Gov. Chris Christie and Prince Harry talked to residents on Tuesday in Mantoloking, a New Jersey shore town devastated by Hurricane Sandy.
The governor of New Jersey and the English prince hold public positions that often demand they behave in accordance with a set of unwritten protocols – avoiding offense and playing nice even when their instincts might compel them to do otherwise.
And both Chris Christie, the 55th Governor of the Great State of New Jersey, and Henry Charles Albert David, His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales, have seemed to relish flouting those rules in the past.
So when word first spread that Mr. Christie would lead Prince Harry on a tour of areas along the Jersey Shore ravaged by Hurricane Sandy, the governor lightheartedly assured a worried caller to a radio show that he would keep the young royal out of trouble.
“If you trust me, all will be fine,” he said.
And on Tuesday, when the two men toured the devastated town of Mantoloking and the boardwalk at Seaside Heights, two places steamrollered by Hurricane Sandy last year, they succeeded in shining a spotlight on an area still struggling to recover.
“It’s the American spirit, isn’t it? Everyone getting together and making things right,” Prince Harry said as enthusiastic crowds lined the boardwalk in Seaside Heights. “It’s fantastic.”
In one of a series of highly coordinated photo opportunities, Mr. Christie presented the prince with an honorary fleece, similar to the one he wore as he raced around the state after the storm.
More than 500 homes in Mantoloking were destroyed during the storm, and dozens of businesses on the boardwalk remain devastated.
Residents were clearly grateful for the attention, hanging British flags and offering an enthusiastic reception.
Mr. Christie is not the only politician hoping to get a little shine from Prince Harry’s star wattage.
Prince Harry is scheduled to appear later in the day in Manhattan with Prime Minister David Cameron to promote British industry and tourism. They will ride around town in one of London’s new double-decker buses.
So far, the royal visit has resulted in glowing headlines -- a far cry from Prince Harry’s last trip stateside. On that trip, surreptitiously taken photos of the prince cavorting with at least one naked young woman during a game of billiards at a Las Vegas hotel caused an international sensation.
This time, his agenda was filled with the kind of activities that could give offense to no one.
He attended a White House celebration of military mothers in Washington, laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and at the grave of an American soldier killed in Afghanistan at Arlington National Cemetery, and attended a reception last week in Congress to highlight the anti-landmine campaign championed by his late mother.
Prince Harry, who has served two tours in Afghanistan with the British armed forces, also attended the Warrior Games for wounded veterans in Colorado Springs and visited with injured soldiers at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
He even found time to serenade Missy Franklin, the swimmer who was one of the most celebrated stars of the Olympic Games in London.
After touring Manhattan with Mr. Cameron, he is expected to pay a visit to Harlem and later dine at the Four Seasons at an event to raise money for the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
