Challenges in the Life of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex in a Detailed Timeline

Life is full of challenges, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, is a prominent member of the British royal family, currently fifth in line to the throne. The younger son of King Charles III and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, he has undertaken various philanthropic endeavors, including founding the Invictus Games. In 2020, he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped down as senior working royals, relocating to the United States. This decision, dubbed "Megxit" by the media, marked a significant shift in his role within the monarchy. He has since pursued independent ventures, including media projects and charitable work, while maintaining a complex relationship with the royal family.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1996: Parents' Divorce

In 1996, Prince Harry's parents, Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, divorced.

1997: Death of Diana, Princess of Wales

In 1997, Prince Harry's mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a car crash in Paris.

April 2006: Debate over deployment to Iraq

In April 2006, a public debate ensued regarding Prince Harry's potential deployment to Iraq with his unit, with discussions about whether he should serve on the front line.

June 2007: Decision Against Iraq Deployment

By 16 May but made public in June 2007, General Sir Richard Dannatt announced that Prince Harry would not serve in Iraq due to security concerns.

February 2009: Failed Pilot's Theory Test

In February 2009, Prince Harry initially failed his pilot's theory test.

February 2014: Man sentenced to prison for plotting to murder Prince Harry

In February 2014, Ashraf Islam was sentenced to three years in prison for plotting to murder Prince Harry, citing Harry's "moral guilt" due to his military service.

2017: Acknowledgment of Seeking Counseling

In 2017, Prince Harry acknowledged that he had sought counseling years after his mother's death. He added that he had struggled with aggression, had suffered from anxiety during royal engagements, and had been "very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions".

May 2019: Splash News apologizes to the Sussexes for privacy breach

In May 2019, Splash News issued a formal apology to the Sussexes for sending photographers to their Cotswolds residence, putting their privacy at risk. The agency also agreed to pay damages and legal costs.

June 2019: Neo-Nazis jailed for sharing propaganda targeting Prince Harry

In June 2019, two members of the neo-Nazi group Sonnenkrieg Division were jailed for sharing propaganda posters. One poster labelled Prince Harry as a "race traitor" with a gun pointed at his head.

October 2019: Harry sues the Daily Mirror, The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World

In October 2019, it was announced that Harry had sued the Daily Mirror, The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World "in relation to alleged phone-hacking".

December 2019: PA Media retracts Christmas card photograph of Harry, Meghan, and Archie

In December 2019, PA Media retracted the publishing of a Christmas card photograph of Harry, Meghan, and their son Archie because they were advised that the photograph was "not representative of the Christmas card sent by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex".

January 2020: Decision to Step Back

In January 2020, Harry and Meghan announced their decision to step back from their roles as senior members of the royal family.

January 2020: Prank by Russian comedy duo

In January 2020, Harry was pranked by the Russian comedy duo Vovan and Lexus, impersonating Greta Thunberg and her father, during two phone calls on New Year's Eve and January 22, 2020. Harry discussed his departure from the monarchy and criticized Donald Trump's climate change stance.

January 2020: Lawyers issue legal warning to the press regarding paparazzi photos

In January 2020, lawyers for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle issued a legal warning to the press after paparazzi photographs were published in the media.

January 2020: Announcement of stepping back from royal duties

In January 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to step back from their roles as senior members of the royal family, intending to split their time between the United Kingdom and North America, and work towards financial independence.

January 2020: IPSO Sided with Mail on Sunday in Dispute

In January 2020, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) sided with the Mail on Sunday over a dispute between the Duke and the newspaper regarding an Instagram photo involving Harry in which, according to the newspaper, elephants were in fact "tranquilised" and "tethered" during a relocating process. The IPSO rejected Harry's claim that the paper's description was "inaccurate" or "misleading".

March 2020: Couple takes Splash UK to court over unauthorized photos

In March 2020, Harry and Meghan took Splash UK to court after the Duchess and their son were photographed without permission during a "private family outing" while staying in Canada.

April 2020: Duke and Duchess announce that they will no longer cooperate with certain media outlets

In April 2020, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they would no longer cooperate with the Daily Mail, the Sun, the Mirror and the Express.

June 2020: Harry's lawyers threaten to sue The Sun over payment allegations

In June 2020, Prince Harry's lawyers issued a 'letter before action', threatening to sue The Sun and Dan Wootton, based on allegations that they had paid money to associates of palace officials to secure their stories about Archie.

June 2020: Support for Stop Hate for Profit Campaign

In June 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex backed the Stop Hate for Profit campaign, encouraging CEOs of various companies to join the movement and take a stand against hate speech.

September 2020: Video addressing American voters

In September 2020, Harry and his wife released a video urging American voters to "reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity" in the 2020 United States presidential election, an action perceived by some as an endorsement of Joe Biden.

September 2020: Harry issues legal complaint over The Times article

In September 2020, Prince Harry issued a legal complaint against The Times for an article claiming an Invictus Games fundraiser had been cancelled due to its affiliation with a competitor of Netflix, Harry's business partner.

December 2020: Harry Sues Associated Newspapers Limited

In December 2020, Harry's legal team sued Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) for publishing a story in the Mail on Sunday claiming his working relationship with the Royal Marines had suffered post-royal departure.

June 2021: Harry and Meghan accuse BBC of defamation over Lilibet's name

In June 2021, following the birth of their daughter Lilibet, the BBC reported that Harry and Meghan had not sought the Queen's permission before using her personal family nickname. Lawyers for the couple accused the BBC of defamation, stating that Harry had spoken to the Queen before announcing their daughter's name.

September 2021: Legal Fight Over Police Protection

In September 2021, Harry began a legal fight with the Home Office over their refusal to let him pay for police protection.

October 2021: Speaking against oil drilling in the Okavango River

In October 2021, Prince Harry spoke out against oil drilling in the Okavango River in an op-ed for The Washington Post, advocating for environmental protection and sustainable practices.

October 2021: Bot Sentinel alleges coordinated negative content against Harry and Meghan on Twitter

In October 2021, Twitter analytics service Bot Sentinel alleged that 83 accounts were responsible for a large portion of the negative content posted about Harry and Meghan, prompting an investigation by Twitter.

2021: Alleged statement used as key element in the case

In 2021, Gavin Burrows' alleged statement was used as a key element in the case. Burrows claimed the statement was not signed by him and was "a cut and paste from my evidence" of other publishers targeting individuals.

2021: The Me You Can't See Premiere

In 2021, Prince Harry's mental-health television documentary, "The Me You Can't See", premiered, where he revealed undergoing four years of therapy and experiencing panic attacks and anxiety in his late 20s, eventually leading to burnout from official duties.

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January 2022: Couple files legal complaint against The Times over Archewell article

In January 2022, Harry and Meghan mutually filed a legal complaint against The Times for an article reporting on Archewell raising less than $50,000 in 2020.

January 2022: Harry and Meghan's images used in fake advertisements

In January 2022, the BBC reported that Harry and Meghan were among people whose photos and videos were used in fake instant profits advertisements and bitcoin-related investment schemes.

February 2022: Harry Files Libel Suit Against ANL

In February 2022, Harry filed a libel suit in the High Court against ANL for a Mail on Sunday article which alleged he was trying to keep his legal battle against the Home Office to restore his police protection secret from the public through requesting a confidentiality order on the case and that he offered to pay for police protection only after filing a lawsuit against the government.

March 2022: Signing open letter for free global access to COVID-19 vaccines

In March 2022, Prince Harry and his wife were among over a hundred individuals who signed an open letter published by the People's Vaccine Alliance, advocating for free global access to COVID-19 vaccines and criticizing the UK, EU, and Switzerland for opposing a waiver on vaccine intellectual property protections.

June 2022: Parts of Mail on Sunday Article Ruled Potentially Defamatory

In June 2022, Mr Justice Nicklin ruled that parts of the Mail on Sunday article were potentially defamatory, though Nicklin rejected claims by Harry's lawyers that the article portrayed him as a liar.

August 2022: Lawsuit Against Home Office

In August 2022, Harry filed a lawsuit against the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police, challenging the decision that State security could not be made available to private individuals even if they wished to pay for it.

October 2022: Legal Action Launched Against ANL

In October 2022, the Duke of Sussex joined Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Sadie Frost, and Elizabeth Hurley in launching a legal action against ANL for their alleged "abhorrent criminal activity", which was said to involve listening to and recording people's phone calls and daily activities, obtaining sensitive information and medical records, and accessing bank accounts and financial transactions.

January 2023: Release of Memoir 'Spare' and Subsequent Controversy

In January 2023, Prince Harry's memoir, 'Spare', was published, in which he revealed that he killed 25 Taliban members during his military service and that he did not view them as people, sparking backlash from the Taliban, British politicians, and military figures. Pen Farthing, a British former Royal Marines commando and founder of the Nowzad Dogs charity, was evacuated from Kabul on January 6, 2023, due to potential reprisal attacks.

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January 2023: High Court to hear Harry's lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers

In January 2023, a High Court judge ruled that Prince Harry's lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), along with other similar lawsuits against the publisher, would proceed to trial in May 2023.

February 2023: High Court Ruling Against Harry's Security Case

In February 2023, a High Court judge initially ruled that Harry's second case challenging the decision to deny him the ability to pay for his own police security should be thrown out, although the decision was later appealed.

March 2023: Heritage Foundation inquiry into Harry's drug use and visa application

In March 2023, the Heritage Foundation (HF) sent a dossier to government entities concerning Harry's past drug use and whether he admitted to it on his U.S. visa application, later filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for his immigration records.

May 2023: Legal Challenge Lost

In May 2023, Harry lost the legal challenge, preventing him from making private payments for police protection.

May 2023: Trial begins for Harry's lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers

In May 2023, the trial began for Prince Harry's lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN). At the beginning of the trial, MGN apologized for one instance of unlawful information gathering against Harry, acknowledging that his legal challenge "warrants compensation".

June 2023: Criticism of UK government

In June 2023, Harry criticized the UK government in his witness statement to a court, arguing that the British press and government were "at rock bottom" and that the press was too closely aligned with the government.

June 2023: Harry testifies in court against Mirror Group Newspapers

In June 2023, Prince Harry testified in the court case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), accusing former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan of personal attacks and claiming his phone had been hacked since his time at Eton. This marked the first time a member of the royal family had been cross-examined in court since 1891.

June 2023: Spotify Cancels Archetypes

In June 2023, Spotify announced they would not proceed with the deal, cancelling Archetypes, which had run for a single season of 12 episodes.

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June 2023: Cost of Legal Fight Revealed

In June 2023, a Freedom of Information request revealed that Harry's legal fight with the Home Office had cost £502,236, with £492,000 covered by the state and the remaining £10,000 covered by Harry.

July 2023: Part of Harry's case to go to trial

In July 2023, the judge ruled that part of Harry's case involving allegations of illegal information gathering would go to trial but his phone-hacking claims were dismissed for being made too late.

November 2023: Harry's case against ANL ruled admissible

In November 2023, Mr Justice Nicklin ruled that the case brought by Harry and the other claimants against ANL could proceed but unpublished material provided to the Leveson Inquiry was inadmissible as proof in this case.

December 2023: Motion Rejected, Libel Case to Proceed to Trial

In December 2023, Harry attempted to have the publisher's defence thrown out, but the judge rejected his motion and decided that the case should proceed to trial. He later ordered Harry to pay Mail on Sunday £48,447 in legal costs.

December 2023: High Court rules in favor of Harry in phone hacking case

In December 2023, the High Court ruled in favor of Prince Harry in his phone hacking case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN). The court found in Harry's favor for 15 of the 33 sample stories used in his claims and awarded him £140,600 in damages. The judge concluded that Piers Morgan and other editors knew about and were involved in the phone hacking at their publications.

January 2024: Neo-Nazis sentenced for calling for Harry and Archie's deaths

In January 2024, Christopher Gibbons and Tyrone Patten-Walsh, two neo-Nazis, were given prison sentences for terrorism, including calling for the deaths of Harry and his son Archie on their podcast.

January 2024: Harry Withdraws Libel Claim

In January 2024, Harry withdrew the libel claim and became liable for the publisher's £250,000 legal costs.

February 2024: Harry settles phone hacking claim with Mirror Group Newspapers

In February 2024, Prince Harry settled his remaining phone hacking claim with Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN). The publisher agreed to cover Harry's legal costs and pay damages reported to be in the region of £300,000.

February 2024: High Court Rules Against Harry in Home Office Case

In February 2024, the High Court ruled against Harry in his case against the Home Office, upholding RAVEC's decision regarding his security arrangements.

March 2024: Order to hand over visa application details

In March 2024, the U.S. government was ordered to hand over Harry's visa application details to a D.C. court, following a failed freedom of information request by the Heritage Foundation from the DHS.

April 2024: Lost Initial Appeal Attempt

In April 2024, Harry lost an initial attempt to appeal against the ruling in his security case and was held liable for 90% of the Home Office's legal costs.

May 2024: Permission Granted to Challenge High Court Decision

In May 2024, Harry was given permission by the Court of Appeal to challenge the High Court's decision in his security case.

May 2024: Harry Denied Permission to Expand Case Against News Group Newspapers

In May 2024, Mr Justice Fancourt refused Harry permission to include claims against Rupert Murdoch, expand his case's scope back to 1994 and 1995 to cover allegations involving his mother or to add new allegations from 2016 involving his then-girlfriend Meghan.

September 2024: Closure of Heritage Foundation case

In September 2024, the case brought forward by the Heritage Foundation regarding Harry's visa application was closed due to the filing of sealed orders and a sealed "memorandum opinion".

October 2024: Sides Told to Settle or Go to Trial

In October 2024, the judge announced that the two sides should either settle or go to trial in January 2025 and refused to let Harry's team include allegations that bugs were placed in rooms and cars, and trackers placed on vehicles as "no particulars whatsoever of such allegations" were provided.

January 2025: Settlement Reached in Phone-Hacking Lawsuit

In January 2025, Harry settled with NGN, receiving more than £10 million in pay outs and legal fees. NGN made a "full and unequivocal apology" for "serious intrusion" by The Sun between 1996 and 2011.The settlement drew a line under the past and NGN rejected the claims that would have been made in court about a corporate cover-up.

February 2025: Trump rules out deporting Harry

In February 2025, new U.S. President Donald Trump stated he would not deport Harry from the USA in an interview with the New York Post.

March 2025: Release of redacted court documents ordered

In March 2025, Judge Carl Nichols ordered the release of redacted versions of court documents related to Harry's visa application case by 18 March 2025. Heavily redacted documents, excluding the visa application, were released, withholding his immigration status and whether he disclosed drug use.