Harry and William: Brothers In Arms

They are undoubtedly the most eligible bachelors on this planet. Come April 29 and that is sure to change!
As Prince William of Wales gets ready to take Kate Middleton as his wife in a ceremony eagerly awaited by millions, younger brother Prince Harry prepares for an expedition to the North Pole. Theirs has always been a life closely watched by the media. We bring to you a snapshot of their lives lived under the spotlight.

Born on June 21, 1982, to Prince Charles of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales, William was affectionately called Wills and Wombat by those close to him. Two years later, on September 15, 1984, Prince Henry of Wales was born, affectionately called Harry world-over. Soon to stand as the best man at his brother's grand wedding, Harry has more or less followed in his brother's footsteps. The two have had a rather normal childhood. Well, as normal as a Prince's life can be anyway.

Their mother, the late Princess Diana (a title she is popularly referred to posthumously), was known as much for her humanitarian work as for her charming looks, troubled marriage and affairs. Princess Diana wanted the brothers to experience a normal rounded life, unlike other royal children in the past. The brothers enjoyed everyday pleasures and were taken to Disney World and fast-food joints, but in keeping with Princess Diana's deep involvement with charity, to AIDS clinics as well.

The acrimonious public divorce between the parents of the Princes in 1996 was a media circus. Diana gave her famous "three people in our marriage" interview about the Prince's affair with his now wife Camilla Parker-Bowles. Prince Charles responded with an interview of his own about how he had been faithful "until the marriage had broken down". The media was full of details on Diana's personal life.

After Princess Diana's death in a car crash in 1997, the princes then had to grieve for their mother in the full glare of the media. Unforgettably, the two boys, accompanied by their grandfather, father and Diana's brother Earl Spencer, walked behind their mother's coffin through the streets of London for the funeral in Westminster Abbey. The hand-printed “Mummy'' card on Diana's casket a heartbreaking detail from the funeral, imprinted forever.

In 2005, after a long continued association, their father Prince Charles married Camilla, now Duchess of Cornwall. The voracious tabloid press left Prince William relatively unscathed. Some reports said Prince Charles had struck a deal with photographers under which William and Harry were left in peace in return for stage-managed photo ops.
Other reports stated that Prince Charles was criticised for neglecting Harry, who was left at Highgrove while the Prince of Wales was busy with foreign trips and off romancing Camilla.

Both the brothers attended Eton college, a decision made against the royal tradition of sending royal children to Gordonstoun. Both the bachelors took part in various sporting events, particularly football and polo.

William is an outdoorsy Prince. He plays polo for charity, is a rugby fan, and captained his house football team at Eton. In 2006, he became President of England's Football Association, a position he continues to hold

William and Harry visited Africa in 2010 – their first foreign tour together. They also watched some of the football World Cup matches in South Africa , in the company of David Beckham who ended up with an invite to the Royal Wedding.

After his gap year (the year taken off by many after graduating from high school and before entering college) in Chile, Prince William enrolled in University of St. Andrews, leading to a significant rise in the number of applications there. Specially, those of young women hoping to meet the prince. It was here that the Prince met the bride-to-be Kate, who was convinced by her mother to attend the university.

Unlike his brother, but like his father, Harry spent his gap year in Australia where he worked at a cattle station and then with orphaned children. He also produced a documentary called The Forgotten Kingdom.

Harry's humanitarian side reminds us of Princess Di. As she had once said he was what she wanted to be- “Harry's the naughty one, just like me.''

Harry, dubbed the ‘wild child' for his rebellious ways, was caught at 17 smoking cannabis and partaking in under-age drinking with his friends. The physical clashes with the paparazzi outside nightclubs weren't helping the royal image either.

At Highgrove, Harry had painted the cellar black, turning it into a disco named Club H, for entertaining a group of friends known as the Glosse Posse.

The Prince stretched things a bit too much when he was photographed at Highgrove House at a "Colonial and Native" themed costume party wearing a Nazi German Afrika Korps uniform with a swastika armband. He had to later issue a public apology.

But that isn't the only time when Harry has had to express regret. In 2009 a video was released showing the Prince refer to a Pakistani fellow officer cadet as "our little Paki friend," and later called a soldier wearing a cloth on his head "raghead". These terms were termed "racist" by many. In response, a Muslim organisation called the Prince a "thug", a statement that was later retracted.
It was later revealed that the Prince had personally apologised to the soldier involved in the incident.

Meanwhile, William's fairly steady romance with college-sweetheart Kate Middleton had become a national topic of discussion. While many had predicted a prolonged affair after the couple's graduation, her active involvement in the royal gatherings did not fail to grab media attention.

In 2006, William successfully graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and in April 2008, Kate appeared at William's side at his graduation ceremony from the Royal Air Force, suggesting the couple's relationship is now permanent and that she had gained the approval of senior royals.

Unlike William, Harry was a poor student, made it clear early he wouldn't be going to university and opted for Sandhurst as an officer cadet, finding his niche and an inner confidence. He saw active military duty in Afghanistan among other places. But the Prince was forbidden to return to the frontlines after a British tabloid disclosed his identity to the international media. The Prince was quick to express his disappointment, "There's no way I'm going to put myself through Sandhurst and then sit back home while my boys are out fighting for their country," he said.

Chain-smoking Harry has a roving eye, too, linked with a slew of women, from a Sky News sportscaster to a 34-year-old mother of two who told the tabloids that she'd been seduced by the Prince at a house party. Harry was at one time also rumoured to be dating Camilla Romestrand, a Norwegian rock star and lead singer for UK band Eddie The Gun.
But most media attention has been given to his relationship with Chelsy Davy. After more than a year and half of reports of the two dating, the Prince, on his 21st birthday, confirmed that the two were indeed seeing each other.

The pair dated seriously from 2004 until 2009, with Harry even contemplating proposing at one point. The pair have been more off since 2009.

Reason for the split? Well, media attention of course.

The young girl from Zimbabwe has recently moved to London and taken up a job at a law firm. Actively involved in the wedding preparations, she has even come to organize Kate's hen party with the future Queen's sister, Pippa.

Planning to make it a night to remember, Harry and nightclub owner pal Guy Pelly are planning to host a survivors breakfast. Making it a night to remember! Some reports say Prince Harry has to convert three of the state rooms in Buckingham Palace into a ... hold your breath...nightclub! Who knows more about rocking parties than than Party Prince Harry.

Now as the world prepares itself for the Wedding of The Century, William and Harry's fame proves itself worthwhile of international news. Wonder what the future has in store for Harry. Perhaps another fairy-tale wedding? At the rate he's going, it might as well be on top of the Everest, which he next hopes to climb. How about that!