As the two men toured the town of Mantoloking and the Boardwalk at Seaside Heights, two places on the Jersey Shore devastated by Hurricane Sandy last year, the term “odd couple” seemed fair.
The appearances were part of a solidarity tour to highlight recovery efforts. As expected, the prince and the governor — two figures whose professional and personal lives are the source of constant speculation — proved irresistible to cameras.
“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.”
Prince Harry’s last visit stateside ended with naked photos of him at a Las Vegas hotel surfacing on the Internet.
And since Seaside Heights is where the infamous drunken antics of Snooki and her reality show housemates on “Jersey Shore” took place, the predictable jokes about the prince fitting right in abounded.
Governor Christie, whose own unedited moments typically come in the form of salty outbursts, had already made one joke, telling the press he would make sure the prince stayed out of trouble.
Following in the footsteps of the last British royals to visit New Jersey — his great-grandparents, Queen Elizabeth and King George VI, traveled through on a tour in June 1939 to drum up American support for their war effort — Prince Harry’s visit was sedate and symbolic.
In fact, the scene in Seaside Heights as the crowd waited for the pair had all the hallmarks of a set piece: People worked hot-dog stands and clam bars where nothing was cooking, carefully wiping down clean surfaces over and over; at least one person stroked a doorframe with a paint-free paintbrush.
Even the children seemed like props. Around a dozen school children were sternly instructed to stay put at the carnival game booths — opened for just that afternoon and stocked with plush toys — and play.
In the background was the Jet Star roller coaster that once stood on the Boardwalk, but had been sitting in the waves since it plunged into the ocean during Hurricane Sandy. It was scheduled to be dismantled immediately after the event.
Suddenly, the star arrived. The prince was dressed in a white shirt with black sunglasses, the spring sun shining on his flame-colored hair.
There was a cheer — though not quite what The Boss, or even The Situation, would draw here — and a small sea of smartphones snapping photos.
The children who had been stuck at the carnival booths for the past hour began to play in earnest. They were joined by the young prince and the governor for a game of whiffle ball toss.
Mr. Christie trounced the 29-year-old prince, who served two tours in Afghanistan. Mr. Christie gave his prize to a redheaded 6-year-old named Michael Vanover, who pointed out to the prince that they had the same hair color.
Prince Harry mustered only two smaller-sized Hello Kitties, according to Brenden Cardibuono, 16, who ran the booth.
At the next game, the prince coached Jada Fonseca, 7, to dart-throwing victory and a small stuffed bear.
But unlike many girls, she did not seem impressed. “Is he a real life prince?” she asked. Then where was his cape, she said, or at the very least, his sword?
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