Prince Harry apologises over Nazi costume row

Prince Harry has issued a statement apologising for wearing a Nazi costume to a fancy dress party.

The Prince apologised for any "offence or embarrassment" he had caused in the statement, and admitted that the costume was "a poor choice".

Prince Harry was photographed at the event, a friend's birthday party in Wiltshire, wearing a German uniform, which included a swastika armband. The photos were splashed on the front page of the 'Sun' newspaper.

However, his actions have outraged Jewish human rights group, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre. The dean and centre founder, Rabbi Marvin Hier, branded the Prince's wearing of the costume as "a shameful act", which "displayed insensitivity, not just for the victims of the Holocaust, but for those soldiers of his own country who gave their lives to defeat Nazism."

Rabbi Heir also called for Prince Harry to visit the Auschwitz death camp. A British delegation is due to visit the camp on January 27 to commemorate 60 years since the camp was liberated. Rabbi Hier said: "There he will see for himself the results of the hated symbol he so foolishly and brazenly chose to wear."

Many people have also commented that a written apology is not enough, particularly since a Holocaust Memorial Day is set to he held later this year. Conservative party leader and the Queen's former assistant press secretary, Dickie Arbiter have both called for the Prince to make a public apology.

Labour MP, Doug Henderson, even suggested that Prince Harry should not be allowed to attend Sandhurst military academy, because of the photograph.

However, Home Secretary, Charles Clarke and Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain of the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain said that the written apology should be accepted.

This is the latest in a series of scandals that Prince Harry has become involved in. He was caught smoking cannabis and drinking alcohol when he was still underage, three years ago and, more recently, he became embroiled in a fight with a photographer outside the Pangaea nightclub in London.

(KMcA/SP)