They are pictures certain to gladden the hearts of Prince Harry’s female fans. Looking tanned, fit and macho, the Prince jumped on a classic Harley-Davidson motorbike on Friday and roared off across the Arizona desert.
One person unlikely to be impressed by his exploits, however, is his father Prince Charles, who doesn’t share his sons’ passion for motorbikes. Harry owns a Ducati 848 and a classic Triumph, and Prince William a Ducati 1198. But Charles admitted last year: ‘I hate motorbikes. My sons are interested in them. I can’t even get my balance on them.’
The 27-year-old thrill-seeker was looking every inch the Easy Rider as he hit the road on the £11,000 bike capable of 110mph. An eyewitness said: ‘Harry was grinning from ear to ear and he jumped on the bike like a natural. He didn’t look the least bit nervous when he roared off but he had quite an entourage with him. They kept their distance as it was clear he was just enjoying the freedom of being on the open road.’
The Prince was enjoying a day off from an eight-week helicopter course at Gila Bend Air Force base in Imperial Valley, Arizona, where he is undergoing advanced training as an Apache pilot. He left the base at midday on Friday in a silver Dodge SUV accompanied by a Suburban 4x4. A witness said: ‘Harry was in the Dodge with a driver. The backup car had his bodyguards in it – two big male bodyguards and a tiny girl who looked out of place but who was packing a gun. They drove across the desert, 95 miles, from Gila Bend to Scottsdale, which is where the Harley-Davidson dealership is. As they arrived at the Harley shop, a dark-grey metallic SUV turned up which had two more burly guys in it. One of the guys was clearly an experienced motorbike rider as he got on a Harley next to Harry and took off with him.’
Harry’s bike was a black Harley-Davidson Softail Classic which the garage, Hacienda Harley-Davidson, hires out for $150 a day. Knotting a red and white bandana around his neck, Harry grabbed a maroon and black lumberjack-style shirt and aviator sunglasses from the boot of his car and posed for a picture (taken by one of this bodyguards) next to his Harley. He then roared off accompanied by a guide from the Harley-Davidson dealership and a bodyguard. Tailing the riders were two cars containing his bodyguards.
One person unlikely to be impressed by his exploits, however, is his father Prince Charles, who doesn’t share his sons’ passion for motorbikes. Harry owns a Ducati 848 and a classic Triumph, and Prince William a Ducati 1198. But Charles admitted last year: ‘I hate motorbikes. My sons are interested in them. I can’t even get my balance on them.’
The 27-year-old thrill-seeker was looking every inch the Easy Rider as he hit the road on the £11,000 bike capable of 110mph. An eyewitness said: ‘Harry was grinning from ear to ear and he jumped on the bike like a natural. He didn’t look the least bit nervous when he roared off but he had quite an entourage with him. They kept their distance as it was clear he was just enjoying the freedom of being on the open road.’
The Prince was enjoying a day off from an eight-week helicopter course at Gila Bend Air Force base in Imperial Valley, Arizona, where he is undergoing advanced training as an Apache pilot. He left the base at midday on Friday in a silver Dodge SUV accompanied by a Suburban 4x4. A witness said: ‘Harry was in the Dodge with a driver. The backup car had his bodyguards in it – two big male bodyguards and a tiny girl who looked out of place but who was packing a gun. They drove across the desert, 95 miles, from Gila Bend to Scottsdale, which is where the Harley-Davidson dealership is. As they arrived at the Harley shop, a dark-grey metallic SUV turned up which had two more burly guys in it. One of the guys was clearly an experienced motorbike rider as he got on a Harley next to Harry and took off with him.’
Harry’s bike was a black Harley-Davidson Softail Classic which the garage, Hacienda Harley-Davidson, hires out for $150 a day. Knotting a red and white bandana around his neck, Harry grabbed a maroon and black lumberjack-style shirt and aviator sunglasses from the boot of his car and posed for a picture (taken by one of this bodyguards) next to his Harley. He then roared off accompanied by a guide from the Harley-Davidson dealership and a bodyguard. Tailing the riders were two cars containing his bodyguards.
