Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, recently came under scrutiny for his review of the upcoming World War II miniseries, “Masters of the Air,” produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, putting stars Austin Butler as the heroic American bomber. pilots fighting against Nazi Germany. Although he has resided in California with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Prince Harry has criticized the series as inaccurate, biased and disrespectful to British forces and of the Commonwealth involved in the air war.
However, Prince Harry faced an unexpected twist when Butler, Spielberg and Hanks decided to speak out against his infamous Nazi remarks made in 2005. Around that time, he was filmed wearing a swastika armband during a fancy dress party at a friend's house. The trio revealed they obtained a copy of the video, leaked to the press in 2005, with the intention of making it public. They aimed to highlight Prince Harry's alleged hypocrisy and ignorance, arguing that he had no right to pass judgment on their work or their history.
The video, unveiled at a press conference in Los Angeles, showed Prince Harry, 20, then a cadet at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, donning a Nazi uniform, complete with a red swastika armband and a Nazi insignia. German Corps for Africa. In the video, he is seen giving a Nazi salute and saying “Heil Hitler” in a fake German accent. The video caused a major scandal in 2005, drawing criticism for insulting Holocaust victims and those who fought against Hitler's regime. At that time, Prince Harry issued a public apology, acknowledging that it was a poor choice of costume.
Butler, Spielberg and Hanks have expressed their displeasure with Prince Harry's past apologies, stating their desire to reveal his true character and apparent lack of respect for the sacrifices of Allied Forces, particularly American airmen. They argued that their miniseries, inspired by Donald L. Miller's book “Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany,” was intended to honor the courage of those who flew the B- 17 Flying Fortress. They accused Prince Harry of lacking understanding by criticizing their show and condemned him for wearing a Nazi symbol, mocking Holocaust victims and survivors.
The trio also accused Prince Harry of hypocrisy, highlighting his recent claims to stand up for human rights and social justice while being part of a royal family they considered outdated and oppressive. They hoped their show would educate people about the true history of World War II and pledged not to be silenced by Prince Harry or anyone else. They highlighted the support they received from veterans, historians, critics and fans, as well as the support of Apple TV Plus, giving them creative freedom and a budget for authenticity.
Butler, Spielberg and Hanks were unafraid of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, describing her as narcissistic, greedy and manipulative. They claimed evidence of Markle's involvement in leaking confidential information about Prince Harry's affair with “Suits” actress Rachel Zane, which they claimed was the real reason for their departure from the family royal. The trio planned to release more details about Markle's actions in the future and expressed hope that Prince Harry would reconsider leaving the royal family and return to office to make amends.
