From wild child to the armed forces, there are many facets to Prince Harry and he is more than happy to embrace them all!
While the 32-year-old royal was on a tour of Lesotho and South Africa, he admitted during his school days he always wanted to be a “bad boy.”
“I didn’t enjoy school at all,” Harry told the kids at Ottery Youth Centre in Cape Town.
The youth centre looks after teens from troubled backgrounds something Harry, who was educated at the prestigious Eton College, thinks would have been great for him growing up.
“I would have liked to come to a place like this. When I was at school I wanted to be the bad boy.”
Encouraging the kids to not bend to peer pressure, he added, “It’s much harder to stand up for what you believe in.”
Unlike most of the world, the teenagers had no idea they were chatting to royalty.
“That’s the right answer!” Harry laughed, who went on to introduce himself. “My name is Prince Harry, the Queen of England’s grandson, Princess Diana’s son. I’ve come all the way from England to see you guys. I’m interested to hear all your stories.”
While it’s clear the former troublemaker has come a long way, Prince Harry still can’t resist teasing his big brother, William.
“If you’ve got an older brother that’s not into gangs, that’s a huge positive,” Harry advised.
Before joking, “Older brothers are supposedly the cool ones. I’m a younger brother but I’m much cooler than my older brother.” Indeed, over the years the fifth in the line to the British throne has won a legion of fans for being at times, cheeky, naughty but most importantly, down to earth.
Relive Prince Harry’s former bad boy days and see his top five cheekiest moments
During Harry’s tour of Lesotho and South Africa, the 31-year-old managed to fit in some public ribbing of his big brother, William.
Speaking to the at-risk youths, he said: “If you’ve got an older brother that’s not into gangs, that’s a huge positive. Older brothers are supposedly the cool ones. I’m a younger brother but I’m much cooler than my older brother.” And it’s not the first time he’s taken (playful) fire at Wills… Check out the time he spoke about William “baldness”.
Harry may have followed in his royal family’s footsteps by attending the prestigious Eton College, but that in no way stopped him from regularly playing up.
During high school, Harry loved to party. A senior official at St James’s Palace confirmed that Prince Charles had been aware of his son’s drug-taking and was concerned. “We acknowledge that on several occasions last summer, Prince Harry experimented with cannabis. It is not that he had or has a serious problem, but he did take the drug.” And who could forget those naked photos of Prince Harry partying in Las Vegas in 2012?
Happy Birthday Prince Harry!
But he’s come a long way since those days. With a former bad boy rep, it’s no wonder the ginger Prince gets reactions like this…
But that in no means stops Harry from being a MAJOR flirt! In fact, he’s in no rush to find a girlfriend and is enjoying single life.
Not only a flirt, Harry can always deliver major sass! Like the time he tricked Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt into losing a race…
Going against royal protocol, Charles’ youngest son set up a secret Facebook account under the pseudonym of Spike Wells. Sadly, Spike had to shutdown his page after the infamous Vegas scandal.
Who doesn’t love a man on a motorbike!? His fearless streak saw him succeed through the ranks in the armed forces.
Harry eventually traded in his bad boy ways for the army. After a decade long service, he now is focusing on his charity work… But that doesn’t mean we can’t remember his camouflage days.
