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Princes call polo friend Sooty 'and he doesn't take offence'
Sri Carmichael and Bo Wilson13 Jan 2009
PRINCE CHARLES and his sons call a close friend of Indian descent "Sooty", it was revealed today.
It plunges the royal family into a second race row days after St James's Palace apologised for Harry using the term "Paki" about a fellow cadet at Sandhurst.
The three princes have called fellow Cirencester Polo Club member Kolin Dhillon the "affectionate nickname" for at least 15 years.
Sources at the club said they use the nickname for millionaire property developer Mr Dhillon, 58, "every time they meet". He is said to be close to other members of the royal family who also refer to him by the name.
He is understood not to take offence at its use.
However, neighbours near Mr Dhillon's home in Coates, near Cirencester, said no one outside the polo fraternity called him Sooty.
His wife said: "We have absolutely nothing to say about this matter." A former chairman of the Schools and Universities Polo Association, Mr Dhillon is an "upstanding and integral" member of the Cirencester club, according to its spokesman John Lloyd.
His son Satnam, 31, is a professional polo player who has played for England.A insider at the schools' association, who has known Mr Dhillon for years, said: "He has been called Sooty for as long as I remember. The princes and other royalty have called him that since I first met him, and that was about 15 or 16 years ago.
"The call him Sooty every time they meet, and he's never upset about that. It's an affectionate nickname."
Mr Dhillon once described Harry, 24, as an "exceptionally talented" polo player.
A spokesman for Clarence House said Charles was not racist, adding: "No one has been more of an advocate for the understanding and tolerance of various religious and ethnic groups than the Prince of Wales and his track record speaks volumes on this issue."
Royal insiders said the nickname Sooty was long-standing and had not been invented by Charles or his sons.
Charles stopped playing polo in 2005 because of a bad back but William, 26, and Harry still regularly play at Cirencester.
A member of the CPC, who asked not to be named, said the name Sooty had been introduced to put "two fingers up" to political correctness.
He added: "Charles, along with both of his boys, have called this chap Sooty because it is his nickname and he is perfectly comfortable with it.
"I suppose we all see this as a sort of running joke about political correctness." The source said it showed the fuss over Harry's comments was "nonsense". He said of the royal family: "They are no more racists than I am."
Aides are caught up in a fresh damage limitation exercise following the fallout from video footage released showing Harry calling fellow Army cadet Ahmed Raza Khan "my little Paki friend".
Harry's comments were said to have been made without malice, but his behaviour has been condemned by Captain Khan's family and race charities. The Prime Minister and other politicians welcomed his apology.
Captain Khan, who is back in his native Pakistan, is understood to have accepted an apology from Harry over the telephone.
Harry faces a dressing-down from his superiors and the video could trigger a full probe into whether the Army has a racist "barrack-room culture".
In January 2005, Harry faced worldwide condemnation for wearing a Nazi uniform to a fancy-dress party.
Reader views (28)
Ah, Mark Armstrong...Whilst you say how lovely your Indian wife is, and how billions of Indians call others "Paki", you've conveniently forgotten to mention the "caste" system, and how fair and just that is - ho, ho.
Selective niceness doesn't get away from how many Indians treat their contempo
ries, so no bleating, please, about how cosy it all is. Nastiness and racism is just that, no matter how you conveniently choose to dress it up.
- Les Reed, East Ham England, 15/01/2009 09:19
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perhaps he is a yellow bear that doesn't talk a lot?
- Liberal Thinker, UK, 14/01/2009 09:09
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Linda's Sooty and Sweep joke - great ice breaker!!
- Cath, London, 14/01/2009 07:54
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What an overblown topic. Leave it alone for pities sake or do you really want the rest of us talking to no-one? Because that's what your heading for.
- Roger, Surrey, 14/01/2009 06:58
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It may be internalized racism,ie unconscious, but racism it is nevertheless, emphasized by the obvious imbalance of power in the friendship. I wonder if the Prince of Wales and Mr Dhillon would be quite such good friends if, on hearing the Price's nickname for him for the first time, had responded with Hello, Jug Ears?
- Ken D, USA, 14/01/2009 06:48
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This Kolin Dhillon sounds like a thoroughly decent chap!
There is always the possibility he is trying to curry favour with the Royals, but I doubt it!
GERONIMO
- Geronimo, LONDON MIDDLESEX, 14/01/2009 01:59
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What is the problem could not see the connection sooty was a yellow glove puppet???? P.C gone mad Nick names have always been a sign of friendship and trust
- Amy Smith, birmingham uk, 13/01/2009 22:29
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Sadly the PC brigade seem intent on stamping out any trace of humour that we Brits are famous for. As far as the race thing goes we really now collectivley have our heads up our multicultural backsides.
- Steve, Hereford, 13/01/2009 21:50
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Enough with the non-stories already! Nicknames between friends/colleagues are nobody's business except the friends themselves.
- Tk, London, 13/01/2009 21:48
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This is a perfect example of how one can make a mountain out of a molehill.
I understand Mr Dhillon was perfectly comfortable with being nicknamed Sooty by his friends; he may not be comfortable now, when he sees his personal details published all over the national press.
- Horace, London, UK, 13/01/2009 21:39
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Who cares?? Nicknames have been around for years I know I had one when I was at school and most of the other kids did too.
The PC is getting out of hand, if the recipient didn't have a problem what on earth is the issue??
I've just found that the PC position means that safe practice can't be used in case someone is upset!
- John Whitby, Peterborough, Cambs, 13/01/2009 21:20
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This is starting to get ridiculous. I'm sure, if looked for, everyone in the royal family through as many levels as you could wish can be found to have said something to someone, somewhere and somewhen, that may or may not have been considered 'offensive' to yet someone else who has no connection to the original event.
This whole affair is the poster child for "blown out of all proportion". This is a created controversy.
- Rogan, Irving, 13/01/2009 15:05
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Anyone in the Forces knows that everyone has a nickname, the more disrespectful the better. Its always been part of the culture. They are often related to race (taffy etc), age ( grandad etc) . I'm sure Harry has one that is probably unrepeatable. Dump this silly story and move on!
- Ken, Banbury UK, 13/01/2009 15:04
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I am white british and am married to a lovely indian lady. she and her indian friends tell me that the 4million or so indians that live in UK all refer to pakistanis by the abrieviated term, as do the nearly 1billion indians who live in India. For goodness sake how pathetic is the UK press.
- Mark Armstrong, london. uk, 13/01/2009 14:20
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Ah you couldn't make it up.
- Squiz, islington, 13/01/2009 13:40
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Sunny, nobody commented before because it was a society where it was acceptable to call people derogatory terms. Not wishing either to be associated with the overly pc brigade - but on the side of common sense - its all about respect.
If you have no respect for someone you don't care that what you say might offend/hurt their feelings and if you use words which came about at a time when those from other races were seen as diminished than the good old Great Britains - indeed on occasion - less than human - it is not unreasonable to suggest that using such words - is not a good idea. Especially when those words can and frequently are using in agressive and almost violent scenarios.
If we are to move forward it is only through mutual respect - otherwise we might see history repeating itself through some of its nastier elements.
- re the Princes - why should we expect anything other - a priveleged background with scant real contact with the real world - still living in a post colonial/empire time warp.
- Jc, se1, 13/01/2009 12:37
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this is such an insignificant story....................
- Jonny, London, 13/01/2009 12:31
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When I was small I had a pet rabbit called Sooty. Is that offensive to anybody?
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx, 13/01/2009 12:04
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I think we're all racist its a natural thing,so why should we try to deny the truth.Probably the people that deny fervently to not be so are the worse bit just can't admit it to themselves.
- Linda, italy, 13/01/2009 11:57
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What I don't understand is why everybody is having a go at Sooty and nobody has a go at Sweep.
- Casper Slides, France at the moment, 13/01/2009 11:41
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These poor minorities, they are so delicate, bless.
- Frank, Home Counties, England, 13/01/2009 11:25
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When I was in the Marines it was the time of the traditional obligatory Royal Navy Church Parade with dress uniform, inspection etc.
After the inspectio and befor entering the Church the order was given " Roman Catholics- one pace backwards march, dismiss"!!!!
- Peter Glazier, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 13/01/2009 11:08
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I wonder if Sooty is offended?
- Frank, ex-England, 13/01/2009 10:55
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I trust the MOD will tell the Equality and Human Rights Commission to go and re-arrange a well known phrase or saying!
- Mjp, Macclesfield, 13/01/2009 10:55
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It speaks volumes for what Dhillon will put up with. But then I doubt if he's ever stepped out on the streets of Brixton and knows what ordinary people have to put up with...every day.
- Dhanraj, Basildon Essex, 13/01/2009 10:46
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This is just like a few years ago when the Biggles and BaBa Black Sheep do gooders got on their high horses. Need we forget the dam busters dog was also called Nigger - he was a black labrador FYI. Perhaps we can become like North Korea and the Government here in the UK can produce a list of banned words. We will all be having state approved haircuts soon.
- Stuart, london, 13/01/2009 10:23
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So what? Who cares except those who like jumping up and down over trivia?
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, 13/01/2009 10:17
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Isn't it about time this was put to bed - over the years we have had jocks, paddy's, micks, spics, and whatever else. Nobody has made a fuss before - why now? Because of the race or what? Get over it is what we all say.
- Sunny, Romford, 13/01/2009 10:16
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