Ever ventured into your favourite local watering hole for a drink and a friendly game of pool on a Hallowe'en night - wearing a Ku Klux Klan costume? Well I did once, and ONLY once.

When I was about 20 years old.

10 minutes in that bar was all I required to fully undertand just how misguided that choice of costume really was. I think the realization dawned just as I ripped off the headpiece, begging the three or four beefy beer-drinkers who'd backed me into a corner not to kill me.

Before that I'd been having great fun, enjoying the complete anonymity afforded by that costume as I presented myself to one acquaintance after another, without a hint of recognition. Mind you, the depth of hatred in their eyes as they turned away had started to unnerve me a bit ...

Now, does committing this crime of costume rank me with the morons, the idiots, the ill-bred, poorly educated ilk of Prince Harry? Well, maybe.   But I do think the incident was more due to the temporary insanity of youth, ignorance and inexperience. After all, the 'friend' who'd persuaded me to wear that (or rather, his!) costume had arranged to meet me at that bar - and stood me up! grrrrrrrr And beyond some vague notion about racism and lynchings gleaned in some far-off high school history class, I had no idea of what the Ku Klux Klan really was.

I did need some education, and I got it - and so will the Prince(s) Royale, by the looks of things.

daylia