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, 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.
2001: Reports of Smoking Cannabis and Drinking
In the summer of 2001, Prince Harry reportedly smoked cannabis and drank at his father's Highgrove House and at a local pub.
2002: Visit to Drug Rehabilitation Unit
In 2002, Prince Harry visited a drug rehabilitation unit to talk to drug addicts after reports emerged that he had been smoking cannabis and drinking in 2001.
January 2005: Remarks about Chelsy Davy
In January 2005, when asked about his Zimbabwean girlfriend Chelsy Davy, Prince Harry stated, "She's not black or anything, you know".
2005: Nazi uniform controversy
In early 2005, Prince Harry was photographed at a "Colonial and Native"-themed birthday party in Wiltshire wearing a Nazi German Afrika Korps uniform with a swastika armband, sparking a backlash from the media, politicians, and religious figures. He later apologized for his behavior.
November 2008: Alleged comment to Stephen K. Amos
In November 2008, British comedian Stephen K. Amos alleged that Prince Harry commented on his performance at Prince Charles's 60th birthday celebrations 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 in which he used offensive terms such as "our little Paki friend" and "raghead". Clarence House issued an apology, and Harry was reportedly instructed to attend a diversity course.
August 2012: Nude photographs leaked from Las Vegas holiday
In August 2012, while on holiday in Las Vegas, Harry and an unknown young woman were photographed naked in a Wynn Las Vegas hotel room, reportedly during a game of strip billiards. The pictures were leaked by TMZ on 21 August 2012, and reported worldwide by mainstream media on 22 August 2012.
October 2013: BBC apologizes to Kensington Palace for joke about Prince Harry on 'Have I Got News for You'
In October 2013, Jo Brand made a joke about Prince Harry and drug use on 'Have I Got News for You.' Kensington Palace contacted the BBC, which apologized for a factual inaccuracy regarding Prince George's godparents but not for the comment itself, citing the show's "irreverent humor."
2013: Met Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz.
In 2013 Harry met with Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, who donated £50,000 to his charity Sentebale and £10,000 to Walking With The Wounded.
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.
2014: Met Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz.
In 2014 Harry met with Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, who donated £50,000 to his charity Sentebale and £10,000 to Walking With The Wounded.
2014: Harry slaps Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins
In 2014, at an event in England, Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins was slapped by Harry after Hawkins said he was tired. Harry then asked "You awake now?".
2015: Harry severs ties with Mahfouz
In 2015, Harry severed ties with Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz after expressing "growing concerns" about his motives, though aides from his father's household denied having any discussions with him regarding Mahfouz.
January 2016: Taking Magic Mushrooms
In January 2016 Prince Harry detailed taking magic mushrooms at a party at Courteney Cox's house, in his memoir, Spare.
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: Royal Family Carbon Footprint Doubled
In June 2019, the royal family faced criticism after it was revealed that they "had doubled [their] carbon footprint from business travel".
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.
July 2019: News Group Newspapers published stories that detailed Archie's nannying and god-parenting arrangements
In July 2019, the Sun published stories that detailed the nannying and god-parenting arrangements for Harry and Meghan's son Archie. It was alleged that the Sun made two payments amounting to £4,000 to the partner of a royal official in relation to the stories.
August 2019: Criticism for Private Jet Journeys
In August 2019, Harry and Meghan were criticised for reportedly taking four private jet journeys in 11 days, including one to Elton John's home in Nice, France.
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: 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: 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".
January 2020: The Sun reported on Harry and Meghan's plans to move to Canada
On January 8, 2020, Dan Wootton of The Sun broke the story about Megxit and Harry and Meghan's initial plans for moving to Canada, which prompted the couple to issue an announcement within hours, confirming their plans for stepping back from their royal duties.
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.
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.
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 in a "regulatory and compliance case" regarding its conduct under charity law during dissolution.
March 2021: Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah Winfrey airs on CBS
On March 7, 2021, Harry and Meghan were interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in a television special for CBS. Meghan spoke about marriage, motherhood, and public life pressures. Harry discussed their move to the United States and criticized his father's parenting, stating his father had stopped answering his calls and cut him off financially, and that he had no relationship with his brother.
May 2021: Guest on Armchair Expert Podcast
In May 2021, Harry appeared on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard and Monica Padman, discussing freedom of speech and the First Amendment in the United States, leading to backlash from conservative figures.
June 2021: Issuing statement on HALO Trust attack
In June 2021, Prince Harry issued a statement condemning the attack on a HALO Trust mine clearance camp in Afghanistan, where ten members of the trust were killed. He described the attack as "an act of barbarism" and emphasized the importance of the organization's work.
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.
August 2021: Backlash for Private Jet Use
In August 2021, Harry received backlash again for taking a two-hour flight on private jets between California and Aspen, Colorado, to participate in an annual charity polo tournament.
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: 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.
November 2021: Comments at Wired's Re:Wired Conference
In November 2021, at Wired's Re:Wired Conference, Harry claimed to have emailed Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, a day before the January 6 United States Capitol attack, warning of potential civil unrest, but received no response.
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.
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.
June 2022: Harry and Meghan Board Private Jet After Queen's Platinum Jubilee
In June 2022, Harry and Meghan boarded a private jet on their way to California after the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, estimated to have emitted "ten times more carbon than flying commercial".
June 2022: Reaction to Supreme Court decision on abortion rights
In June 2022, Meghan described Harry's reaction to the Supreme Court of the United States's decision on abortion rights as "guttural" in an interview with Jessica Yellin for Vogue.
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.
July 2022: Condemnation of Supreme Court decision at the United Nations
In July 2022, Harry condemned the Supreme Court 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 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.
December 2022: Harry ranked as third most disliked royal family member
In December 2022, Harry was found to be the third most disliked member of the British royal family by YouGov, preceded by his uncle Prince Andrew and his wife Meghan.
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.
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: Physician Gabor Maté suggests Harry suffers from mental health issues
In March 2023, during a live-streamed interview, physician Gabor Maté publicly suggested that Prince Harry could be suffering from PTSD, ADD, anxiety, and depression based on his conversation with him and having read his autobiography Spare.
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: 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.
2023: Harry and Meghan's exit from the royal family was satirized in a South Park episode.
In 2023, Harry and Meghan's exit from the royal family was satirized in an episode of South Park.
2023: Named one of the "25 Most Intriguing People of the Year" by People.
In 2023, People named Harry as one of the "25 Most Intriguing People of the Year". James Hibberd of The Hollywood Reporter named Harry and Meghan among the Hollywood losers of 2023.
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: Harry Named in Lawsuit Against P. Diddy
In March 2024, Harry was named in a lawsuit against P. Diddy who was facing allegations of sexual trafficking. He was mentioned as a well-known celebrity associate of Combs, whom he would use among other famous figures to draw 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 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.
January 2025: Justine Bateman called the behavior of Harry and Meghan "repulsive" for showing up at a food bank during the Southern California wildfires in the Pacific Palisades
In January 2025, Justine Bateman called the behavior of Harry and Meghan "repulsive" for showing up at a food bank during the Southern California wildfires in the Pacific Palisades, a section of Los Angeles. Bateman stated that Harry and his wife were not "politicians" and were only after a "photo op", calling them "disaster tourists".
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.
March 2025: Resignation from Sentebale patronage
In March 2025, Prince 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.
May 2025: Appeal Rejected by Court of Appeal
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.
May 2025: Harry reflects on security loss and family estrangement in BBC interview
In May 2025, Prince 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 of The Guardian commented that Harry's "megaphone diplomacy isn't working".
August 2025: Charity Commission findings on Sentebale
In August 2025 the Charity Commission announced it found no evidence of "widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir" or "over-reach" by either Chandauka or Harry but acknowledged a "strong perception of ill treatment felt by a number of parties" and stated that deciding on specific allegations of bullying was outside the purview of its regulatory authority.
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