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Prince Harry Joins Christie to Tour Storm Damage A Governor and a Prince at the Shore, Squeezing In a Game or Two
(about 9 hours later)
The governor of New Jersey and the English prince hold public positions that often demand they behave in accordance with a set of unwritten protocols – avoiding offense and playing nice even when their instincts might compel them to do otherwise. SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. — Chris Christie takes pride in being the unfiltered everyman’s politician.
And both Chris Christie, the 55th Governor of the Great State of New Jersey, and Henry Charles Albert David, His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales, have seemed to relish flouting those rules in the past. But on Tuesday, his pursuit of a second term as the governor of New Jersey took an unusual detour as he spent much of the day with Prince Harry, the polo-playing royal whose family has held the British throne for centuries without ever having to deal with something as bothersome as the democratic process.
So when word first spread that Mr. Christie would lead Prince Harry on a tour of areas along the Jersey Shore ravaged by Hurricane Sandy, the governor lightheartedly assured a worried caller to a radio show that he would keep the young royal out of trouble. As the two men toured the town of Mantoloking and the Boardwalk at Seaside Heights, two places on the Jersey Shore devastated by Hurricane Sandy last year, the term “odd couple” seemed fair.
“If you trust me, all will be fine,” he said. The appearances were part of a solidarity tour to highlight recovery efforts. As expected, the prince and the governor — two figures whose professional and personal lives are the source of constant speculation — proved irresistible to cameras.
And on Tuesday, when the two men toured the devastated town of Mantoloking and the boardwalk at Seaside Heights, two places steamrollered by Hurricane Sandy last year, they succeeded in shining a spotlight on an area still struggling to recover. “It’s the American spirit, isn’t it? Everyone getting together and making things right,” Prince Harry said, as enthusiastic crowds lined the Boardwalk in Seaside Heights. “It’s fantastic.”
“It’s the American spirit, isn’t it? Everyone getting together and making things right,” Prince Harry said as enthusiastic crowds lined the boardwalk in Seaside Heights. “It’s fantastic.” Prince Harry’s last visit stateside ended with naked photos of him at a Las Vegas hotel surfacing on the Internet.
In one of a series of highly coordinated photo opportunities, Mr. Christie presented the prince with an honorary fleece, similar to the one he wore as he raced around the state after the storm. And since Seaside Heights is where the infamous drunken antics of Snooki and her reality show housemates on “Jersey Shore” took place, the predictable jokes about the prince fitting right in abounded.
More than 500 homes in Mantoloking were destroyed during the storm, and dozens of businesses on the boardwalk remain devastated. Governor Christie, whose own unedited moments typically come in the form of salty outbursts, had already made one joke, telling the press he would make sure the prince stayed out of trouble.
Residents were clearly grateful for the attention, hanging British flags and offering an enthusiastic reception. Following in the footsteps of the last British royals to visit New Jersey — his great-grandparents, Queen Elizabeth and King George VI, traveled through on a tour in June 1939 to drum up American support for their war effort — Prince Harry’s visit was sedate and symbolic.
Mr. Christie is not the only politician hoping to get a little shine from Prince Harry’s star wattage. In fact, the scene in Seaside Heights as the crowd waited for the pair had all the hallmarks of a set piece: People worked hot-dog stands and clam bars where nothing was cooking, carefully wiping down clean surfaces over and over; at least one person stroked a doorframe with a paint-free paintbrush.
Prince Harry is scheduled to appear later in the day in Manhattan with Prime Minister David Cameron to promote British industry and tourism. They will ride around town in one of London’s new double-decker buses. Even the children seemed like props. Around a dozen school children were sternly instructed to stay put at the carnival game booths — opened for just that afternoon and stocked with plush toys — and play.
So far, the royal visit has resulted in glowing headlines -- a far cry from Prince Harry’s last trip stateside. On that trip, surreptitiously taken photos of the prince cavorting with at least one naked young woman during a game of billiards at a Las Vegas hotel caused an international sensation. In the background was the Jet Star roller coaster that once stood on the Boardwalk, but had been sitting in the waves since it plunged into the ocean during Hurricane Sandy. It was scheduled to be dismantled immediately after the event.
This time, his agenda was filled with the kind of activities that could give offense to no one. Suddenly, the star arrived. The prince was dressed in a white shirt with black sunglasses, the spring sun shining on his flame-colored hair.
He attended a White House celebration of military mothers in Washington, laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and at the grave of an American soldier killed in Afghanistan at Arlington National Cemetery, and attended a reception last week in Congress to highlight the anti-landmine campaign championed by his late mother. There was a cheer — though not quite what The Boss, or even The Situation, would draw here — and a small sea of smartphones snapping photos.
Prince Harry, who has served two tours in Afghanistan with the British armed forces, also attended the Warrior Games for wounded veterans in Colorado Springs and visited with injured soldiers at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The children who had been stuck at the carnival booths for the past hour began to play in earnest. They were joined by the young prince and the governor for a game of whiffle ball toss.
He even found time to serenade Missy Franklin, the swimmer who was one of the most celebrated stars of the Olympic Games in London. Mr. Christie trounced the 29-year-old prince, who served two tours in Afghanistan. Mr. Christie gave his prize to a redheaded 6-year-old named Michael Vanover, who pointed out to the prince that they had the same hair color.
After touring Manhattan with Mr. Cameron, he is expected to pay a visit to Harlem and later dine at the Four Seasons at an event to raise money for the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. Prince Harry mustered only two smaller-sized Hello Kitties, according to Brenden Cardibuono, 16, who ran the booth.
At the next game, the prince coached Jada Fonseca, 7, to dart-throwing victory and a small stuffed bear.
But unlike many girls, she did not seem impressed. “Is he a real life prince?” she asked. Then where was his cape, she said, or at the very least, his sword?