Clarence House today confirmed that the photos of Harry — nude and clutching his crown jewels in one, and hugging a naked woman in another — are genuine. They asked that the press respect the prince's "expectation of privacy", considering he was on holidays at the time.
The photos were taken during a game of "strip billiards" with two women at a private pool party when the 27-year-old was in Las Vegas this week.
The UK Telegraph asked Dai Davies, former head of royal protection at the Metropolitan Police Service, why Harry's minders didn't prevent him from getting into such a controversial situation.
"I don't envy their [security officers'] job. It must be a nightmare at times, trying to ensure that he doesn't get into these kinds of scrapes," Mr Davies said.
"I'm told he's a lovely man and everyone forgives him for whatever he has done almost as soon as he has done it."
Hopefully Harry's horrified royal relatives, including his grandmother the Queen, will be just as forgiving as his loyal bodyguards. Not likely though!
Royal commentators expect that Harry will get a stern talking to from his father Prince Charles, followed by an even sterner talk from his Army bosses.
And who knows what his granny is thinking right now? Lucky she's got plenty of pearls to clutch.
