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. He is the younger son of King Charles III and the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Currently fifth in line to the British throne, Harry's life has been marked by both royal duties and personal challenges. He served in the British Army, including tours in Afghanistan. In recent years, he and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, stepped down as senior working royals and relocated to the United States. Their decision stemmed from a desire for greater privacy and freedom from intense media scrutiny. They now pursue philanthropic and entrepreneurial endeavors through their organization, Archewell.
January 2005: Controversial Remark About Girlfriend
In January 2005, Prince Harry made a controversial remark about his girlfriend, Chelsy Davy, sparking criticism.
2005: Nazi Uniform Controversy
In early 2005, Prince Harry faced backlash after being photographed at a themed party wearing a Nazi German Afrika Korps uniform with a swastika armband, leading to a public apology.
October 2007: Video of Harry Snorting Vodka Surfaces
In October 2007, a video surfaced from Prince Harry's trip to Namibia, showing him snorting vodka and engaging in inappropriate behavior.
November 2008: Alleged Comment to Stephen K. Amos
In November 2008, British comedian Stephen K. Amos alleged that Prince Harry made a questionable comment after Amos's performance, though it was hoped the remark was made in jest.
January 2009: Release of Controversial Video
In January 2009, a video made by Prince Harry three years earlier surfaced, containing offensive remarks towards fellow officers, leading to widespread condemnation and a public apology.
October 2013: BBC apologizes for joke about Harry on "Have I Got News for You"
In October 2013, Kensington Palace contacted the BBC after Jo Brand made a joke about Harry using drugs during a broadcast of 'Have I Got News for You'. The BBC apologized for a factual inaccuracy, but stood by the comment as part of the show's "irreverent humor".
February 2014: Man sentenced for plotting to murder Harry
In February 2014, Ashraf Islam was sentenced to three years in prison for plotting to murder Harry, believing Harry had "a moral guilt" due to his military service.
January 2016: Took magic mushrooms at Courteney Cox's house
In January 2016, Prince Harry detailed in his memoir that he took magic mushrooms at a party at Courteney Cox's house.
May 2019: Splash News apologizes to Sussexes for privacy breach
In May 2019, Splash News issued a formal apology to the Sussexes for sending photographers to their Cotswolds residence, compromising their privacy. The agency agreed to pay damages and legal costs.
June 2019: Royal Family Carbon Footprint Criticized
In June 2019, the royal family, including Prince Harry, 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 Harry
In June 2019, two members of the neo-Nazi group Sonnenkrieg Division were jailed for sharing propaganda posters, one of which labelled Harry as a "race traitor" with a gun pointed at his head.
July 2019: Payments to Royal Official Partner Alleged
In July 2019, payments to royal official partner are alleged, detailing nannying and god-parenting arrangements for Harry and Meghan's son Archie.
August 2019: Criticism for Private Jet Travel
In August 2019, Prince Harry and Meghan faced criticism for taking four private jet journeys in 11 days, including one to Elton John's home in Nice, France.
October 2019: Harry sues newspapers for alleged phone-hacking
In October 2019, Harry sued the Daily Mirror, The Sun, and News of the World for alleged phone-hacking, seeking damages and alleging a prior agreement with the royal family was not honored.
January 2020: Megxit announcement prompted by Sun article
In January 2020, The Sun broke the story about Harry and Meghan's plans to move to Canada, which prompted the couple to prematurely announce their stepping back from royal duties.
January 2020: Legal warning issued to press after paparazzi photos published
In January 2020, lawyers issued a legal warning to the press after paparazzi photographs of Harry and Meghan were published in the media.
January 2020: Harry pranked by Russian comedians
On New Year's Eve and 22 January 2020, Prince Harry was the subject of a prank by the Russian comedy duo Vovan and Lexus, who posed as climate activist Greta Thunberg and her father during two phone calls.
March 2020: Couple take Splash UK to court after unauthorized photos
In March 2020, Harry and Meghan took Splash UK to court after the Duchess and their son Archie were photographed without permission during a private family outing in Canada.
April 2020: Duke and Duchess announce non-cooperation with certain media outlets
In April 2020, Harry and Meghan announced that they would no longer cooperate with the Daily Mail, The Sun, the Mirror, and the Express.
June 2020: Harry's lawyers threaten legal action against The Sun
In June 2020, Harry's lawyers issued a 'letter before action', threatening to sue The Sun and Dan Wootton over allegations that they paid associates of palace officials for stories. The payments were allegedly for stories about Archie's nannying and god-parenting arrangements.
September 2020: Legal Complaint Issued over Article About Invictus Games Fundraiser
In September 2020, Harry issued a legal complaint over a Times article claiming an Invictus Games fundraiser was cancelled due to its affiliation with a competitor of Netflix.
September 2020: Harry and Meghan release video on US election
In September 2020, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan released a video addressing American voters, encouraging them to "reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity" in the upcoming 2020 United States presidential election.
December 2020: Sued Associated Newspapers Limited
In December 2020, Prince Harry's legal team sued Associated Newspapers Limited for publishing a false story about his relationship with the Royal Marines.
March 2021: Oprah Interview
In March 2021, Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah Winfrey was broadcast. Meghan discussed marriage and public life, while Harry talked about their move to the United States, criticised his father's parenting, and mentioned his strained relationships with his father and brother.
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.
May 2021: Podcast appearance and First Amendment comments
In May 2021, Prince Harry appeared on the Armchair Expert podcast and discussed the First Amendment in the United States, calling it "bonkers". His comments drew criticism from conservative figures.
June 2021: Dispute over Lilibet's name
In June 2021, despite palace congratulations on the birth of Harry and Meghan's daughter Lilibet, the BBC reported that the couple did not seek the Queen's permission to use her nickname. The couple's lawyers accused the BBC of defamation.
August 2021: Backlash for Private Jet Flight to Polo Tournament
In August 2021, Prince Harry received backlash for taking a private jet flight to participate in a charity polo tournament.
September 2021: Start of Legal Fight Over Police Protection
In September 2021, Harry began a legal fight over the Home Office's refusal to allow him to pay for police protection in the UK.
October 2021: Bot Sentinel report on Twitter activity
In October 2021, Bot Sentinel released a report analyzing negative tweets about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, attributing a significant portion of the content to a small number of accounts. This led to an investigation by Twitter.
November 2021: Knauf's statement on Sussexes' involvement with "Finding Freedom"
In November 2021, Jason Knauf, Harry and Meghan's former communications secretary, gave a statement to the court indicating Meghan directly provided briefing points for the book "Finding Freedom" and Harry welcomed concealing their involvement in the book's creation.
December 2021: "CBE Scandal" and Severed Ties
In December 2021, Prince Harry addressed the "CBE scandal" involving Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, stating he severed ties in 2015 due to "growing concerns".
January 2022: Couple files legal complaint against The Times
In January 2022, Harry and Meghan jointly filed a legal complaint against The Times for an article reporting that Archewell raised less than $50,000 in 2020.
January 2022: RAVEC Decision on Harry's 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, which led to Harry challenging the decision.
January 2022: Reports of Legal Fight Over Police Protection
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 in the UK.
January 2022: Harry and Meghan's images used in scams
In January 2022, the BBC reported that Harry and Meghan's photos were used in fake advertisements promoting investment schemes.
February 2022: Harry files libel suit against ANL
In February 2022, Harry filed a libel suit against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over a Mail on Sunday article alleging he tried to keep his legal battle for police protection secret.
March 2022: High Court Ruling on Confidentiality
In March 2022, the High Court ruled that some parts of Harry's case regarding police protection would remain confidential and reacted negatively when his legal team sent the ruling to someone who was not a lawyer.
April 2022: Criticism of BetterUp
In April 2022, reports emerged of criticism by the company's coaches over the new metrics placed for evaluating their services and over the opacity surrounding Harry's actual role in the firm.
June 2022: Court rules parts of article potentially defamatory
In June 2022, Mr Justice Nicklin ruled that parts of the Mail on Sunday article were potentially defamatory in the libel suit filed by Harry, though he rejected claims that the article portrayed Harry as a liar.
July 2022: Condemnation of abortion decision at the United Nations
In July 2022, Harry condemned the Supreme Court's abortion decision as a "rolling back of constitutional rights" during a speech at the United Nations on Mandela Day.
July 2022: Permission Granted for Judicial Review
In July 2022, Mr Justice Swift granted permission for part of Harry's claim to proceed for a judicial review in his case against the Home Office.
August 2022: Harry Files Lawsuit Against Home Office
In August 2022, Harry filed a lawsuit against the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police, challenging RAVEC's decision that state security couldn't be provided to private individuals even if they paid for it.
October 2022: Duke of Sussex joins legal action against ANL
In October 2022, Harry joined Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John, and others in launching a legal action against ANL for alleged "abhorrent criminal activity" including phone hacking and obtaining private information.
January 2023: Interviews ahead of memoir release
In January 2023, Harry participated in multiple interviews to promote his memoir, Spare. He expressed a desire to reconcile with his father and brother, and accused some family members of collaborating with the press.
January 2023: Trial Set for Harry's Lawsuit Against Mirror Group Newspapers
In January 2023, a High Court judge ruled that Harry's lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), along with other similar lawsuits, would proceed to trial in May 2023.
February 2023: High Court Ruling on Security Case
In February 2023, a High Court judge initially ruled that Harry's security case should be thrown out, a decision which his legal team later appealed.
March 2023: Gabor Maté's public assessment
In March 2023, physician Gabor Maté suggested in a live-streamed interview that Harry could be suffering from PTSD, ADD, anxiety, and depression, based on his observations and Harry's autobiography, Spare.
March 2023: Heritage Foundation sends dossier on drug use
In March 2023, the Heritage Foundation sent a dossier regarding Harry's past drug use to government entities, questioning his U.S. visa application.
April 2023: Inconsistencies found in Harry's claim
In April 2023, a High Court judge noted inconsistencies in Harry's phone-hacking claim, including the timeline of when he became aware of the full scale of the issue and his failure to mention an alleged agreement between the publisher and the palace.
May 2023: Harry Loses Legal Challenge for Police Protection
In May 2023, Harry lost the legal challenge, resulting in him not being allowed to make private payments for police protection.
May 2023: MGN Apologizes for Unlawful Information Gathering
In May 2023, at the beginning of the trial, MGN apologized for one instance of unlawful information gathering against Harry, acknowledging that his legal challenge warranted compensation.
June 2023: Criticism of UK government in court statement
In June 2023, Harry criticized the UK government in his witness statement to a court, arguing that the press was too closely aligned with the government.
June 2023: Harry Testifies in Court
In June 2023, Harry testified in court, accusing former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan of personal attacks and alleging his phone had been hacked since his time at Eton. This marked the first time a royal 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.
July 2023: Phone-hacking claims dismissed for being made too late
In July 2023, the judge ruled that Harry's phone-hacking claims were dismissed for being made too late, but part of his case involving allegations of illegal information gathering would go to trial.
November 2023: Court rules Harry's case against ANL can proceed
In November 2023, Mr Justice Nicklin ruled that the case brought by Harry and other claimants against ANL could proceed, but unpublished material provided to the Leveson Inquiry was inadmissible as proof.
December 2023: Judge rejects Harry's motion to dismiss ANL's defence
In December 2023, a judge rejected Harry's motion to dismiss ANL's defence in the libel suit and ordered the case to proceed to trial. Harry was also ordered to pay Mail on Sunday £48,447 in legal costs.
December 2023: High Court Rules in Harry's Favor
In December 2023, the High Court ruled in favor of Harry, finding that MGN was guilty of phone hacking in 15 of the 33 sample stories and awarded him £140,600 in damages. The court also concluded that Piers Morgan and other editors were aware of the phone hacking.
January 2024: Neo-Nazis Sentenced for Threatening Harry and Archie
In January 2024, Christopher Gibbons and Tyrone Patten-Walsh, two neo-Nazis, received prison sentences between 8 and 11 years 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 his libel claim against ANL and became liable for the publisher's £250,000 legal costs.
February 2024: Harry Settles Claim with MGN
In February 2024, Harry settled his remaining claim with MGN, with the publisher agreeing to cover his 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 on his security arrangements.
March 2024: Named in Lawsuit Against P. Diddy
In March 2024, Prince Harry was mentioned in a lawsuit against P. Diddy regarding allegations of sexual trafficking, as a celebrity associate.
March 2024: U.S. government ordered to hand over visa details
In March 2024, a U.S. court ordered the government to hand over Harry's visa application details, following a request from the Heritage Foundation.
April 2024: Harry Loses Initial Appeal Against Security Ruling
In April 2024, Harry lost an initial attempt to appeal against the ruling regarding his security arrangements, and was held liable for 90% of the Home Office's legal costs.
May 2024: Permission to Challenge High Court's Decision
In May 2024, Harry was given permission by the Court of Appeal to challenge the High Court's decision regarding his security arrangements.
May 2024: Harry refused permission to include claims against Rupert Murdoch
In May 2024, Mr Justice Fancourt refused Harry the 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: Case regarding Harry's visa closed
In September 2024, the Heritage Foundation's case regarding Harry's visa was closed due to sealed orders and a sealed memorandum opinion.
October 2024: Judge announces two sides should either 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 case
In January 2025, Harry and NGN (News Group Newspapers) settled the phone hacking case, with NGN paying over £10 million in payouts and legal fees. NGN issued an apology for "serious intrusion" by The Sun and News of the World, admitting to unlawful activity by private investigators, but denying journalist involvement.
February 2025: Court appearance mandated in visa case
In February 2025, attorneys for Harry and the Heritage Foundation are mandated to appear before a federal court in Washington, D.C., regarding the visa case.
