THE PRINCE, HIS FRIENDS AND THE LURE OF CLUB H

THE Prince of Wales was at an official engagement in Cardiff when Prince
Harry entertained a group of older friends in his private den in the
cellars of Highgrove. The teenage Prince had taken advantage of his
father's absence to meet his pals in the Rattlebone Inn in nearby Sherston.
Their high spirits fuelled by alcohol, the youngsters, most in their early
twenties, went back to Highgrove with Prince Harry for a party in his
cellars hideaway, Club H.

The ten-strong domestic staff never set foot in Club H, which had the
latest sound systems and fully stocked bar, without the express permission
of the young Prince.

As the drinks flowed, upstairs up to eight police officers were patrolling
the property. A similar number of domestic staff were also on duty.

As the night wore on Prince Harry, swigging a bottle of beer, went outside
with his pals led by Guy Pelly, a first-year student at the Royal
Agricultural College in Cirencester, who has a drink-driving conviction, to
smoke cannabis.

Mr Pelly, who apparently introduced Prince Harry to the drug, had fewer
inhibitions than his new-found royal friend. He had smoked cannabis in Club H.

But Prince Harry, out of deference to his father and no doubt for fear of
being discovered, smoked it in the gardens. St James's Palace says that it
was the only time that he took the drug at Highgrove.

A member of staff smelt the cannabis and reported his fears to the Prince
of Wales when he returned from his annual "Powys Week".

Prince Charles, a patron of numerous drug charities, was appalled. He
believes that cannabis is a "gateway" to more dangerous drugs.

Prince Harry confessed immediately. His father was taken aback by the
extent of his dalliance with drugs. He admitted he had taken it at parties
at private homes and in the shed of the Rattlebone Inn. Mr Pelly is no
longer part of Prince Harry's social circle.

Until the summer, Prince Charles always made sure that he was at home when
Prince Harry was not at Eton. He decided that, at the age of 16, Prince
Harry, who was 17 in September, could be trusted to be on his own at
Highgrove under the watchful eye of his large retinue of staff.

Prince Harry's sense of isolation was compounded by the absence of Prince
William, who is an important influence in his life and who had been abroad
for large parts of the year on gap year trips.

While his father and brother were away, Prince Harry relished his role as
master of the house. The parties grew more frequent. His companions were
almost always much older.

In the run-up to his drug-taking, Prince Harry had worked hard at Eton. To
the surprise of his family he had passed 12 O levels, one more than his
brother, who was widely regarded as the brighter.

He got a mixture of grades, including several As, in subjects from
mathematics to English and art.

He decided that, having worked hard, he would play even harder when he
broke up from school and returned to Highgrove. Taking advantage of his the
absence of his father — who also spent a week in Scotland on official
engagements — he became ever more deeply embroiled with Mr Pelly. They
became regulars at the Rattlebone Inn. There were nights of boisterous
behaviour culminating in Prince Harry being ordered to leave. The French
chef who gave him his marching orders was called a "f...... frog" by Prince
Harry.

For Prince Charles, it was learning that his son was taking drugs that
caused the most concern. He consulted Prince William.

It was Prince Charles's idea for Prince Harry to visit a rehabilitation
clinic. He went to Featherstone Lodge in Peckham, South London, which is
part of the Phoenix House drug charity, of which Prince Charles is a patron.

It was Prince William who proposed the visit to his younger brother, who
readily agreed.

The experience humbled Prince Harry who learnt that some of the people he
met had begun their descent into heroin and cocaine addiction after
starting out with the occasional joint of cannabis. For Prince Charles, it
was mission accomplished. He informed his close friend Andrew Gailey, who
is Prince Harry's house master, about the drugs and underage drinking. Eton
decided to take no action.

Soon after his 17th birthday Prince Harry passed his driving test. He now
rarely drinks as he enjoys driving his big brother's old VW Golf. He does
not touch alcohol if he is driving. Over the Christmas holiday his father
was happy to note that Prince Harry was virtually teetotal. He has been
banned by his father from setting foot in the Rattlebone Inn.

Prince Charles will never forget the trouble he made for himself when, at
14, he found himself in a public house on the Isle of Lewis, during a
sailing trip to Stornoway.

He ordered a cherry brandy. The incident made headlines around the world
and involved the Prince in a bruising confrontation with the Duke of
Edinburgh. He apparently still winces at the mere mention of cherry brandy.

The heir to the throne is hoping that the mere mention of the word cannabis
will have the same effect on Prince Harry.