The Man Would Would Not Be Prince

BBC- May 26, 2004 - A Hollywood actor who starred in horror film Dawn Of The Dead has found he is prince of the Afghan province of Ghor.

Scott Reiniger, who appeared in the 1978 movie, is the great, great, great grandson of Josiah Harlan, the first American to set foot in Afghanistan.

As a result of a treaty Harlan signed, his heirs are granted the title Prince of Ghor in perpetuity...

...In the winter of 1839, Khan asked him to take on a prince on the other side of the Hindu Kush with 4,000 men, 600 camels and an elephant.

This mission formed the basis for Rudyard Kipling's book The Man Who Would Be King, which, in a further Hollywood twist, was made as a film starring Sean Connery.

It was during this expedition that Harlan stuck his deal with the Hazaras, and in particular - Refee Beg, the Prince of Ghor at that time.

Harlan agreed to return with a large, trained army with which they would conquer Refee's neighbours. In return, Refee agreed to hand over sovereignty over Ghor to Harlan, and his heirs, in perpetuity...

...Reiniger said he had no intention of claiming his title officially...