DailyMail .
The Obamas tweeted a short video challenge.
“Hey Prince Harry. Remember when you told us to bring it at the Invictus Games? Be careful what you wish for.”
The Queen responded, “Oh, really?”
This year’s Invictus Games, whose competitors are all wounded war veterans, will be held in Orlando from May 8 to May 12. Coverage of the events will be on ESPN.
[Photo by KGC-375/STAR MAX/IPx/AP]
