Why does everyone regard Prince Harry as *young* ?

[DottyHarmer]

I was pondering this whilst washing up…

Both his supporters and critics all talk about him as if he were a young and innocent chap, finding his way in the world, but he is 36. I could list any number of other 36-year-olds who are viewed, quite rightly, as fully-adult males, and are judged as such, yet Harry for some reason has this Peter Pan cloak on.

As I said, both sides take this view. His critics are of the “clown prince” opinion and his supporters always call him and Meghan “a young couple” or talk about his family not financially supporting him or about his issues as if he is a good 15 years at least younger than he is.

Perhaps it's just "young" as in William Pitt the Younger, or Young Mr Grace.

“Young Mr Grace” 😂😂. Now I’m feeling old 🤣

@smilesy

Perhaps it's just "young" as in William Pitt the Younger, or Young Mr Grace.

“Young Mr Grace” 😂😂. Now I’m feeling old 🤣

Perhaps it's just "young" as in William Pitt the Younger,

William Pitt the Younger was young, as well as being the younger Pitt. Prime Minister at 24, dead at 46.

I’ve noticed this too and not sure why this is the case. No other 36 / 40 year old couple with kids are referred to constantly as young, are they? Also I wouldn’t say Harry even looks much younger than he is anymore. Perhaps like PP’s have said we all remember him as the 11 year old who had to walk behind his mother’s coffin, and we haven’t noticed he’s grown up. This of course can’t be said for the wife.

@DottyHarmer

yes, Prince William isn’t seen as “young” and certainly Prince Charles wasn’t regarded as youthful at that age.

I don't know, they both still get referred to as "the boys" "those poor boys" etc. I've seen it on MN lots of times as well as in other places.

They aren't boys they are grown men.

@ThatsNotMyPinkUnicorn

I think a lot of people will always see him as the eleven year old walking behind Diana’s coffin, tbh.

I will always remember John Kennedy Jr saluting his father's coffin, I think he was 3. It was a heartbreaking moment. He too died young, only 39 I think but as an adult I don't think people constantly called him young because of that one incident. Maybe they did in America?

I agree with the poster who said we still think of him as the boy who walked behind Diana's coffin.

Also as we get older, a lot of us (me included) see anyone younger than us as young. My mum always gets really shocked when someone becomes a grandparent aged under 50. The other day someone was saying how nice it was that a young couple had joined our church. I was about to point out that there were a few couples mine and dh's age who had been there ages. Then I realised that late 30's/early 40's was not a young couple .