Prince is no pauper

The world of literature provides a number of tales of royalty and their troubles with Shakespeare giving us Hamlet involving madness and a treachery from a brother whereas Macbeth tells of the plotting by a wife. The consequences of these actions are fairly tragic with nearly all of the major characters dead

There are some more positive stories that the royal, at present, couple should read before they depart the warmth of their castles. A good starting point would be ‘The Prince and The Pauper’ by Mark Twain which tells the story of two boys switching positions and learning more of the world they live in (“Harry, Meghan defies Queen in quitting royal roles: Report,” Jan. 10, Gulf today).

The Prince leaves his royal life behind and swiftly sees the, and suffers from, real world that most of his people live in. He is able to return to his original position although this may not be an option for Prince Harry. Prince Harry however is unlikely to live as a Pauper no matter what happens.

The real choice should be a yes or no, one which would mean giving up both responsibilities and rewards of the titled position. Given however the work he has done with the Invictus games, there are many out there who could miss out now.

The reality is that whatever the outcome, the search for privacy will be unsuccessful and that is the difference between fiction and reality.

Dennis Fitzgerald
Melbourne, Australia