Oh give up people. My foreign friends call me Rosbif or The Mad Cow but I guess as I'm white that makes it ok. Get a grip!!!

Kay, Yorkshire,

Political correctness has gone mad. Who are these politically correct police? It's not what you call someone - It's the intent behind the words. The words themselves are meaningless..

Vanessa Kimbell , northampton, northamptonshire

I fully accept the Give Racism a Red Card positions but feel that the definition needs to be clarified in order to avoid a "one size fits all" approach.
Bigotory and ignorance is the issue and not racism; and the challenge is to avoid a patronising "I'm right so comply" approach.

m mulroe, Camberley, Surrey

Political correctness gone too far. Again. My mother is french and during a discussion (back at school) i mocked her driving...it's insane, like all french driving. The teacher then called me a racist for this...Oh go back to square boxes and straight lines. Live a little and have a big stiff drink!

William, Reading, England

I doubt the nickname 'sooty' was used in a derogatory sense, and I also doubt that anything would have been made of this if the video of Harry hadn't recently been placed in the spotlight.

Dhillon's perfectly happy with the nickname, and his friends have called him by it for years.

Time to move on

David, Wolverhampton, West Midlands

i am bored of reading stories like these. get some proper stories not "what someone calls someone else". who cares. if he had a problem with it, let him report it. otherwise leave it alone, no-one cares

liam, aberdeen, scotland

This shows how "The Righteous" want to control the very words we use, regardless of talk amongst friends. Emotion, motive or sentiment does not count in their eyes - we are guilty until proven innocent. Typical Socialist/New Labour moonbattery.

Roger Thornhill, London, UK

what harry said on exercise was stupid. what they call a friend by nickname to his face is none of our business - and nobody cares

stuve, london, uk

I wonder if prince Charles would like to be called a horsey , just because someone would think that he'd look like some horse. It's all banter, is it not?

Pedro, Austin, USA

Being a "Brown Guy", I sometimes wonder why such petty issues are blown out of proportion by the media? I hope media has better stories to report on than just checking out people's nicknames.

Give us some break guys..!!

Please stop making us believe that British people are racists. They are NOT..

Harsh Talikoti, Leeds, United Kingdom

I called a friend "Q" for years before knowing what it meant. I was horrified when I realised I had been calling him queer. However, by calling himself that he takes control of the stereotype. He takes pride in his difference and I am sure that others take a similar attitude (amongst friends!)

Amy, Stourport,

Surely, in terms of 'race relations' it's more important that they are friends and play polo together.. what they call each other is none of our business given that noone involved is offended.

Gonzo, Guildford,

yet again others feeling hurt on someone elses behalf the guy says its his nicname he isnt offended and its not said to hurt people should mind their own buisness there is no complaint so whats the fuss

richard, grimsby, england

If Mr. Dhillon is not offended by the term, then why are the PC brigade going around claiming that he should be? He obviously does not want them to be his mouthpiece, and they should let him speak for himself.

Maxine, Taipei, Taiwan

Its about time we clarified all this nonsense by ditching the nouveau term 'racist' and going back to the term 'racially prejudice'.

In any given situation we should look for the prejudice, and if it isn't there we should just move on. Charles has, Harry has, and the rest of us should too!

Mike Hart, London, England

Re: Is it any worse than calling a british person Brit or in my case my husband is irish and people often call him Paddy. by miriam reynolds, otley, west yorkshire.

Yes it may be worse, if that term has been used traditionally in a condescending manner. Just like the "N" word.

Kamran Khan, Hamden, Connecticut, USA

Pince Charles and his sons are NOT racist.

Yajur Nayar, New Delhi, India

And? The news is?

Jon, Buenos Aires,

It's been claimed in some fora that Mr Dhillon introduces himself as "Sooty".

If this is the case, what's the problem or is someone off on a PC crusade?

Will we be soon checking the personbox to see if the person person has left any person?(*)

(*) For the humour impaired (Mailbox, mailman, mail)

Alan, Leatherhead, UK

how sterile does the country need to become? when does it end? you need to recognise discrimination is not neccessarily evil. I sat at a table with 22 people, all had a different culture, religion or country of birth...all had nicknames (me POM!), and we laughed that in the uk we would be outlaws!

darren, auckland, nz

Seriously, does the name 'sooty' even have any racial connotations? I've certainly not heard it before. And like 99.9% of people in this country, I don't care. It is a non-story. Can we have a real news agenda please? Prince Charles in spot-on though: political correctness has gone too far.

Matt, Rhyl, Wales

I'm an American living in England....you got it..I'm a Yank. Oh shame..A local restaurant is called 'Gringos' One of my friends is 'Scottie' (oops) & here in Yorkshire I often hear 'Brits' taking the 'Mick'. Lighten up you guys on this side of the pond there is enough strife in the world!!

jan , Huddersfield,

This is ridiculous, Is there not a war in the Gaza Strip you could be reporting on? Who cares what Prince Charles calls his friends. Seriously...

Adam, London,

Those who are quick to condemn display the huge chips on their shoulders, whether that be a race chip or a class chip. I'm not particularly a royalist but it seems clear that the Princes and their friends of colour are chipless and relaxed in poking fun at PC unlike their pinch faced detractors.

Sonny B, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

The reality is that the Royal Family are so divorced from reality and feel themselves different and above everyone else that they aren't racist, just not very sociable, in reality.

They condescend to all of us, particularly their hangers-on and helpers.

It's not personal just anti-social.

Paul, Toronto, Canada

yes it clearly is worse then being called a brit or paddy as those terms are not racially charged: the saying of paki emanated from the 60's in britain it's racist.

azhar, bristol,

This is such a non- story. I really don't care and i think every one is far to sensitive.

david, London,

i can't understand how the fact that an army officer and polo team mates have friendly nicknames for each other can be news worthy. all nicknames are taken from a very obvious trait of a persons appearance or personality. :s

Iva Hardy, Stoke-on-Trent, UK

Great stuff Liz. Sanity prevails.

John Crofts, Truro, England

Is it any worse than calling a british person Brit or in my case my husband is irish and people often call him Paddy.

miriam reynolds, otley, west yorkshire

I dont think Charles means it ( he is your Prince) it personally. But systemically, it shows deep-rooted racial taunts or slurs have now become humorous ways,hinting at a darker past but now used in a humorous vein. Like Enid Blyton and Gollywog stories. Charles is a role model and this is not good.

Ramesh, Madras, India

Interesting- The term "sooty" has not made it into the vocablulary of whatever language we speak here in the U.S. and I had to look it up- I thought that you were referring to a puppet from a childrens' television show, which as far as I know has never been accused of being racist (yet at least).

Scott Benowitz, Rye, New York, U.S.A.

I have a PhD in Physics and colleagues call me "Brains".

I wear "Hank Marvin" style spectacles, and often wonder if they are having a joke at my expense - perhaps they are suggesting I look like the character in "Thunderbirds".

Should I pursue a claim for compensation and therapy?

peterj, aberdeen, uk

I am not a royalist and believe the monarchy should eventually go. I am, however, grossly offended at the hype made about Harry's comments. Maybe they called him ginger or an upper class lad crusty. The idea that this is racist is preposterous. Why is it that people involved did not complain?

David, London, UK

I don't get it. What's wrong with being nicknamed after a TV-famous glove puppet?

M. Istified, London,

Steady on D Case, the days of going over the top to be gloriously butchered for King and Country are thankfully well in the past, there aren't many things a person would lay their life down for these days, dying for an expensive archaic tourist attraction is certainly low on my list of things to do

Winston Smith, Edinburgh, UK

Nothing wrong with nicknames, I used to be called Daniel,,(Defoe) at school because I was deaf . I just laughed it off.

andy cappell, Bath, England

Like Father like Son....

Alex, Winchester,

Nicknames and other people's views are a minefield - My nickname at shool was regor, which people "outside" the group would take as an insult (egor ect). It did not worry me as it's just my first name backwards.

Roger, London, UK

I am sorry, but I am not sure what the point of this article is. Is it to show that Their Royal Highnesses have friends from different ethnic backgrounds?

Tom, London,

the labour government want to get rid of the monachy and replace it with gordon brown clones god help us.They help spread rumors like this . lets get this band of socialist out

liz, london,