[Closed] The Sun - It's in the Public Interest that we Sell Papers

Never buy the Sun.

I hapen to think it was a ludicrous situstion for the Britishpress to bury its collective head in the sand.

What a_a said. Given the widespread reporting elsewhere it seems daft to be glossing over it. If you are in Harry's position more thought need to be given to one's actions if you do not want the world to see.

Well done pushing the standards to the gutter.

Just so we're clear is that comment aimed at the Sun or the publicly financed 3rd in line to the throne?

Nothing wrong with reporting it but why stick the Pics on the front page - not for good reporting reasons just to sell more copies.
An editorial on the subject would have been a better use of Freedom of Speech.

Bloke goes on holiday to vegas, parties someone snaps some pics. End of.

Sun and [s]Blokes[/s] third in line to the throne, born into a life of wealth and privilege beyond the dreams of avarice of the subjugated, funded by taxes mans stupid Holiday pics

I don't see what Harry has done is even vaguely wrong.

1. Single bloke
2. In his 20's
3. Fun on holiday
4. Not in a public place

but...

The exact same if someone took a pic of you and me and maliciously put up on the internet to laugh at.

He should go after that person and sue them in the US courts.

That'll do nicely said Mr Murdoch. The pic is **** all to do with Journalism / free press.

crankboy
Never buy the Sun.

+1

Of course he's just a bloke! Because any normal squaddie could afford to jet off to Vegas and mix it up like he did in a high roller's VIP suite. Of course it's all come out of his own army pay packet.

Better put a 😉 for those hard of irony.

I used to be indifferent to the royal family but I'm becoming more of a republican now.

A true republican sentiment wouldn't draw the distinction between the actions of one bloke in his 20s and any other, just because that bloke happened to be from the Windsors.

Doesn't matter if it's in a B&B in Blackpool or a suite in Vegas. As someone else says - he didn't do it walking down the street, so frankly, it's his own business.

The correct response IS indifference.

Sensationalist reporting for the celeb junkies. Sun readers.
I pity anyone that would buy a paper to read about this.

true, but if you cut all their heads off this could never be an issue in the future.

I don't read the Sun, or any newspaper for that matter but I can't see anythng wrong in them publishing it. They are there to sell newspapers, make money etc like any other business. It's all over the internet anyway. Good on Harry for having some fun like any young lad, but he has to remember that what he does may end up in the news.

A true republican sentiment wouldn't draw the distinction between the actions of one bloke in his 20s and any other, just because that bloke happened to be from the Windsors

I agree, I find it sad that something like this makes some people question royalty when its the concept thats wrong, not what they do.

If he were not funded by the public purse and doing it under his own steam and not subsidised, fair enough.

However, he was not doing it out of his own pocket, so a minimum level of behaviour is expected.

true, but if you cut all their heads off this could never be an issue in the future.

Sun readers? A bit drastic, wouldn't you say?

🙂

[i]However, he was not doing it out of his own pocket, so a minimum level of behaviour is expected.

[/i]

So, what do you want, a Republic? Of course with any type of Royal Family there is a public cost - but compared to having the likes of Tony BLiar as President, I'm quite happy.

And as was said further up, the correct response is a combination of indifference and don't buy the Sun.

However, he was not doing it out of his own pocket, so a minimum level of behaviour is expected.

Not from his army wage or his £10m his mother left him then?

A young lad who is seen as one of the most sort after bachelors is having fun, however he's a Royal so people will take any advantage they can to publicise him doing something a bit wild. Good on him but I'm sure he's aware of what may happen, doubt he's bothered but reckon his Grannie might bend his lug.

The Sun, well I admire them for going ahead and publishing them but it's only to sell papers.

If he had been a bit more careful, it would not be in the Sun. Not printing the pictures does not mean it didn't happen.

I want my royal family to behave to reasonable levels - the same as anyone else being paid from the public purse. Harry will get rifted by the Army for doing what he did - bringing his rank and service into disrepute. I expect that line as a minimum from royals and politicians TBH. Why would I expect lower?

the same as anyone else being paid from the public purse.

So, you mean like any other 27 year old Army officer, then?

Not from his army wage

Certainly not from that

£10m his mother left him then?

That might cover his protection bill and flights for a few years. He didn't get that suite in that hotel because he lost his mum or his uniform looks smart.

Ha, what is his CO going to do, put the prince of wales on ROPs, make him do change parades? 😆
I hope all my tax money goes to Harry. I hope he continues to enjoy himself. I hope he keeps getting naked and sexing loads of good looking women.

So, you mean like any other 27 year old Army officer, then?

I think he means the same as any other person that attends state occasions as a representative of our head of state.

So, you mean like any other 27 year old Army officer, then?

Yes - and I expect him to be disciplined as his behaviour fell below that line, as would any other Officer getting his naked pics in the paper.

What's your point, Flashy?

That might cover his protection bill and flights for a few years. He didn't get that suite in that hotel because he lost his mum or his uniform looks smart.

He gets the protection no matter where he was though. Good on him for partying rather than being a dullard, just a shame that someone felt the need to sell the pictures to the press.

There's been a few part animals in the Royals over the centuries, King George V started to make the Royals dull.

b r - Member

So, what do you want, a Republic? Of course with any type of Royal Family there is a public cost - but compared to having the likes of Tony BLiar as President, I'm quite happy.

Ridiculous.

You can't have a Royal family, its institution etc without protecting them.

The IRA would have done alot more damage
Then the kidnap nutters
Nevermind Middle Eastern terrorists.

So you have to protect him.

I'm not a Royalist BTW.

If he had been the British ambassador to Washington would he still be in that position (ambassador, not clutching his knob) this morning?

muppetWrangler - Member

"So, you mean like any other 27 year old Army officer, then?"

I think he means the same as any other person that attends state occasions as a representative of our head of state.

Boom.

Because any normal squaddie could afford to jet off to Vegas and mix it up like he did in a high roller's VIP suite. Of course it's all come out of his own army pay packet.

He's not a squaddie, he's an officer. Any single officer of his rank could comfortably afford a couple of days living high on the hog in Vegas. And good luck to them if they do.

As a member of the Royal Family though, he does seem something of a security risk.

As for the Sun, the argument it used that "everyone's already seen the pictures so we may as well print them" does seem to argue [u]against[/u] doing so. Perhaps they're being a bit disingenuous?

Because any normal squaddie could afford to jet off to Vegas and mix it up like he did in a high roller's VIP suite. Of course it's all come out of his own army pay packet.

What about an Army Officer with a £10m investment that he receives annual dividends from?

Ah it would seem it's $10m not £10m and only gets $450k per year from that, yeah he'll struggle to pay for a holiday in Vegas. Perhaps next he'll go to Blackpool for his 30th.

FWIW

Go on my son!

From now on in dilemmas of morality

What would Harry Do?

From now on in dilemmas of tax

What would Harry Do?

Any single officer of his rank could comfortably afford a couple of days living high on the hog in Vegas. And good luck to them if they do.

I agree. However, if they get their todger in the papers, they know the punishment coming to them. Minimum behaviour.

Anyway, he's just maintaining the proud traditions of the Royals. Princess Margaret spent most of her life shagging anything that moved and snorting anything that didn't, and a peep at history reveals a long line of philanderers and wastrels.

We just happen to live in the age of the smartphone camera.

Harry's just the Prince Regent of our times. And good for him. There's plenty of time for him to find a Home Counties beauty and settle down to breed.

Surely if you marry into the Royal family then you know what you are getting yourself into and hold some line of blame for being a part of it (should people feel the need for blame). However, if you are born into it, it is not by choice, how would you deal with your life being predetermined by the family you were born into, with every aspect of the life you lead under scrutiny by the press, the public, everyone having an opinion on your every decision.

Hell, some of us would rebel and others are just jealous that we weren't having a naked party in Vegas!

I agree. However, if they get their todger in the papers, they know the punishment coming to them. Minimum behaviour

As I'm sure he will know.

You have got to question the inteligence of anyone who buys the Sun to see the pictures.

What does it cost? 60p

What does it cost to google it? Naff all.

Cretins.

You have got to question the inteligence of anyone who buys the Sun to see the pictures.

What does it cost? 60p

What does it cost to google it? Naff all

Perhaps they want a souvenir of the day The Sun took a principled stand on "Freedom of the Press"?

Its just rupert murdoch having the last laugh

[i] the paper had thought "long and hard"[/i]

s****

"Public Interest"

"Freedom of the Press"

Are these two of the biggest misnomers/abused concepts of the modern era?

Cretins.

Or, "people without Internet access."

I can't help but think this whole thing is a non-story. Sure, there's an argument that he should be 'setting an example' or 'behaving like a royal' or some such, but in honesty I find it it hard to give much of a toss.

Young chap gets naked with a couple of mates on holiday. I mean, come on. On the scandalometer that's half a notch past "Princess Beatrice has a crap, and it really smells."

From now on in dilemmas of morality

What would Harry Do?

What would Harry Do?

www.binnerstshirts.com

🙂

[i]I can't help but think this whole thing is a non-story[/i]

I thought that when I passed the newspaper stand in Dublin airport: "Oh Prince Harry naked, whatever" and walked on.
I guess I'm not like the vast majority of Sun readers though.

crankboy - Member

Never buy the Sun.

As is being pointed out ad nauseum, this is nothing to do with press freedom, it's about selling papers. Which means there's a market because people want to read this drivel and I find that really depressing.

I might be being a touch cynical but:

Most national newspapers suffered double digit percentage sales losses year on year in July.

Daily Mirror : 1,082,054 ; -8.74
Daily Record : 275,526 ; -9.73
Daily Star : 623,534 ; -11.78
[b]The Sun : 2,550,859 ; -9.60[/b]
Daily Express : 555,544 ; -11.25
Daily Mail : 1,921,239 ; -6.29
The Daily Telegraph : 581,249 ; -8.34
Financial Times : 290,765 ; -13.61
The Guardian : 209,354 ; -15.85
i : 280,122 ; 52.51
The Independent : 83,619 ; -54.28
The Scotsman : 34,127 ; -12.47
The Times : 404,099 ; -8.41
Racing Post : 46,836 ; -15.34

So what "public interest" story do the Independent and Guardian need to publish urgently?

[img] [/img]

[url= http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/arts-entertainment/harry-photos-ruined-by-old-spanish-woman-2012082439034 ]TREASURED photographs of Prince Harry naked in Las Vegas have been ruined by an elderly Spanish woman.[/url]

The Sun, reaffirming its journalistic values - that being less than zero. As a news piece WGAF? What they should have said is that the article would be of interest to their readership, not the public!

More to the point who was the wretched, piteous creature that took/released the images ... for gain I assume? Very poor manners on their part.

the day The Sun took a principled stand on "Freedom of the Press"?

lol at cfhs link

For those crying "he's doing it with my money", I know that using actual facts is against the spirit of STW, but:

[i]The state duties and staff of other members of the Royal Family (but [b]not[/b] the Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, [b]or Prince Harry[/b]) are funded from a parliamentary annuity, the amount of which is fully refunded by the Queen to the treasury.[/i]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_list

So, no, he's not.

Oh, and:

[i]The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry receive income from their jobs in the Armed Forces, from the trust established on the death of their mother and from their father’s Duchy income.[/i]

http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/finances/income/

Surely no one is going to buy The Sun today just to see these photos? You either buy it regularly or not.

The PPC has already had 60 complaints, presumably from regular Sun readers who were taken aback by some unexpected mild nudity.

The PPC has already had 60 complaints, presumably from regular Sun readers who were taken aback by [s]some unexpected mild nudity[/s] the poor quality of todays Page 3.

Struggling to see why anyone would give a crap about the pictures.

However, private pictures should not be splashed all over the papers. END OF.

Capn, that might just about the the article of the week!

Cfh - that touch up job of the Jesus painting deserves a thread of its own! I'm still undecided as to whether it was a pi55 take or not - looked like Keith Harris's 'Cuddles' monkey puppet. V funny!

Harry is worth the £3 a year I pay for the royals on his own. Drop in Phil the duke and I think you get great value for money 😛

On a more serious note, if you seriously have an issue with him getting naked, whilst on a private holiday, with a group of mates, in Vegas then you need to man the frick up. Yes he is a public figure but I'd like to see you moaners live squeaky clean in the same situation. As for the holiday being paid for out of the public purse, how do you know that? I know for a fact that on a CPT's wage after a 6 month tour you could easily afford that hotel room ($4k a night split between 6 rich mates). Add in for good measure that he is single and mortgage free, as well as having an inheritance means that public expense would be very limited.

I've got a hangover that should have been given to breivick as a sentence instead of the paltry 21 years he got, so if i've offended anyone go have a word with yourself. 😳

Are we really that devoid of actual news that "member of royalty can afford a hotel room" is worth debating? Christ, I've been in Vegas hotel rooms when I was out of work.

Actually, I should probably rephrase that.

Christ, I've been in Vegas hotel rooms when I was out of work.

On my money? Shocking.

I hope all my tax money goes to Harry. I hope he continues to enjoy himself. I hope he keeps getting naked and sexing loads of good looking women.

I don't understand people that get indignant about this sort of thing when we've got politicians and bankers lying to our faces and stealing our money.

IHN - Member

For those crying "he's doing it with my money", I know that using actual facts is against the spirit of STW, but:

The state duties and staff of other members of the Royal Family (but not the Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, or Prince Harry) are funded from a parliamentary annuity, the amount of which is fully refunded by the Queen to the treasury.

Quite fortunate that the queen was able to amass an enormous fortune by virtue of business acumen and a Royal [i]lottery win[/i], eh?

IHN - Member

Oh, and:

The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry receive income from their jobs in the Armed Forces, from the trust established on the death of their mother and from their father’s Duchy income.

Let's have a republic.

[i]I hope all my tax money goes to Harry[/i]

Unfortunately for you, none of it does (apart from the bit he gets as Army salary). I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you sent him a postal order for a pint though.

IHN - Member

I hope all my tax money goes to Harry

Unfortunately for you, none of it does (apart from the bit he gets as Army salary). I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you sent him a postal order for a pint though.

Where did the Royal family's money come from?

They benefit from a long tradition of royalty that is a mix of violent conquest, nepotism, intrigue and the one-time (exploitation of the)belief in 'divine appointment'.

Lucky them.

Something I've often wished is that my dad had stumbled upon a Duchy. It would have made our lives so much different.

A Duchy that employs, at a guess, a thousand or so people, so it certainly makes a difference in their lives.

And the business activities of the Duchy attract corporation tax. And Prince Charlie pays 40% tax on his income from the Duchy.

Again though, I don't want facts to get in the way of dogma

Let's have a republic

What difference exactly would that make?

Where did [s]the Royal family's wealth money[/s][b]this nations wealth[/b] come from?

[s]They[/s][b]We[/b] benefit from a long tradition of [s]royalty[/s][b]colonialism[/b] that is a mix of violent conquest, nepotism, intrigue and the one-time (exploitation of the)belief in 'divine appointment'.

Lucky [s]them[/s][b]us[/b].

Poor lad musn't know whether hes coming or going, first he wears a uniform to a fancy dress do, gets in bother. Then he wears nothing, and gets in bother.

Make your mind up morality judges! 😉

A Duchy that employs, at a guess, a thousand or so people, so it certainly makes a difference in their lives.

And the business activities of the Duchy attract corporation tax. And Prince Charlie pays 40% tax on his income from the Duchy.

Again though, I don't want facts to get in the way of dogma

That sounds like a bit of a circular argument to me.
I suspect that if Prince Charles didn't 'own' the Duchy and all that sails in her, others would.

Remove the monarchy and the UK will continue to function as before. People might like the Royals, but they are just people like everybody else, albeit with life-long privilege.

If it had been done years ago, Harry and Wills could now be living out of the public eye, working for the armed forces. Harry would be doing similar to what he does now, but on a lower budget. William may or may not have been married to Kate Middleton. The wedding possibly wouldn't have been such a grand affair though.

The public would even get more access to the palaces that could have been given to the National Trust.

IHN, do I assume that you are a member of the Royal Household?

[i]IHN, do I assume that you are a member of the Royal household?[/i]

Am I balls, I'm not even particularly a royalist. I just get annoyed by the "this is all being done with my money" stuff that gets banded around when the vast majority isn't.

[i]That sounds like a bit of a circular argument to me.[/i]

To be fair, so does yours; have a republic so nothing changes? Even if we did have a republic we'd have some form of head of state who would be sent on international schmoozing trips and they'd [b]definately[/b] be tax-payer funded.

Even if we did have a republic we'd have some form of head of state who would be sent on international schmoozing trips and they'd definately be tax-payer funded.

And accountable.

Also, are you really trying to argue that Harry is independently wealthy?

[i]And accountable[/i]

Well, for a start it would probably be some sort of 'honorary' position, much like the French or Irish presidents, so they wouldn't actually have much to be accountable for.

And in the same vein, what exactly should the Royal family be accountable for?

[i]are you really trying to argue that Harry is independently wealthy?[/i]

Well, yeah, he is, in the same way that anyone born into a wealthy family is. And there are plenty of families wealthier than the Royals, should we abolish them too?

[i]Cfh - that touch up job of the Jesus painting deserves a thread of its own! [/i]

It had one, I'll go bump it.

Am I balls, I'm not even particularly a royalist.

I just get annoyed by the "this is all being done with my money" stuff that gets banded around when the vast majority isn't.

Let's become a Republic. Our honorary, ceremonial presidencies can have a fixed term.

...and Harry can go to Vegas in peace.

[i]That reminds me of those people who say,
"I'm not a racist, but..." [/i]

I'll have you know that some of my best friends are Republicans 🙂

[i]It's not the money that bothers me too much, it's the notion of we 'common folk' being 'subjects'. ie. We are inferior by virtue of our non-blue blood.[/i]

To be honest, I think that's more your problem than theirs. I have absolutely no feeling of being a subject or being inferior to the Royal family.

I was thinking this during all the Jubilee stuff. If you meet the Queen, the protocol is to bow if you're a fella and curtsey if you're a ladygirl. I don't think I would.

They're a famous and rich family who, like it or not, are important to the country from a cultural and historical aspect. I don't in any way see them as 'special' though.

it's the notion of we 'common folk' being 'subjects'. ie. We are inferior by virtue of our non-blue blood.

See.. that might've been the prevailing notion centuries ago, but now it's just an anachronism.

I don't think anyone truly believes the royals are superior because of their breeding. And it sure as hell would not stand up in court - it would not even be considered.

A lot rich toffs do have superiority complexes though, but that's normal for humans, and nowadays is about money not breeding.

[i]Let's become a Republic. Our honorary, ceremonial presidencies can have a fixed term.

...and Harry can go to Vegas in peace. [/i]

If we're just talking about figureheads, what does it matter if one is wearing a crown?

And all that would happen would be shots of Leo Blair naked in a Vegas casino would appear in the papers. It'd be the same game, just different players.

[i]A lot [s]rich toffs do[/s][b]people[/b] have superiority complexes [b]and an equal number have inferioty complexes[/b] though, but that's normal for humans, and nowadays is about money [b]and snobbery, noth normal and inverse[/b] not breeding.[/i]

FTFY