Senior politicians and the leader of a Muslim youth organisation have today condemned soldier Prince Harry for a video diary in which he describes an Asian member of his platoon as "our little Paki friend".
The prince, who is third in line to the throne, made the comments in footage shot while training as an officer at Britain's Sandhurst military academy in 2006, a year after being forced to make a public apology for wearing a Nazi swastika at a fancy dress party. Last night, a royal spokesperson issued a public apology for the latest incident, saying: "Prince Harry fully understands how offensive this term can be, and is extremely sorry for any offence his words might cause."
"However, on this occasion three years ago, Prince Harry used the term (about Ahmed Raza Khan) without any malice and as a nickname about a highly popular member of his platoon. There is no question that Prince Harry was in any way seeking to insult his friend."
The Conservative Party leader, David Cameron, became the first leading politician to comment on the matter when he told the BBC: "It is obviously a completely unacceptable thing to say and it is right that he has apologised.
"I think that it is important in the great institutions, whether it is the army or whether it is political parties, we have had to root out attitudes ... and that has to go right across the institutions."
But Cameron went on to say that he did not believe the prince should face further punishment: "He has made an apology. I think it is important he is clear about that and I think that is enough."
The Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, told Sky News the remarks "will have caused considerable offence".
Mohammed Shafiq, director of Muslim youth organisation the Ramadan Foundation, said the comments would be offensive to many Asians.
"The use of this sort of racism has no justification and I am saddened by those that are advocating using this term is not racist," he said.
"Prince Harry, as a public figure, must ensure that he promotes equality and tolerance and this rant, whether today or three years ago, is sickening and he should be thoroughly ashamed of himself."
In the film, the 24-year-old prince calls an officer from the Pakistani army, who was on the course with him, "our little Paki friend", and when he sees another officer cadet wearing a camouflage veil, exclaims: "Fuck me, you look like a raghead."
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