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Prince Harry hates selfies


Britain's Prince Harry is "anti-selfie".
The 31-year-old royal declined a young woman's request to pose for a picture she would take herself when they met in South Africa.
Harry - who had just presented Desmond Tutu with the Order of the Companion of Honour in South Africa - told the member of the retired Archbishop's entourage: "I'm afraid I'm anti-selfie."
This is not the first time Harry has declined to be in a selfie, though he is happy to have his picture taken.
Earlier this year, a teenage girl in Australia leant over crowd barriers to ask for one of the photos, but the prince replied: "No, I hate selfies. Seriously, you need to get out of it. I know you're young, but selfies are bad.
"Just take a normal photograph."
However, in Estonia last year he did compile with a blonde female well-wisher's request for a selfie.
Meanwhile, Harry's brother and sister-in-law, Prince William and Duchess Catherine, previously posed for selfies when they visited Sydney, Australia.
And during a visit to the 'Game of Thrones' set in Belfast, the prince's grandmother Queen Elizabeth unwittingly appeared in a selfie taken by a teenage guy who managed to stand in front of her during a walkaround.
Last year, Harry's uncle Prince Andrew became the first royal to publicly take and publish his own selfie.
He took the photo at the final of his Pitch @ Palace competition at St James's Palace, and posted the image - featuring the grinning prince with the audience in the background - to Twitter.

Prince Harry plays barefoot rugby


Britain's Prince Harry played rugby barefoot yesterday (01.12.15).
The 31-year-old prince continues his tour of South Africa with a visit to Sharks Rugby club in Durban, where he teased the giant mascot Sharkie before taking part in a game of tag rugby with children.
Sadly for Harry, his team lost to a side captained by Sharks CEO and former Springboks captain John Smit.
Asked if he enjoyed the game, Harry told Sky News: "Yes, but his lot were much better than my lot."
John said it was a "privilege" to host Harry at the 'Shark Tank' and felt his presence was important for the youngsters.
He said: "To have him here, to see how humble he is, it's a big deal.
"He comes across as such a good bloke. It's good for our kids, who come from some pretty rural areas with not much to their names, to meet someone like him."
Harry made the visit to learn more about the South African Rugby and British High Commission Rugby Exchange Programme, which gives opportunities to players and coaches from disadvantaged backgrounds to experience playing the sport.
Later in the day, the prince met with street kids learning to surf on the beach before taking a private plane to visit Kruger national park.
At the Missions Area Joint Operations Service, he met with rangers and was supposed to meet a tracking dog.
However, he was advised to keep his distance from the animal, which is named Killer, after it bit a member of the British High Commission before his arrival.
Today (02.12.15), Harry will speak with the rangers about their efforts to stop rhino poaching, a practice causing severe threat to their 8,000-9,000 rhino.

Prince Charles urges world leaders to act on climate change


Britain's Prince Charles referenced Prince George and Princess Charlotte as he urged world leaders to save the planet from the dangers of climate change.
The Prince of Wales made a passionate speech at COP 21, the United Nations' conference on climate change in Paris, yesterday (30.11.15) and urged delegates to "act now" to protect the planet "without further procrastination".
He said: "Think of your grandchildren, as I think of mine.
"Rarely in human history have so many people around the world placed their trust in so few.
"Your deliberations over the next two weeks will decide the fate not only of those alive today, but also of generations yet unborn."
Charles also made links to climate change and the huge terror conflicts, including the recent Paris terror attacks, which are gripping the world today.
He added: "Already we are being overtaken by other events and crises that can be seen as greater and more immediate threats.
"But in reality many are already and will increasingly be related to the rapidly growing effects of climate change.
"On an increasingly crowded planet, humanity faces many threats - but none is greater than climate change.
"It magnifies every hazard and tension of our existence.
"It threatens our ability to feed ourselves; to remain healthy and safe from extreme weather; to manage the natural resources that support our economies and to avert the humanitarian disaster of mass migration and increasing conflict."
Charles began his speech by talking about the Paris terror attacks of two weeks ago, describing them as "unspeakable atrocities".
He said: "I can only begin by saying how heavy my heart is at the dreadful anguish suffered by those who lost their loved ones in the unspeakable atrocities of two weeks ago and how my deepest sympathy and solidarity are with the French people.
"Against a background of such inhuman violence and terror, it is almost impossible to talk sensibly about matters of everyday civilization.
"Yet that is what I propose to do, because in the face of such awfulness it may help to be reminded of the simple and timeless human values that lie at the heart of our society."

Buckingham Palace’s State Dining Room closed


Buckingham Palace's State Dining Room has been closed for six months over safety fears.
The ceiling in the room - where Queen Elizabeth broadcast her Christmas speech from last year - was found to pose a danger to the royal family, and as a result six other rooms which could be affected, including The Ballroom, are being inspected by engineers.
The source said: "The State Dining Room is out of service for six months. They are checking the shared roof cavity above six State Rooms."
This will come as a blow to the queen as the room will not be available for the 89-year-old monarch's annual Diplomatic Reception, in which she invites 1,500 of the country's top diplomats to the Palace.
A second source revealed the Palace - which has 775 rooms - has been talking to the Treasury about how any potential repairs to the State Room and other areas of the 300-year-old house could be funded.
A Palace spokesman told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: "As the result of a routine survey an issue was found with one of the ceiling beams in the roof space of the State Dining Room.
"Following further assessment, access to the room has been suspended."

Coiin launched to celebrate Queen’s reign


Britain's first ever £50 coin has been produced to commemorate Queen Elizabeth being the nation's longest-reigning monarch.
The currency has been launched by the Royal Mint - the body permitted to manufacture the UK's coins - and has a run of 100,000, but despite it being legal tender the coin cannot be used to purchase products in shops because it is not classed as "circulatory tender".
But as it is legal tender then anyone who owns one will be able to exchange it for £50 at a bank.
Usually, the Mint prefers to have two artist design each side of such a coin but on this occasion engraver Jody Clark worked on both sides.
The Mint is hoping the coin will be collectable because of its design and what it stands for rather than its value.
Elizabeth has reigned for nearly 64 years, which is thought to be longer than any other monarch in British history.
She passed Queen Victoria's record of 63 years 216 days in September.
The Mint produced a £100 coin featuring Big Ben in December 2014 which sold out in 11 days.

Prince Harry honours Desmond Tutu


Britain's Prince Harry presented Desmond Tutu with a Companion of Honour award yesterday (30.11.15).
The 31-year-old royal met the Nobel Peace Prize winner - who won the accolade in 1984 for his campaign to end apartheid - as part of his tour of South Africa, and he handed over the prize to the human rights activist on behalf of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.
Kensington Palace documented the gesture in a series of tweets, writing: "Prince Harry presented the #CompanionofHonour when he met @TheDesmondTutu today at the offices of @TutuLegacy
"The Honour is awarded to Archbishop Tutu for services to UK Communities, and International Peace and Reconciliation.
"Prince Harry presents Insignia of an Honorary member of The Order of the #CompanionsofHonour on behalf of The Queen (sic)"
Tutu later took to Twitter to thank the queen for the honour and praised her "delightful grandson".
He wrote: "Thank you @BritishMonarchy for the Order of the #CompanionsofHonour, and for your delightful grandson, Prince Harry.
"We told Prince Harry we accepted the Order on behalf of all on whose shoulders we've sat, @BritishMonarchy
"Thank you @BritishMonarchy and people of the UK who supported our freedom struggle. Without you, and others, we would have achieved nothing. (sic)"
The Companion of Honour was granted by the Queen on the recommendation of the government.

Prince Harry: I wanted to be a bad boy


Britain's Prince Harry has told how he "didn't enjoy" school and "wanted to be the bad boy".
The flame-haired royal confessed his rebellious desires in South Africa yesterday (30.11.15) while speaking at a correction centre which works to rehabilitate gang leaders and those from troubled backgrounds referred to the establishment by the courts.
While introducing himself to teenagers at the Ottery Youth Centre in Cape Town, which offers woodwork classes and has a farm, he said: "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. I didn't enjoy school at all. I would like to have come to a place like this. When I was at school I wanted to be the bad boy."
The 31-year-old prince also poked fun at his older brother, Prince William, 33, while speaking to the teenagers.
He added: "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."
Harry was given a tour of the complex by reformed gang member Rashad Allen - formerly of the notorious Numbers gang - and introduced to the teens by Professor Ruben Richards.
One of the kids he met revealed he started drinking at smoking aged nine.

Prince Harry ‘in awe’ of wounded war veteran


Britain's Prince Harry has been in daily contact with a wounded US war veteran after she underwent a leg amputation.
The flame-haired royal is said to be in awe of Kirstie Ennis, 24, after she had an operation to remove her lower left leg last week - her 39th time under the knife since surviving a helicopter crash in Afghanistan in 2012.
Kirstie, who was born in Miami, bravely posted a number of pictures online, including one of herself in a red two-piece bikini, before and after her op.
She told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: "I wanted to show how I looked before surgery and I wanted to celebrate everything my foot and lower limb did for me.
"Initially when doctors told me that I would be losing my leg I was concerned with body image, which is quite shallow.
"I wanted to show that with or without my leg, I am still beautiful."
Earlier this month, Kirstie endured constant pain while walking 1,000 miles from Scotland to London to help raise £250,000 for Harry's charity Walking With The Wounded.
Harry, 31, was reduced to tears after the charity walk when Kirstie gave him a name tag belonging to her late friend.
Struggling for words, Harry initially refused to take the precious memento, saying: "No I can't, I can't accept this."
Kirstie replied with tears rolling down her face: "Please, you know what this means to me, I want you to."

Queen Elizabeth jokes Canadian PM makes her feel ‘old’


Britain's Queen Elizabeth had a room in fits of laughter when she jokingly thanked the Canadian prime minister for making her feel "so old".
The 89-year-old monarch was in fine form at the banquet for the leaders of Commonwealth countries, which took place in Malta, as she made the quip in response to new PM Justin Trudeau recalling the royal's appearance on a postage stamp in 1935.
He said: "You were only nine years old when you carried out what was perhaps your first official duty on behalf of Canada, an appearance on a postage stamp. That was 1935."
The queen wittily replied: "Thank you Mr Prime Minister of Canada for making me feel so old."
Trudeau, 43, also spoke about the queen meeting his late father, Pierre Trudeau, in 1982 when he was the Canadian prime minister.
He said: "It is 1982 and on Parliament Hill Queen Elizabeth signs the Constitution Act, thus empowering Canada's legal foundation, including our Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
"On that cool day in Ottawa, seated beside you was my father.
"Pierre Elliott Trudeau was your fourth Canadian prime minister. I am your twelfth."

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