Outrage at Nazi Harry

Prince Harry should not be allowed to join the Army after being pictured dressed up as a Nazi soldier, a leading politician said today.

Former Armed Forces minister Doug Henderson said that the 20-year-old prince was "no longer suitable" for officer training at Sandhurst after being photographed wearing an Afrika Korps uniform, complete with swastika, at a friend's party.

The prince is due to begin his training at the academy later this year but today Mr Henderson said Harry should withdraw.

The prince is due to begin his training at the academy later this year but today Mr Henderson said Harry should withdraw.

He added: "After the revelations I don't think this young man is suitable for Sandhurst. If it was anyone else the application wouldn't be considered. It should be withdrawn immediately."

He added: "A quick way of nipping it in the bud is for Harry to make it clear he has withdrawn his application for Sandhurst."

His view was echoed by Labour MP Ian Davidson who said: "You would have expected that someone who aspired to join the British Army would have considered what they were doing.

"He might have ended the evening drunk but presumably he was sober when he dressed up. Surely there was someone about who could have advised him not to be such a fool." Harry's astonishing gaffe came at the 22nd birthday party of his close friend Harry Meade at his parents' Wiltshire home, which was attended by 250 people. Harry Meade's father Richard is an Olympic gold medal-winning horseman.

The theme of the party was "native and colonial". Prince William wore a black leotard with a a long leopard-skin tail. Witnesses said Harry was "the life and soul of the party" and had a brunette on his lap for much of the time.

He was pictured in today's Sun with a cigarette and drink in hand.

Today Clarence House moved to defuse the row by issuing a formal apology by the Prince. He said: "I am very sorry if I have caused any offence. It was a poor choice of costume and I apologise."

The row, however, showed no signs of abating. Lord Janner, a former Labour MP and one-time president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: "I think it was totally wrong and totally inappropriate ... I understand [Harry] has apologised and so he should.

"To dress as a Nazi was just youthful stupidity. I think he should be disciplined. He should understand what he has done and why it is so offensive."

Jeff Barak, deputy editor of the Jewish Chronicle, said his reaction to the photograph was one of "shock and revulsion". Andy Pike from Unite Against Fascism added: "One would be very surprised if [Harry] were not aware of the significance of wearing the swastika and the amount of offence that would cause.

"We believe it will offend the whole of the Jewish community and many others. It is extremely disrespectful to the millions of people that fought against fascism." Mr Pike called for the prince, who is third in line to the throne, to go further than apologising.

He said: "We would like to see Harry distance himself from Nazi ideas of white supremacy, anti-semitism and racism because he is a very influential figure. We think just an apology won't do."

Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, a spokesman for the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain, said: "The fact that the palace has issued an apology indicates that this was a mistake by the prince. But having being given, the apology should now be accepted."

A spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews echoed the words of Dr Romain, saying: "The board is pleased that he's apologised for the incident. It was clearly in bad taste."

Former Buckingham Palac e spokesman Dickie Arbiter said Prince Charles should take some of the blame. Asked if there were any checks on Harry's private life, he said: "It would appear that there aren't, because if there were checks he wouldn't be allowed to go on like that. There is a lack of discipline, there is a lack of control. The Prince of Wales, he's a humanitarian and he does some terrific work, but I don't think he has the discipline and the right discipline over his children, particularly Prince Harry."

Harry's actions will have embarrassed the Queen, who is due to commemorate the Holocaust and 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by inviting survivors of the Nazi death camps and British veterans who liberated them to a reception at St James's Palace.

With Prince Philip, she will also attend the Holocaust Memorial Day national commemoration at Westminster Hall on 27 January.

The gaffe is not Harry's first. At a society wedding he was reported to have said about his new girlfriend Chelsy Davy: "She's not black or anything, you know."

His recent trip to Argentina was marred by reports that his partying had caused a security scare, which was strongly denied by Clarence House.