Early Life and Education of Harry Styles: A Complete Timeline

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Harry Styles

An overview of the childhood and early education of Harry Styles, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

Harry Styles is a prominent English singer, songwriter, and actor. Rising to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction, he has since achieved considerable success as a solo artist. Known for his charismatic stage presence, musical talent, and distinctive, often flamboyant fashion choices, Styles has become a significant figure in contemporary pop culture. Beyond music, he has also ventured into acting, further solidifying his status as a multi-faceted entertainer.

1971: Inspiration from Joni Mitchell and Carole King

In 1971, Joni Mitchell's album Blue inspired Harry Styles to contact the album's dulcimer instrumentalist, with whom he worked on Fine Line. He was also inspired by Carole King's Tapestry to record Fine Line in Henson Studios.

1973: Discovery of The Dark Side of the Moon

In 1973, Harry Styles listened to Pink Floyd's album The Dark Side of the Moon as a child and remembered it being really cool.

1973: Inspiration for butterfly tattoo

In 1973, the film Papillon came out. Styles's butterfly tattoo on his torso is "based on an old French prison tattoo inspired by the film Papillon (1973)."

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1973: Inspiration from Haruomi Hosono

While writing Harry's House in Tokyo, Harry Styles was inspired by Haruomi Hosono's 1973 debut album Hosono House and paid homage to its title.

1975: Joni Mitchell's Approval

In 1975, Joni Mitchell, whose album The Hissing of Summer Lawns featured the track "Harry's House", tweeted that she "love[d] the title."

1977: Stevie Nicks Inspired by Fine Line

In 1977, singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks likened Harry Style's album Fine Line to Fleetwood Mac's album Rumours (1977) and commented that she was inspired by him to write new music and poetry.

1977: Learning Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams"

In 1977, the first song Harry Styles learned the words to was Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams", although as a child he believed the song "was about the weather."

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1978: Reference to Gerry Rafferty

In 1978, Gerry Rafferty's single "Right Down the Line" was a specific reference point during the creation of Harry's House.

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1984: "Careless Whisper" Tattoo

In 1984, some lyrics from George Michael's "Careless Whisper" inspired Harry Styles to have them tattooed on his ankles.

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1987: Inspiration from "Faith"

In 1987, George Michael's "Faith" inspired Harry Styles, who sampled it on his unreleased track "Anna".

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February 1994: Harry Styles' Birth

In February 1994, Harry Edward Styles was born in Redditch, Worcestershire, England, to Anne Twist and Desmond Styles.

April 2010: Audition for The X Factor

On April 11, 2010, Harry Styles auditioned as a solo contestant for the seventh series of The X Factor, singing a rendition of Train's 'Hey, Soul Sister'. He then sang a rendition of Stevie Wonder's 'Isn't She Lovely' after a suggestion by Simon Cowell.

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July 2010: Formation of One Direction

In July 2010, Harry Styles was grouped with four other eliminated contestants on The X Factor to form a boy band. This band, later named One Direction at Harry's suggestion, competed in the 'Groups' category.

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2010: Formation of One Direction on The X Factor

In 2010, Harry Styles' musical career began when he became part of One Direction, a boy band formed on the British music competition series The X Factor. The band was created after each member was eliminated from the solo contest.

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2013: Mother's Marriage to Robin Twist

In 2013, Harry Styles' mother married Robin Twist. Through this marriage, Harry gained an older stepbrother, Mike, and a stepsister, Amy.

2013: Support for Equal Rights and Fundraising for Trekstock

In 2013, Styles and Liam Payne became ambassadors for the cancer charity Trekstock and raised over US$800,000. After the Westboro Baptist Church picketed a One Direction concert, Styles responded on Twitter, advocating for equal rights.

2013: GQ Interview on Sexuality

In a 2013 interview with British GQ, when asked if he was bisexual, Styles responded, "Bisexual? Me? I don't think so. I'm pretty sure I'm not."

2014: Endorsed Emma Watson's HeForShe campaign

In 2014, Harry Styles endorsed Emma Watson's HeForShe gender equality campaign, showing his support for gender equality.

2014: Support for LGBT Rights

In 2014, Styles joined LGBT rights charity Stonewall's #FirstSnog campaign and supported Michael Sam by wearing his jersey onstage during a concert.

2014: Collaboration with Harry Lambert

In 2014, during the band's Four era, Styles began collaborating with stylist Harry Lambert.

December 2015: Tattooed on The Late Late Show

In December 2015, Styles got tattooed on television as a dare on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

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2015: Sponsored water wells in India

In 2015, Harry Styles sponsored water wells in India via Drop4Drop in support of Life Water's World Water Day campaign, providing clean water to communities in need.

2016: Attended Brexit Debate at House of Lords

In 2016, Harry Styles visited the House of Lords to attend a debate on Brexit following an invitation by Labour peer Lord Winston, expressing his view that bringing people together is better than pulling them apart.

2016: One Direction Hiatus

In 2016, One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus after promotional activities for 'Made in the A.M.'. This marked a significant turning point in Harry Styles' career as he prepared to embark on his solo journey.

2016: British Vogue's 'The 50 Fittest Boys' List Ranking

In 2016, Styles was ranked first on British Vogue's "The 50 Fittest Boys" list.

2016: One Direction Enters Indefinite Hiatus

In 2016, after completing promotional activities for their album 'Made in the A.M.', One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus upon Harry Styles's suggestion. This marked the end of a significant era for the band.

2017: Death of Stepfather, Robin Twist

In 2017, Harry Styles' stepfather, Robin Twist, passed away from cancer. This was a significant event in Harry's personal life.

2017: Confirmation of Polythelia

In 2017, Styles confirmed that he has polythelia, a condition where a person has more than two nipples.

2017: Fifth on British Vogue's 'The 50 Fittest Boys' List

In 2017, Styles was ranked fifth on British Vogue's "The 50 Fittest Boys" list.

2017: Statement on Labeling Sexuality

In 2017, when asked if he labelled his sexuality, Styles said, "No, I've never felt the need to really. I don't feel like it's something I've ever felt like I have to explain about myself."

2018: T-shirts with the slogan "Treat People with Kindness" sold for Pride Month

In 2018, Harry Styles' online store sold T-shirts with the slogan "Treat People with Kindness" in a rainbow print for Pride Month, with profits benefiting GLSEN.

Treat peoples with kindness T-Shirt
Treat peoples with kindness T-Shirt

2018: Ranked on British GQ's Best-Dressed Men List

In 2018, Styles placed fourth on British GQ's list of 50 best-dressed men.

May 2019: Second on Sunday Times Rich List (Under 30)

In May 2019, Styles was named second on the Sunday Times Rich List of musicians in the UK under 30, with an estimated net worth of £58 million.

October 2019: "Do You Know Who You Are?" Website Launch

In October 2019, Harry Styles launched a website bot called "Do You Know Who You Are?" to mark World Mental Health Day, providing users with positive randomised messages and ending with "TPWK. LOVE, H."

December 2019: Response to Interview Question about Using Influence

In December 2019, Harry Styles responded to an interview question about not using his influence more often to support specific causes, reflecting on his approach to activism and public support.

December 2019: "TPWK" Slogan Recognition

In a December 2019 interview, Harry Styles reflected on the growing popularity of his "Treat People with Kindness" (TPWK) slogan, noting its evolution from a pin on his guitar strap to a widespread message.

2019: Questioning Authenticity of Dressing Style

In 2019 The Guardian questioned the authenticity of his flamboyant dressing style and his perceived sexual ambiguity.

2019: Popularizing the Manly Pearl Necklace

In 2019, Styles began wearing sweater vests, baggy high-waisted pants, and pearl necklaces, leading Jacob Gallagher of The Wall Street Journal to call him the "popularizer of the manly pearl necklace."

May 2020: Supported Black Lives Matter

In May 2020, in light of the murder of George Floyd, Harry Styles showed support for Black Lives Matter, urging fans to share and donate in support, and pledged to donate to a bail fund for arrested Black Lives Matter activists.

2020: Quarantine Track of Choice

During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Harry Styles highlighted Mac Miller's single "Blue World" as his personal quarantine track of choice.

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2020: Released t-shirts for COVID-19 relief

During the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, Harry Styles released t-shirts with the slogan 'Stay Home. Stay Safe. Protect Each Other,' with 100% of the profits going towards the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund by the World Health Organization.

stay home stay safe protect each other T-Shirt
stay home stay safe protect each other T-Shirt

2020: Vogue Cover Controversy

In 2020, Styles became the first man to appear solo on the cover of Vogue, wearing a Gucci dress, sparking criticism from right-wing commentators.

2020: Maintained Second Position on Rich List

In 2020, Styles maintained his second-place position on the Sunday Times Rich List with an estimated net worth of £63 million.

2020: Lifestyle Details Shared in Vogue Interview

In a 2020 interview with Vogue, Styles shared that he practices pilates and meditates daily. He also attends therapy regularly and follows a pescatarian diet.

2021: Continued on Rich List

In 2021, Styles maintained his second-place position on the Sunday Times Rich List with an estimated net worth of £75 million.

June 2022: Expressed devastation over Roe v. Wade Overturning

In June 2022, Harry Styles tweeted that he was "absolutely devastated for the people of America" after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it a "truly dark day for America" and referenced the ruling at his concert in Austin, Texas.

June 2022: Donated Apple's AirPods Fee to International Rescue Committee

On 2 June 2022, Harry Styles announced he was donating his appearance fee from Apple's AirPods' spatial audio campaign to the International Rescue Committee, a global humanitarian aid organization that is responding to the refugees fleeing Ukraine.

Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth Headphones, Personalized Spatial Audio, Sweat and Water Resistant, USB-C Charging Case, H2 Chip, Up to 30 Hours of Battery Life, Effortless Setup for iPhone
Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth Headphones, Personalized Spatial Audio, Sweat and Water Resistant, USB-C Charging Case, H2 Chip, Up to 30 Hours of Battery Life, Effortless Setup for iPhone

2022: PETA's Best Viral Moment for Animals Award

In 2022, Styles received PETA's Best Viral Moment for Animals Award after telling fans at a concert that he doesn't eat chicken or meat.

2022: Richest Musician Under 30 in the UK

In 2022, Styles topped the Sunday Times Rich List, becoming the richest musician under 30 in the UK, with a net worth estimated at £100 million.

2022: Partnered with Everytown for Gun Safety for Love On Tour

In 2022, following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Harry Styles partnered with Everytown for Gun Safety for his Love On Tour, donating $1 million to the Everytown Support Fund with Live Nation.

2022: Gucci 'Ha Ha Ha' Collection and Museum Exhibits

In 2022, the Gucci dress Styles wore on the cover of Vogue was featured in a V&A Museum exhibit. Styles also designed a Gucci capsule collection with Alessandro Michele entitled "Ha Ha Ha", unveiled at Milan Fashion Week.

2022: Statements on Publicly Labeling Sexuality

In a 2022 interview with Better Homes and Gardens, Styles stated that the expectation that he should publicly label his sexual orientation is "outdated" and that it doesn't matter, and it's about not having to label everything.

July 2023: Invited Ukrainian Refugees to Love On Tour

In July 2023, Harry Styles invited three Ukrainian refugees supported by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to Love On Tour at his show at Warsaw's PGE Narodowy Stadium, continuing his partnership with the IRC.

2023: Portrait by David Hockney

In 2023, English painter David Hockney painted a portrait of Harry Styles included in the David Hockney: Drawing From Life exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

2023: Increased Fan Visits to Holmes Chapel

In 2023, Holmes Chapel experienced a surge in tourism, with 5,000 fans visiting the village, which led the Holmes Chapel Partnership to hire tour guides to manage the increased demand.

2023: Wealth Estimate and Ranking

In 2023, Styles was estimated to be worth £150 million, placing him jointly at 13th position in a new list.

2023: University Course on Harry Styles

In 2023, Texas State University announced it would offer a course on Harry Styles called "Harry Styles and the Cult of Celebrity: Identity, the Internet and European Pop Culture," analyzing various aspects of Styles's career.

June 2024: Holmes Chapel Walking Tour Launched

In June 2024, Holmes Chapel, Styles's childhood village, introduced a guided walking tour lasting 2.5–3 hours. The tour encompasses locations such as the bakery where Styles formerly worked and the Tremlow Viaduct featured in One Direction: This Is Us. This was launched in response to the high demand.

2024: Investment in S.S. Daley

In 2024, Styles invested in a minority stake in the emerging British fashion label S.S. Daley.

2024: Wealth Estimate and Ranking in the UK

In 2024, The Times estimated Styles's wealth to be £175 million, placing him 17th on the "40 under 40" list and the second richest young musician in the UK.