Kremlin-funded
news channel regaled viewers with a mocked-up family tree linking royal family
to Nazis
The Guardian, Caroline Davies, Friday 23 May 2014
The row that refuses to die descended into playground idiom when a Kremlin-funded news channel hit back on Friday at Prince Charles's alleged likening of Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler.
Russian television showed this image of Edward VIII with Hitler in 1937 alongside the Windsor family tree and a photograph of Prince Harry dressing in Nazi uniform. |
The row that refuses to die descended into playground idiom when a Kremlin-funded news channel hit back on Friday at Prince Charles's alleged likening of Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler.
The
pro-Russia broadcaster Russia Today (RT) regaled viewers with a mocked-up
family tree linking royals to Nazis in a 'Takes one to know one' video poking
the embers of the House of Windsor's German past.
"If
anyone knows real Nazis it's the royal family" the channel declared on its
In the Now programme while it flashed up sepia portraits of the Queen and
family.
Here was
Charles's great uncle, the Duke of Windsor, and wife Wallis Simpson,
photographed visiting Hitler at his Obersalzberg retreat in 1937 shortly after
abdicating as Edward VIII. Simpson, RT senior political correspondent Anissa
Naouai solemnly pronounced, "hung out with Hitler".
There was
the Duke of Edinburgh, his chest weighted with medals. "His sister,
Sophie," added Naouai, "was married to a SS officer." Cue
photograph of Christophe of Hesse-Cassel, marching in his SS colonel's uniform.
Naouai could have added, for good measure, he named his eldest son Karl Adolf
in Hitler's honour.
Then, the
piece de resistance. Charles's "very own son" Prince Harry. Pictured
in Nazi costume at a party on the front page of the Sun. "He likes to
dress up as a Nazi, even if its just for Halloween," confided the
presenter.
Which all
goes to show: "Perhaps the royals are better seen not heard" and
"Prince Charles should put his money where his mouth is".
The video
attack comes three days after Charles precipitated a diplomatic row on tour in
Canada when he spoke to a Jewish survivor of the second world war. In apparent
reference to Russia's annexation of Crimea, he told Marianne Ferguson, 78:
"Now Putin is doing just about the same as Hitler."
As Clarence
House stressed it was "a private conversation" and deputy prime
minister Nick Clegg defended the prince's right to espouse his views in
private, Russia has refused to ignore the ensuing furore. The timing has been
unfortunate, two weeks before Putin, the Queen and Charles join other leaders
to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Appalled at
the Hitler comparison, Moscow's anger has been palpable. The Russian foreign
ministry has declared: "These words, if they had been indeed uttered, are
no compliment to the future British monarch."
The Russian
ambassador had an urgent meeting with the Foreign Office which took place on
Thursday.
During the
meeting the Foreign Office appears to have brushed off Russia's complaint,
saying it could not be expected to comment on private conversations. The
failure of British officials to offer an "explanation" was described
by the embassy as a matter of "regret".
This latest
retaliation by Moscow will make uncomfortable viewing for a royal family which
has, for almost a century, tried to put distance between it and its German
roots by renaming itself Windsor in 1917.
Related Articles:
Putin says Prince Charles's Hitler remarks 'unacceptable and wrong'
Prince Charles's Putin and Hitler comparison is latest in string of gaffes
Prince Charles (right) pictured with the Russian president Vladimir Putin in 2003. Photograph: Tim Ockenden/PA |
Related Articles:
Putin says Prince Charles's Hitler remarks 'unacceptable and wrong'
Prince Charles's Putin and Hitler comparison is latest in string of gaffes
Prince Charles attacked by Russian-funded TV channel over Putin remarks
Prince Charles's Putin-Hitler comparison is outrageous, says Russia
Russian diplomats request UK talks over Prince Charles's remarks on Putin
Prince Charles's Putin-Hitler comparison is outrageous, says Russia
Russian diplomats request UK talks over Prince Charles's remarks on Putin
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.