Prince Harry reportedly plays the UK lottery twice a week

Dec 1, 2005, 13:36 GMT

Britain's Prince Harry reportedly plays the UK lottery twice a week - even though he will one day inherit millions of pounds.

The party-loving prince is said to have joined a Lotto syndicate with cadets at Sandhurst Military Academy - where he is enrolled in officer training - and pays £2 a week for tickets.

The young royal plans to donate any cash he wins to charity.

A source is quoted in Britain's The Sun newspaper as saying: "Harry enjoys, just like millions of people, the buzz of checking his numbers. Even though the odds are hugely against him he still thinks he is going to win.

"Once they have checked the numbers, Harry likes them to hang on to the tickets for a couple of days just in case they made a mistake."

The handsome 21-year-old royal is set to inherit £21.4million when he turns 25 from the fortune his mother Princess Diana, who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997, left him.

Earlier this month, it was claimed Harry's older brother, Prince William, was trying to get his hands on his mother's money - so he can be more independent.

The 23-year-old royal doesn't have access to his share of his mother's legacy until he is at least 25 - but allegedly wants to use some of the cash to help him start out in public life.

The prince's share of other royal trusts is also tied up until he is older - some is inaccessible until he is 40.

A friend was quoted in Britain's News of the World newspaper as saying: "William gets a modest income, but it's not enough for what he wants to do.

"He's still very much tied to his father Prince Charles' estate and quite naturally he wants his independence. His father had more freedom when he was 21 than William does now that he's two years older."

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