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Can you spot the real Prince Harry?

Matthew Hicks.PHOTOS: AFP, REUTERS
Prince Harry.PHOTOS: AFP, REUTERS

Matthew Hicks, a lookalike of the prince, charms female participants of reality dating show who are unaware of his true identity

Noor Ashikin Abdul Rahman
Reporter
May 22, 2014 06:00 am
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Now that Prince Harry is single and available again, having broken up with socialite girlfriend Cressida Bonas last month, 12 girls will do what it takes to win his heart.

Or at least, they think they are vying for his attention in Fox's latest reality dating TV show, I Wanna Marry "Harry", which premiered on Tuesday in the US.

Think The Bachelor meets Joe Millionaire, except, unfortunately, the prize of the game is not the real Prince Harry.

Instead, it stars an uncanny look-alike by the name of Matthew Hicks, a British commoner with no royal antecedents to speak of.

NO CLUE

And here is the twist - the women have no clue about this and are under the impression that they are getting cosy with the real deal.

It sounds like a nightmare, but for these American women, it is a dream being dangled in front of them. Plenty of luxury dates and steamy make-out sessions with "Prince Harry" and a stay in a picturesque English castle is a package that is hard to resist.

Hicks, 25, feels he has his role cut out for him.

"It was a bit of a running joke among my uni(versity) mates. But after graduating, I travelled to Asia and I had people stopping me in the street and having photos taken. It was hilarious," a recent Telegraph report quoted him as saying.

Hicks earns extra cash by appearing at gigs and promotional events as his famous doppelganger.

The reality show may sound like a cruel prank, but Hicks insists it is in the name of fun.

He said in the same Telegraph report: "As it went on, I did feel bad because I got to like the girls more and more."

FUN

But he added: "I think anyone who is questioning the ethics of the show is just taking it far too seriously.

"It's a reality TV show, it's a bit of fun. Yeah, we got emotionally invested in it, but you know, it was a very short process and everyone signed up and sort of knew what they were in for.

"It was all just an absolute barrel of laughs for six weeks. Hopefully, no one's emotionally scarred from it all."


REAL HARRY V FAKE HARRY 

FULL NAME

REAL HARRY: Prince Henry Charles Albert David

FAKE HARRY: Matthew Hicks

AGE

REAL HARRY: 29

FAKE HARRY: 25

HAIR COLOUR

REAL HARRY: Ginger, although he was recently quoted asking if his hair looked "blond"

FAKE HARRY: Naturally blond, but he dyed his hair ginger for the show

EYE COLOUR

REAL HARRY: Blue.

FAKE HARRY: Blue-grey.

HEIGHT

REAL HARRY: 1.89m.

FAKE HARRY: 1.9m.

PLACE OF BIRTH AND HOME

REAL HARRY: Born in London and calls Kensington Palace home

FAKE HARRY: Born in Papua New Guinea and lives in Exeter in south-west England.

FAMILY

REAL HARRY: His parents are Prince Charles and Lady Diana and his grandmother is Queen Elizabeth II. His elder brother Prince William is married to Kate Middleton and they have a nine-month-old son, Prince George.

FAKE HARRY: His family consists of computer programmer father Roger, mother Jennifer and cricket coach older brother Andrew.

EDUCATION

REAL HARRY: Completed his education at Eton College and was commissioned as an officer in the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

FAKE HARRY: Studied geology and oceanography at the University of Southampton.

CAREER

REAL HARRY: Holds the rank of captain in the British Army and took up a desk job earlier this year coordinating army commemorative events. Before this, he was attached to the Army Air Corps as a helicopter pilot.

FAKE HARRY: His duties with an environmental consultancy include cleaning up oil spills.

WEALTH

REAL HARRY: Reports vary, but his net worth is apparently S$50 million - at least.

FAKE HARRY: None to speak of. In the first episode of the show, he was described as a "regular", "poor" but "kind-hearted" commoner who rides a borrowed bicycle to work. "I can't afford a car at the minute," he admitted.

DATING HISTORY

REAL HARRY: For over six years, he had an on-and-off relationship with Zimbabwe-born Chelsy Davy, 28. It ended in 2011, the same year he was linked to Pippa Middleton, his sister-in-law's sister. In 2012, he reportedly started dating British socialite Cressida Bonas, 25. The pair split in April.

FAKE HARRY: Little is known about his love life, but he certainly got lucky in that department during the reality show. Artist, model, actress... you name it, he smooched them all.

DATE IDEAS

REAL HARRY: Nothing short of lavish affairs. Reportedly whisked Bonas off to Kazakhstan for a romantic ski getaway and Botswana for an African safari holiday, among others.

FAKE HARRY: "Something fun and active during the day, whether it's a walk on the beach or somewhere with nice scenery... lunch somewhere cool and follow up with a romantic evening... Something a bit wild and private at the end."

FIVE FACTS ABOUT MATTHEW HICKS

1 His ideal woman is someone who "shares similar interests, and is outdoorsy and intelligent so you can have good conversations (with her)". Instant chemistry is also a must.

2 He chooses love over royalty because he "(doesn't) do well with responsibility".

3 His favourite member of the royal family is Prince Philip.

4 He cannot live without cheese, sport, friends, sun and women.

5 He has a "ridiculously long... tongue".

 

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Noor Ashikin Abdul Rahman

Reporter
ashikinr@sph.com.sg
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