BRITAIN: Nazi uniforms, drunkenness and claims of cheating in school form part of Prince Harry's reputation, writes Lynne O'Donnell in London
Prince Harry, the third in line to the British throne, began his military career at Sandhurst Academy this week amid hopes that the tough routine and discipline of army life will see him develop from the wayward youth who has caused constant embarrassment to the royal family into a man to make his country proud.
But as his father, Prince Charles, delivered him to the military institute that will be his home for the next 44 weeks, Harry's reputation was once again being shredded, this time in a London courtroom where his former headmaster went into excruciating detail about his poor academic performance.
London newspapers have delighted in revelations that Harry's course work on the examinations that got him into Sandhurst contained spelling and grammar mistakes that appear to back up claims by a former teacher that he was a weak student who needed all the help he could get.
The reports cap a tumultuous year for the 20-year-old prince, who has earned a reputation for boorish behaviour, both in public and at private royal gatherings where he reportedly gets falling-down drunk.
As third in line, behind Charles and older brother Prince William, Harry has earned some sympathy as the aimless spare to the heir. But as partying appeared to become the whole point of his existence, public patience evaporated when he attended a costume party wearing the uniform of a Nazi soldier.
While it is generally accepted that the prince does not enjoy profound academic ability, he is not without talent. He was offered, but turned down, a place on the national polo team, and could yet take up the sport professionally.
In the meantime, the British media have been focusing on claims by a former teacher that he cheated on exams.
Sarah Forsyth, who taught the prince art at Eton, has accused the school of unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination when it sacked her last year.
The question of whether or not Harry cheated to pass his exams has become the colourful sidebar to the employment tribunal hearing, which has heard that Ms Forsyth taped a conversation with Harry in which she says he admitted having done very little of the work himself.
Ms Forsyth has claimed she worked on Harry's course book, and that the school's drawing master, Ian Bourke, completed paintings submitted as part of Harry's art examination, for which he was awarded a B.
The tape, which has been played on television and radio, is barely audible, and Eton said the claims about Harry are irrelevant to the case because Ms Forsyth was sacked for incompetence.
Tony Little, headmaster of Eton, in a backhanded way of denying that teachers had acted inappropriately, said Harry's work was of such poor quality he could only have done it himself. "If a teacher had done that with those sort of spelling mistakes, she isn't worth the job," he said.
Yesterday's Evening Standard asked two art experts to judge the merits of Harry's paintings, and comment on the likelihood they had been done by Mr Burke, a well-known artist.
Robin Simon and David Lee, both editors of leading art journals, said they could see Mr Burke's influence in Harry's paintings, one of which depicts lizards on an ochre background that is clearly influenced by Australian aboriginal motifs, a theme of Mr Burke's work.
They said it would be strange if Harry's work did not reflect his teacher's influence.
"He is obviously a very good teacher to get Harry to do something which is so sophisticated and mature," Mr Lee said.