Major Controversies Surrounding Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex: A Detailed Timeline
A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, is a prominent member of the British royal family, the younger son of King Charles III and the late Diana, Princess of Wales. He holds the position of fifth in the line of succession to the British throne. Known for his military service and philanthropic endeavors, Prince Harry has increasingly stepped away from royal duties. He and his wife, Meghan Markle, now reside in the United States, pursuing independent ventures through their organization Archewell, focusing on various charitable and media projects.
6 hours ago : Royal rift deepens: William's gesture as Harry faces estrangement and family tensions.
Prince Harry faces potential estrangement from Prince William amid intensifying anti-Sussex sentiment. King Charles remains silent as familial tensions escalate. William made a gesture to avoid humiliating Harry and Meghan.
2001: Harry Smokes Cannabis and Drinks
In the summer of 2001, it emerged that Prince Harry had been smoking cannabis and drinking at his father's Highgrove House and at a local pub.
2002: Harry Visits Drug Rehabilitation Unit
In 2002, it was reported that Prince Harry, with Charles's encouragement, had paid a visit to a drug rehabilitation unit to talk to drug addicts after it had emerged that he had been smoking cannabis and drinking.
January 2005: Remarks about Chelsy Davy
In January 2005, Prince Harry responded to an inquiry about his Zimbabwean girlfriend Chelsy Davy, by saying, "She's not black or anything, you know".
2005: Controversy over Nazi uniform
In early 2005, Prince Harry was photographed wearing a Nazi German Afrika Korps uniform with a swastika armband at a birthday party, sparking widespread backlash. He later issued a public apology.
October 2007: Video surfaces from Namibia trip
In October 2007, a video from Prince Harry's trip to Namibia with his friends surfaced, which showed him snorting vodka and licking a male friend's nipples.
November 2008: Alleged comment to Stephen K. Amos
In November 2008, British stand-up comedian Stephen K. Amos alleged that Prince Harry commented on his performance at Charles's 60th birthday celebration by saying, "You don't sound like a black chap."
October 2013: Jo Brand's Comment on Have I Got News for You
In October 2013, Jo Brand made a comment on Have I Got News for You that implied Harry snorted cocaine. Representatives of Kensington Palace contacted the BBC, who apologized for the "factual inaccuracy" that George's godfather was Hugh van Cutsem.
2013: Met with Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz
In 2013 Harry met Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz
2014: Met with Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz
In 2014 Harry met Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz
2015: Severing ties with Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz
In 2015, Harry severed ties with Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz after expressing "growing concerns" about his motives.
January 2016: Harry Admits to Taking Magic Mushrooms at Courteney Cox's Party
In his memoir, Spare, Harry admits that he took magic mushrooms at a party at Courteney Cox's house in January 2016.
May 2019: Splash News Apology for Privacy Breach
In May 2019, Splash News formally apologized to the Sussexes for sending photographers to their Cotswolds residence, which risked their privacy. The agency paid damages and legal costs related to the case.
June 2019: Royal Family's Carbon Footprint
In June 2019, the royal family faced reactions after it was revealed that they had doubled their carbon footprint from business travel.
July 2019: Payments Allegedly Made to Royal Official's Partner
It was alleged that in July 2019, the Sun had made two payments amounting to £4,000 to the partner of a royal official in relation to stories published detailing nannying and god-parenting arrangements for Harry and Meghan's son Archie.
August 2019: Criticism for Private Jet Journeys
In August 2019, Harry and Meghan faced criticism for reportedly taking four private jet journeys in 11 days, including one to Elton John's home in Nice, France, raising concerns about their environmental activism.
January 2020: Announcement of Stepping Back as Senior Royals
In January 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan announced they would step back from their roles as senior members of the royal family and balance their time between the United Kingdom and North America, becoming financially independent and ceasing to represent the Queen.
January 2020: Prank by Russian comedy duo
In January 2020, Prince Harry was pranked by Russian comedians Vovan and Lexus, impersonating Greta Thunberg and her father. During the calls, Harry discussed his decision to leave the monarchy, describing it as "not easy", and criticised Donald Trump's stance on climate change.
January 2020: Legal Warning Issued to Press
In January 2020, lawyers issued a legal warning to the press after paparazzi photographs of the family were published in the media without permission.
January 2020: IPSO Sides with Mail on Sunday in Dispute Over Instagram Photo
In January 2020, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) sided with the Mail on Sunday over a dispute 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".
January 2020: Megxit Story Leads to Announcement
On January 8, 2020, Dan Wootton broke the story about Harry and Meghan's plans for moving to Canada, prompting them to announce their stepping back from royal duties within hours. Sources later claimed they felt forced to disclose prematurely due to the Sun's intentions to publish the story.
March 2020: Loss of Publicly Funded Security
In March 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan faced difficulties with obtaining and maintaining publicly funded security in Canada and the United Kingdom after announcing their self-demotion within the royal family. The Government of Canada announced RCMP security would not be provided after the couple's status changed, and similar petitions circulated in the UK. President Donald Trump asserted the United States would not pay for their security either.
March 2020: Lawsuit Against Splash UK
In March 2020, the couple 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: Couple Ends Cooperation With Several Media Outlets
In April 2020, the Duke and Duchess announced that they would no longer cooperate with the Daily Mail, the Sun, the Mirror and the Express due to privacy concerns.
June 2020: Lawyers Threaten to Sue The Sun
In June 2020, Harry's lawyers issued a 'letter before action', threatening to sue the Sun and Dan Wootton, based on allegations of payments to palace officials for stories.
September 2020: Video Addressing American Voters
In September 2020, Prince 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, which was interpreted by some as an endorsement of Joe Biden.
September 2020: Legal Complaint Issued Against The Times
In September 2020, the Duke issued a legal complaint against The Times for an article claiming an Invictus Games fundraiser was cancelled due to its affiliation with a competitor of Netflix, Harry's business partner.
2020: Move to the United States
In 2020, Harry and Meghan moved to the United States. During the interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, the pair talked about the initial difficulties associated with their move.
March 2021: Charity Commission Review of Sussex Royal
In March 2021, it was reported that the Charity Commission for England and Wales was conducting a review of the Sussex Royal organisation regarding its conduct under charity law during dissolution.
March 2021: Oprah Winfrey Interview Airs on CBS
On March 7, 2021, Harry and his wife were interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in a television special for CBS. Meghan discussed marriage, motherhood, and public life pressures, while Harry criticized his father's parenting and lack of relationship with his brother. The interview received a wide and polarized reaction.
May 2021: Guest on Armchair Expert Podcast
In May 2021, Prince Harry appeared on the Armchair Expert podcast, discussing freedom of speech in the United States and stating the First Amendment was "bonkers". His comments drew backlash from conservative figures like Ted Cruz and Nigel Farage.
June 2021: BBC Defamation Claim Over Daughter's Name
In June 2021, despite congratulations on the birth of their daughter Lilibet, the BBC reported that Harry and Meghan had not sought the Queen's permission before using her nickname. Lawyers for the couple accused the BBC of defamation, asserting that Harry had spoken to the Queen beforehand.
August 2021: Backlash for Private Jet Flight to Charity Tournament
In August 2021, Harry received backlash for taking a two-hour private jet flight between California and Aspen, Colorado, to participate in an annual charity polo tournament.
September 2021: Legal fight over police protection refusal
In September 2021, Prince Harry initiated a legal fight over the Home Office's refusal to allow him to pay for police protection.
October 2021: Bot Sentinel Report on Negative Content
In October 2021, Twitter analytics service Bot Sentinel alleged that 83 accounts were responsible for approximately 70% of the negative content posted about Harry and Meghan, prompting an investigation by Twitter.
November 2021: Claims of Warning Twitter CEO Before Capitol Attack
In November 2021, at Wired's Re:Wired Conference, Prince Harry claimed he emailed Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey a day before the January 6 United States Capitol attack, warning of potential unrest, but received no response.
December 2021: "CBE scandal" and severing ties with Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz
In December 2021, reports emerged about Prince Harry's meetings with Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, whose receipt of a CBE became the subject of an investigation. Harry stated he severed ties with Mahfouz in 2015.
January 2022: RAVEC decision on State security
In January 2022, RAVEC decided that State security could not be made available to private individuals even if they wished to pay for it themselves, leading to Prince Harry's lawsuit.
January 2022: Photos Used in Fake Advertisements
In January 2022, the BBC reported that Harry and Meghan's photos and videos were used in fake instant profits advertisements and bitcoin-related investment schemes.
January 2022: Legal Complaint Filed Against The Times
In January 2022, the couple mutually filed a legal complaint against The Times for an article reporting on Archewell raising less than $50,000 in 2020.
January 2022: Court hearing of police protection case
In January 2022, the first court hearing of Prince Harry's case against the Home Office revealed that Harry had 'exceptional status' and the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) still determined his personal protective security on a case-by-case basis.
June 2022: Private Jet Usage After Platinum Jubilee
In June 2022, Harry and Meghan were criticized for boarding a private jet on their way to California after the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, which was estimated to have emitted "ten times more carbon than flying commercial".
June 2022: Reaction to Supreme Court Decision on Abortion
In June 2022, Meghan described Prince Harry's reaction to the Supreme Court's decision on abortion rights as "guttural" in an interview with Vogue.
July 2022: Condemnation of Supreme Court Decision at the UN
In July 2022, Prince Harry condemned the Supreme Court's decision on abortion rights as a "rolling back of constitutional rights" during his address to the United Nations on Mandela Day.
August 2022: Lawsuit against the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police
In August 2022, Prince 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.
January 2023: Interviews Ahead of 'Spare' Release
In January 2023, Harry sat down for multiple interviews ahead of the release of his memoir Spare, including interviews by Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes, Tom Bradby on ITV1, and Michael Strahan on Good Morning America. He expressed a desire to reconcile with his father and brother and criticized the press.
January 2023: Memoir "Spare" Reveals Taliban Killings and Backlash
In January 2023, Prince Harry's memoir "Spare" was published, revealing he killed 25 Taliban members during his military service. He expressed feeling trained to dehumanize them, viewing them as "chess pieces". The revelations led to security concerns and backlash from the Taliban and British figures.
February 2023: Initial ruling against Harry's case
In February 2023, a High Court judge ruled that Prince Harry's second case against the Home Office should be thrown out; however, the decision was later appealed by Harry's legal team.
March 2023: Gabor Maté Suggests Potential Diagnoses
In March 2023, physician Gabor Maté publicly suggested in a live-streamed interview that Harry could be suffering from PTSD, ADD, anxiety, and depression, based on their conversation and Maté's reading of Harry's autobiography, Spare.
March 2023: Heritage Foundation's Inquiry into Harry's Drug Use
In March 2023, the Heritage Foundation (HF) sent a dossier on Prince Harry's past drug use to government entities, questioning whether he admitted to it on his U.S. visa application.
May 2023: Loss of legal challenge for police protection
In May 2023, Prince Harry lost the legal challenge against the Home Office, meaning that he will not be allowed to make private payments for police protection.
June 2023: Criticism of the UK Government in Witness Statement
In June 2023, Prince Harry broke royal protocol by criticising the UK government in a witness statement to a court, arguing the British press and government were "at rock bottom" and colluding to maintain the status quo.
June 2023: Costs of legal fight revealed
In June 2023, a Freedom of Information request revealed that Prince 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.
2023: Satirized in South Park
In 2023, Harry and Meghan's exit from the royal family was satirized in an episode of South Park.
January 2024: Neo-Nazis Sentenced for Threatening Harry and Archie
In January 2024, two neo-Nazis, Christopher Gibbons and Tyrone Patten-Walsh, were sentenced to prison for terrorism, including calling for the deaths of Harry and his son Archie on their podcast.
February 2024: High Court ruling against Harry in Home Office case
In February 2024, the High Court ruled against Prince Harry in his case against the Home Office and upheld the decision by RAVEC, stating that there had been no unlawfulness in the decision-making process for his security arrangements. Harry's lawyers announced that they would appeal the decision.
March 2024: Harry Named in Lawsuit Against P. Diddy
In March 2024, Prince Harry was named in a lawsuit against P. Diddy, who faced allegations of sexual trafficking. Harry was mentioned as a celebrity associate of Combs, who allegedly used him and other famous figures to attract guests to his parties.
March 2024: Order to Hand Over Visa Application Details
In March 2024, the U.S. government was ordered to hand over Prince Harry's visa application details to a D.C. court, following a failed freedom of information request by the Heritage Foundation.
April 2024: Loss of initial appeal attempt and cost liability
In April 2024, Prince Harry lost an initial attempt to appeal against the ruling. The judge held him liable for 90% of the Home Office's legal costs. It was also revealed that during the proceedings Harry had leaked information via email.
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.
September 2024: Closure of Visa Application Case
In September 2024, the Heritage Foundation's case regarding Prince Harry's visa application was closed due to sealed orders and a sealed memorandum opinion, with the HF subsequently requesting to vacate the ruling.
January 2025: Justine Bateman Calls Harry and Meghan's Behavior "Repulsive"
In January 2025, Justine Bateman criticized Harry and Meghan's behavior as "repulsive" for showing up at a food bank during the Southern California wildfires in the Pacific Palisades, accusing them of seeking a "photo op" and labeling them "disaster tourists".
March 2025: Resignation from Sentebale
In March 2025, Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho resigned from their roles as patrons of Sentebale following a dispute between the charity's trustees and the chair of the board, Sophie Chandauka.
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 by March 18, 2025, though his immigration status and drug use disclosure remained withheld.
Mentioned in this timeline
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish climate activist who gained international...
Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social networking service owned...
Oprah Winfrey is a highly influential American talk show host...
Sir Elton John is a highly successful British singer songwriter...
Elizabeth II reigned as Queen of the United Kingdom and...
Michelle Obama is an American attorney author and former First...
Trending
14 minutes ago Emiliano Martínez's Future: Arsenal and Barcelona interested in the World Champion goalkeeper.
14 minutes ago Jeff Gordon Reveals Reason for Not Attempting 'The Double' at Indy 500.
15 minutes ago Scott Dixon Prepares for 23rd Indy 500 Amidst Cheating Accusations and Crashes.
1 hour ago Mike Johnson faces risks with 'Big Beautiful Bill' and Trump's tax cuts.
1 hour ago Kyle Larson Prepares for Coca-Cola 600 and Indianapolis 500 in 2025
1 hour ago Atlassian Stock Upgrade; Employees Join Unions Due to AI Job Fears
Popular
Jupiter the fifth planet from the Sun is the Solar...
Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter was an influential Australian zookeeper...
Cristiano Ronaldo often nicknamed CR is a highly decorated Portuguese...
LeBron James nicknamed King James is a professional basketball player...
Kash Patel is an American lawyer and former federal prosecutor...
Pope Francis is the current head of the Catholic Church...