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

2 days ago : Prince Harry Faces Defamation Lawsuit from Sentebale, Charity He Co-Founded: Details Emerge.

Prince Harry is being sued for libel by Sentebale, a charity he co-founded, over claims made in his memoir. The Duke of Sussex faces defamation allegations, raising questions about his reputation and the charity's future.

1994: Claims against Rupert Murdoch and expansion of case's scope

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 add new allegations from 2016 involving his then-girlfriend Meghan. The case aimed to expand claims back to 1994 and 1995

1995: Claims against Rupert Murdoch and expansion of case's scope

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 add new allegations from 2016 involving his then-girlfriend Meghan. The case aimed to expand claims back to 1994 and 1995.

2001: Harry's claims relate to articles published between 2001 and 2013

In January 2026, the trial between Prince Harry, other claimants, and ANL began, with proceedings expected to last nine weeks. Prince Harry's claims relate to 14 articles published between 2001 and 2013, which his lawyer argued could not have been lawfully sourced.

January 2005: Controversial comment about Chelsy Davy

In January 2005, Prince Harry made a controversial comment about his Zimbabwean girlfriend Chelsy Davy, stating "She's not black or anything, you know."

2005: Nazi Uniform Controversy

In early 2005, Prince Harry was photographed wearing a Nazi German Afrika Korps uniform with a swastika armband at a "Colonial and Native"-themed birthday party, sparking widespread backlash. Clarence House issued a public apology, and Harry later stated that it was a stupid thing to do and that he had learned his lesson.

April 2006: Announcement of Potential Iraq Deployment

In April 2006, it was announced that Prince Harry's unit was scheduled to be deployed to Iraq the following year, sparking public debate over his service there and the Ministry of Defence stated that Harry would be shielded from the front line if his unit went to war.

June 2007: Decision Against Iraq Deployment

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

October 2007: Video surfaces from trip to Namibia

In October 2007, a video from Prince Harry's trip to Namibia surfaced, showing him snorting vodka and licking a male friend's nipples.

November 2008: Stephen K. Amos alleges Harry made a racist comment

In November 2008, British comedian Stephen K. Amos alleged that after performing at Prince Charles's 60th birthday, Prince Harry commented on his performance by saying, "You don't sound like a black chap."

January 2009: News of the World Releases Video with Offensive Remarks

In January 2009, the News of the World released a video made by Prince Harry three years earlier where he used offensive terms, referring to a Pakistani officer cadet as "our little Paki friend" and calling a soldier in camouflage a "raghead." Clarence House issued an apology, and Harry was reportedly instructed to attend a diversity course.

February 2009: Failed Pilot's Theory Test

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

2011: Harry has close relationship with Charlotte Griffiths

During the ANL trial in January 2026, it was revealed that between 2011 and 2012 Harry himself had a close relationship with Charlotte Griffiths, a Mail on Sunday reporter, whom he had exchanges with via Facebook and phones.

August 2012: Las Vegas Naked Photos Leak

In August 2012, Prince Harry was photographed naked with a woman in a Wynn Las Vegas hotel room during a game of strip billiards. The photos were leaked by TMZ on August 21, 2012, and were widely reported. British media were initially reluctant to publish them, but The Sun eventually did so on August 24, 2012.

September 2012: Arrival in Afghanistan for Combat Tour

On 7 September 2012, Prince Harry arrived at Camp Bastion in southern Afghanistan to begin a four-month combat tour as a co-pilot and gunner for an Apache helicopter. On 10 September, the Taliban threatened his life. On 18 September, Harry was moved to a safe location after a Taliban attack on Camp Bastion.

2012: Harry has close relationship with Charlotte Griffiths

During the ANL trial in January 2026, it was revealed that between 2011 and 2012 Harry himself had a close relationship with Charlotte Griffiths, a Mail on Sunday reporter, whom he had exchanges with via Facebook and phones.

2013: Harry's claims relate to articles published between 2001 and 2013

In January 2026, the trial between Prince Harry, other claimants, and ANL began, with proceedings expected to last nine weeks. Prince Harry's claims relate to 14 articles published between 2001 and 2013, which his lawyer argued could not have been lawfully sourced.

February 2014: Ashraf Islam sentenced for plotting to murder Harry

In February 2014, Ashraf Islam was sentenced to three years in prison for plotting to murder Prince Harry. Islam believed Harry had "a moral guilt" due to his service in the army.

2015: Severing Ties with Mahfouz

In 2015, Prince Harry stated that he severed ties with Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz after expressing "growing concerns" about his motives.

2016: Claims against Rupert Murdoch and expansion of case's scope

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 add new allegations from 2016 involving his then-girlfriend Meghan. The case aimed to add new allegations from 2016 involving his then-girlfriend Meghan.

2017: Sought Counselling After Mother's Death

In 2017, Prince Harry revealed that he had sought counselling for years after his mother's death. He disclosed that he struggled with aggression, anxiety during royal engagements, and was close to a breakdown. He also mentioned using boxing, alcohol, and experimental drugs like psychedelics to cope with stress and PTSD.

May 2019: Splash News apologizes 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: Criticism about Royal Family Carbon Footprint

In June 2019, the royal family faced criticism after it was revealed that they had doubled their carbon footprint from business travel.

June 2019: Members of neo-Nazi group jailed for sharing propaganda posters

In June 2019, two members of the neo-Nazi group Sonnenkrieg Division were jailed for eighteen months and four years, respectively, for sharing propaganda posters among which was one that labelled Harry as a "race traitor" with a gun pointed at his head. The pair had called for the execution of Prince Harry and his son.

August 2019: Criticism for Private Jet Journeys

In August 2019, Prince Harry and Meghan were criticized for taking four private jet journeys in 11 days, including one to Elton John's home in Nice, France, raising concerns about their environmental impact.

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

In October 2019, Prince Harry sued the Daily Mirror, The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World in relation to alleged phone-hacking. Harry sought damages in excess of £200,000 and alleged a previous agreement with News Group Newspapers (NGN) was not honored.

January 2020: Legal warning issued to the press

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

January 2020: IPSO Sided with Mail on Sunday

In January 2020, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) sided with the Mail on Sunday over a dispute with Prince Harry regarding an Instagram photo involving elephants that the newspaper claimed were "tranquilised" and "tethered", rejecting Harry's claim that the description was inaccurate.

January 2020: Harry to step back from Royal duties

On January 18, 2020, Buckingham Palace announced an agreement for Prince Harry to step back from Royal duties, including official military appointments.

March 2020: Legal action against Splash UK

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

June 2020: Lawyers threaten to sue The Sun and Dan Wootton

In June 2020, Prince Harry's lawyers issued a 'letter before action', threatening to sue The Sun and Dan Wootton over allegations of payments to palace officials for stories. It was alleged that The Sun had made two payments amounting to £4,000 to the partner of a royal official in relation to stories published in June and July 2019.

September 2020: Legal complaint against The Times

In September 2020, Prince Harry issued a legal complaint against The Times for publishing 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: Lawsuit Against Associated Newspapers Limited

In December 2020, Prince Harry's legal team sued Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) for publishing a story in the Mail on Sunday claiming his relationship with the Royal Marines had suffered after his royal departure. The newspaper later apologized and paid substantial damages to be donated to the Invictus Games Foundation.

2020: Move to the US

In 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan experienced initial difficulties associated with their move to the US, as discussed during their Oprah Winfrey interview in March 2021.

February 2021: Harry gives up military appointments

In February 2021, the Palace confirmed that the Duke would relinquish his position as Captain General Royal Marines and all other honorary military appointments.

June 2021: Statement on HALO Trust Attack in Afghanistan

In June 2021, after ten members of the HALO Trust were killed by an armed group at a mine clearance camp in Afghanistan, Prince Harry issued a statement condemning the attack.

August 2021: Private Jet Flight to Aspen

In August 2021, Prince Harry received backlash for taking a two-hour private jet flight between California and Aspen, Colorado, to participate in a charity polo tournament.

December 2021: Reports emerge about meetings with Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz

In December 2021, reports emerged about Prince Harry's meetings with Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, leading to an investigation into Mahfouz's CBE. Harry referred to it as the "CBE scandal".

2021: Mental Health Documentary and Therapy

In 2021, Prince Harry discussed his mental health journey in "The Me You Can't See", revealing he underwent four years of therapy, prompted by his future wife. He spoke about suffering from panic attacks and severe anxiety, leading to burnout from royal duties.

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2021: Gavin Burrows statement in ANL case

In October 2022, the Duke of Sussex joined other public figures in launching a legal action against ANL for alleged "abhorrent criminal activity" including phone hacking and obtaining sensitive information, where Gavin Burrows gave a 2021 statement.

January 2022: Legal complaint against The Times

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

January 2022: Harry's legal fight over police protection begins

In January 2022, it was reported that Harry had been in a legal fight since September 2021 over the Home Office's refusal to allow him to pay for police protection. He had made the offer to pay during the Sandringham Summit and "self-evidently believed" that it would be passed on to the government.

February 2022: Filed Libel Suit Against ANL

In February 2022, Prince Harry filed a libel suit in the High Court against ANL for a Mail on Sunday article alleging he was trying to keep his legal battle with the Home Office secret.

June 2022: Ruling on Defamatory Parts of ANL Article

In June 2022, Mr. Justice Nicklin ruled that parts of the Mail on Sunday article were potentially defamatory, though he rejected claims that it portrayed Prince Harry as a liar.

June 2022: Private Jet Flight After Queen's Jubilee

In June 2022, after the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, Prince Harry and Meghan boarded a private jet to California, estimated to have emitted "ten times more carbon than flying commercial."

August 2022: Harry files lawsuit against the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police

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

October 2022: Legal action against ANL launched

In October 2022, the Duke of Sussex joined other public figures in launching a legal action against ANL for alleged "abhorrent criminal activity" including phone hacking and obtaining sensitive information.

December 2022: Harry Ranked Among Most Disliked Royals

In December 2022, Prince Harry was ranked as the third most disliked member of the British royal family by YouGov, following Prince Andrew and Meghan, after his popularity fell due to controversial interviews, docuseries, and his memoir.

January 2023: High Court judge rules that Harry's lawsuit against MGN will go to trial

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

March 2023: Gabor Maté suggests Harry could be suffering from PTSD, ADD, anxiety, and depression

In March 2023, during a live-streamed interview with Harry, physician Gabor Maté publicly suggested that Harry could be suffering from PTSD, ADD, anxiety, and depression, based on their conversation and having read his autobiography "Spare".

Spare

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March 2023: Heritage Foundation's Dossier on Drug Use

In March 2023, the Heritage Foundation sent a dossier on Prince Harry's past drug use to government entities, questioning whether he disclosed it on his U.S. visa application.

May 2023: Trial against Mirror Group Newspapers begins

At the beginning of the trial in May 2023, Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) apologized for one instance of unlawful information gathering against Prince Harry and added that his legal challenge "warrants compensation".

June 2023: Harry testifies in court case against Daily Mirror

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

July 2023: Ruling in Harry's case against News Group Newspapers

In July 2023, the judge ruled that part of Prince 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: Ruling on admissibility of evidence in ANL case

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

December 2023: Rejection of Motion and Legal Costs

In December 2023, Prince Harry's motion to dismiss the publisher's defense in the libel suit was rejected, and he was ordered to pay Mail on Sunday £48,447 in legal costs.

2023: Satirized in South Park

In 2023, Prince Harry and Meghan's exit from the royal family was satirized in an episode of South Park.

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2023: Memoir Describing Agoraphobia

In his 2023 memoir, Prince Harry described himself as an agoraphobe.

January 2024: Neo-Nazis sentenced for calling for the deaths of Harry and Archie

In January 2024, Christopher Gibbons and Tyrone Patten-Walsh, two neo-Nazis, were given prison sentences between 8 and 11 years for terrorism, which included calling for the deaths of Prince Harry and his son Archie on their podcast.

January 2024: Withdrawal of Libel Claim

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

March 2024: Named in lawsuit against P. Diddy

In March 2024, Prince Harry was mentioned in a lawsuit against P. Diddy related to sexual trafficking allegations, cited as a celebrity associate used to attract guests to parties.

March 2024: Order to Provide Visa Application Materials

In March 2024, the U.S. government was ordered to provide Prince Harry's visa-application materials to a D.C. court after an unsuccessful freedom‑of‑information request.

May 2024: Restriction of claims against Rupert Murdoch and expansion of case's scope

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 add new allegations from 2016 involving his then-girlfriend Meghan.

May 2024: Permission to challenge High Court's decision

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

September 2024: Visa Case Closed with Sealed Orders

In September 2024, the case regarding Prince Harry's visa application was closed after sealed orders and a memorandum opinion were filed. The Heritage Foundation requested the ruling be vacated and confidential correspondence be released.

October 2024: The two sides urged 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: Appearance at Food Bank Draws Mixed Reactions

In January 2025, Prince Harry and Meghan's appearance at a food bank during the Southern California wildfires in the Pacific Palisades received mixed reactions, labeled by some as "disaster tourism."

March 2025: Release of Redacted Court Documents

In March 2025, Judge Carl Nichols ordered the release of redacted versions of court documents related to Prince Harry's visa application. Heavily redacted documents were published, but the visa application itself and his immigration status remained withheld.

March 2025: Resignation from Sentebale

In March 2025, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho resigned as patrons of Sentebale following a dispute between trustees and the board chair, Sophie Chandauka, who reported the charity to the Charity Commission, alleging poor governance and misconduct.

May 2025: Interview with BBC and reflection on security loss

In May 2025, Harry was interviewed by Nada Tawfik of the BBC, during which he reflected on his loss of taxpayer-funded security and his ongoing estrangement from his family. Stephen Bates, writing for The Guardian, criticized Harry's approach.

May 2025: Rejection of appeal by three senior judges

In May 2025, Harry's appeal was rejected by three senior judges and he was likely to be held liable for the UK government's legal fees.

August 2025: Charity Commission Findings

In August 2025, the Charity Commission announced findings regarding Sentebale, stating it found no evidence of widespread bullying or overreach by Sophie Chandauka or Prince Harry but acknowledged a strong perception of ill-treatment, criticized all sides for allowing the conflict to become public, and cited poor internal governance as impactful to the charity's reputation.

January 2026: ANL Trial Start

In January 2026, the trial between Prince Harry, other claimants, and ANL began, with proceedings expected to last nine weeks. Ahead of the trial, ANL accused the claimants' legal team of dishonesty, fraud, and conspiracy.