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 currently stands fifth in line to the British throne. He served in the British Army, undertaking tours in Afghanistan. In 2018, he married Meghan Markle, an American actress. In 2020, Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior members of the Royal Family, relocating to North America. They have since pursued various philanthropic and commercial ventures, including the Archewell Foundation and Archewell Productions. Harry has been vocal about his struggles with mental health and his relationship with the media and his family.
2001: Smoking cannabis and drinking
In the summer of 2001, Prince Harry was reportedly smoking cannabis and drinking 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 speak with recovering drug addicts after it emerged that he had been smoking cannabis and drinking in the summer of 2001.
January 2005: "She's not black or anything" comment
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: Nazi Uniform Controversy and Apology
In early 2005, Prince Harry was photographed wearing a Nazi German Afrika Korps uniform with a swastika armband at a themed birthday party. This caused a media backlash, and Clarence House issued a public apology from Harry who said he had learnt his lesson.
October 2007: Video Surfaces Showing Prince Harry Snorting Vodka
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: Allegation of Racist Comment to Stephen K. Amos
In November 2008, British comedian Stephen K. Amos alleged that Prince Harry commented on his performance after a show for Prince Charles's 60th birthday celebrations, saying, "You don't sound like a black chap."
January 2009: Video of Racist and Homophobic Remarks Revealed
In January 2009, the News of the World revealed a video made by Prince Harry three years earlier, in which he used racist and homophobic slurs. Clarence House issued an apology from Harry, and it was reported that the military instructed him to attend a diversity course.
October 2013: Jo Brand makes controversial joke about Prince George on Have I Got News for You
In October 2013, Jo Brand made a controversial joke about Prince George's christening on 'Have I Got News for You', leading to a complaint from Kensington Palace to the BBC and an apology for factual inaccuracy.
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, motivated by his belief that Harry had "a moral guilt" due to his military service.
January 2016: Taking magic mushrooms at Courteney Cox's house
In January 2016, Prince Harry recounts taking magic mushrooms at a party at Courteney Cox's house in his memoir Spare.
April 2019: Last time RAVEC assessed Prince Harry's threat level
In April 2019, was the last time RAVEC assessed Prince Harry's threat level until December 2025.
May 2019: Splash News apologizes to the Sussexes
In May 2019, Splash News issued a formal apology to the Sussexes for sending photographers to their Cotswolds residence, compromising their privacy. The agency also agreed to pay damages and legal costs.
June 2019: Royal Family's Increased 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: Neo-Nazis jailed for sharing propaganda posters
In June 2019, two members of the neo-Nazi group Sonnenkrieg Division were jailed for sharing propaganda posters, including one that labelled Prince Harry as a "race traitor" and called for his execution.
July 2019: The Sun publishes stories
In July 2019, stories were published which detailed the nannying and god-parenting arrangements for Harry and Meghan's son Archie. Later allegations stated that The Sun had paid money to associates of palace officials to secure their stories.
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, raising questions about their environmental activism.
October 2019: Harry sues Daily Mirror, The Sun and News of the World over phone hacking
In October 2019, Prince Harry sued the Daily Mirror, The Sun, and the now-defunct News of the World over alleged phone hacking, seeking damages in excess of £200,000 and claiming an earlier agreement with News Group Newspapers (NGN) had not been honoured.
January 2020: The Sun publishes story about Megxit
In January 2020, Dan Wootton broke the story about Megxit and Harry and Meghan's initial plans for moving to Canada in The Sun, which prompted the couple to issue an announcement within hours, confirming their plans for stepping back from their royal duties.
January 2020: Harry pranked by Russian comedy duo
In January 2020, Harry was pranked by the Russian comedy duo Vovan and Lexus, posing as climate activist Greta Thunberg and her father during two phone calls. During the conversations, Harry described his decision to leave the monarchy as "not easy" and criticised Donald Trump's stance on climate change and his support for the coal industry.
January 2020: Legal warning issued to press after paparazzi photographs are published
In January 2020, lawyers issued a legal warning to the press after paparazzi photographs were published in the media.
January 2020: IPSO Sides with Mail on Sunday in Elephant Photo Dispute
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 were described as "tranquilised" and "tethered".
March 2020: Couple takes Splash UK to court after private family outing
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: Duke and Duchess announce they would no longer cooperate with the Daily Mail, the Sun, the Mirror and the Express
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.
June 2020: Harry threatens 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 paying palace officials for stories. The Sun allegedly made payments to the partner of a royal official in relation to stories about Archie.
September 2020: Harry and his wife urge American voters to reject hate speech
In September 2020, Harry and his wife released a video addressing American voters, urging them to reject hate speech, misinformation, and online negativity in the 2020 United States presidential election.
September 2020: Legal complaint issued over Times article about Invictus Games fundraiser
In September 2020, Prince Harry issued a legal complaint regarding a 'The Times' article claiming an Invictus Games fundraiser had been cancelled due to its affiliation with a competitor of Netflix.
March 2021: Interview with Oprah Winfrey
In March 2021, Prince Harry and Meghan gave a widely publicised interview to Oprah Winfrey on "Oprah with Meghan and Harry".
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
On March 7, 2021, Harry and Meghan were interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in a television special for CBS. Meghan spoke about marriage, motherhood, and the pressures of public life. Harry joined her later, and the pair talked about the initial difficulties associated with their move to the US in 2020 and their plans for the future. During the interview, Harry criticised his father's parenting style, mentioned his father did not answer his calls and had cut him off financially, and he had no relationship with his brother.
May 2021: Harry discusses freedom of speech on Armchair Expert podcast
In May 2021, Harry appeared on Dax Shepard and Monica Padman's podcast Armchair Expert, where he discussed freedom of speech and related laws in the US, saying it was bonkers and that he didn't understand it. His comments drew criticism from various conservative American public figures and British politician Nigel Farage.
June 2021: Controversy over Lilibet's name
In June 2021, despite the palace congratulating the Duke and Duchess on the birth of their daughter Lilibet, the BBC reported that Harry and Meghan had not sought the Queen's permission before naming their daughter with her personal family nickname, leading to accusations of defamation by the couple.
August 2021: Backlash for Private Jet Flight to Polo Tournament
In August 2021, Prince Harry received backlash for taking a two-hour flight on a private jet between California and Aspen, Colorado, to participate in a charity polo tournament.
September 2021: Start of legal fight over police protection
In September 2021, Prince Harry began a legal fight with the Home Office over their refusal to allow him to pay for police protection while in the UK.
October 2021: Allegations of negative content on Twitter
In October 2021, Twitter analytics service Bot Sentinel alleged that a network of accounts was responsible for a significant portion of negative content about Harry and Meghan. This prompted an investigation by Twitter, which found no widespread coordination but took action against users violating its policies.
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, whose CBE receipt became the subject of an investigation. Harry referred to the incident as the "CBE scandal".
January 2022: Harry and Meghan file legal complaint against The Times
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: RAVEC decision on state security
In January 2022, RAVEC stated that State security could not be made available to private individuals even if they wished to pay for it themselves.
January 2022: Legal fight over police protection reported
In January 2022, it was reported that Prince 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.
February 2022: Libel Suit Filed Against Associated Newspapers Limited
In February 2022, Prince Harry filed a libel suit in the High Court against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) for a Mail on Sunday article alleging he tried to keep his legal battle with the Home Office secret.
March 2022: High Court ruling on private case information
In March 2022, the High Court ruled that some parts of Prince Harry's case against the Home Office would remain confidential. Mr Justice Swift also reacted to the Duke's legal team sending a copy of the ruling to someone who was not a lawyer, describing it as "entirely unacceptable".
April 2022: Criticism of Harry's role at BetterUp
In April 2022, reports emerged of criticism by BetterUp's coaches over the new metrics placed for evaluating their services and over the opacity surrounding Prince Harry's actual role in the firm.
June 2022: Private Jet to California after Platinum Jubilee
In June 2022, Prince Harry and Meghan boarded a private jet to California after the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, which was estimated to have emitted "ten times more carbon than flying commercial".
June 2022: Meghan describes Harry's reaction to the Supreme Court abortion decision
In June 2022, in an interview with Jessica Yellin for Vogue, Meghan described Harry's reaction to the Supreme Court of the United States's decision that abortion is not a constitutionally protected right as guttural.
July 2022: Harry criticises the Supreme Court abortion ruling at the United Nations
In July 2022, Harry criticized the Supreme Court's abortion ruling as a rolling back of constitutional rights in his address to the United Nations on Mandela Day. Associate justice Samuel Alito later criticized foreign figures, including Harry, for commenting on "American law" during a public speech.
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 that State security could not be made available to private individuals.
October 2022: Duke of Sussex joins legal action against ANL
In October 2022, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, joined Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John, and others in a legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) for alleged "abhorrent criminal activity" including phone hacking and obtaining sensitive information.
December 2022: Ranked Among Most Disliked Royals
In December 2022, YouGov found Prince Harry to be the third most disliked member of the British royal family.
2022: Abuse Accusations Against African Parks
In 2022, accusations of abuse by African Parks surfaced publicly, with reports claiming that rangers managed by the organization had been torturing, beating, raping, and forcibly displacing members of the indigenous Baka community.
January 2023: Memoir Spare revelations and subsequent criticism
In January 2023, Prince Harry's memoir "Spare" was published, in which he revealed he killed 25 Taliban members during his six missions and felt he was trained to view them as "chess pieces". This prompted criticism from Taliban members, British politicians, and military figures, and led to security concerns for ex-forces personnel in Kabul.
January 2023: High Court judge rules Harry's lawsuit against MGN will go to trial in May 2023
In January 2023, a High Court judge ruled that Prince Harry's lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), as well as other similar lawsuits against the publisher, would go to trial in May 2023.
February 2023: Case against the Home Office initially thrown out
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: The Heritage Foundation sends dossier on Harry's past drug use to government entities
In March 2023, the Heritage Foundation (HF) sent a dossier on Harry's past drug use to various government entities, inquiring if he disclosed such use on his U.S. visa application. The following month, the organization filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seeking access to his immigration records.
May 2023: Lost 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.
May 2023: MGN apologizes for unlawful information gathering
In May 2023, at the beginning of trial, MGN apologised for one instance of unlawful information gathering against Prince Harry and added that his legal challenge "warrants compensation".
June 2023: Harry criticises the UK government in court statement
In June 2023, Harry broke with royal protocol by criticising the UK government in a witness statement submitted to a court, arguing that both the British press and the government were at rock bottom.
June 2023: Harry testifies in court against MGN
In June 2023, Prince Harry testified in the court case against MGN, accusing former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan of horrific personal attacks and claiming that his phone had been hacked dating back to when he was still at Eton.
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.
July 2023: Harry's phone-hacking claims dismissed for being made too late
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.
December 2023: Motion Rejected and Case Proceeded to Trial
In December 2023, a judge rejected Prince Harry's motion to have the publisher's defence thrown out in the libel case against the Mail on Sunday, deciding that the case should proceed to trial.
December 2023: High Court rules in favor of Harry in phone hacking case against MGN
In December 2023, the High Court ruled in favor of Prince Harry for 15 of the 33 sample stories used in his claims of phone hacking against MGN and awarded him £140,600 in damages.
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.
January 2024: Neo-Nazis sentenced for calling for the deaths of Harry and Archie
In January 2024, Christopher Gibbons and Tyrone Patten-Walsh, 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: Libel Claim Withdrawn
In January 2024, Prince Harry withdrew the libel claim against the Mail on Sunday and became liable for the publisher's £250,000 legal costs.
February 2024: Harry settles claim with MGN
In February 2024, Prince Harry settled his 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 ruled against Harry in case against the Home Office
In February 2024, the High Court ruled against 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.
March 2024: Named in Lawsuit Against P. Diddy
In March 2024, Prince Harry was named in a lawsuit against P. Diddy, who was facing allegations of sexual trafficking, as a celebrity associate used to attract guests to parties.
March 2024: U.S. government ordered to provide Harry's visa application materials
In March 2024, the U.S. government was ordered to provide Harry's visa-application materials to a D.C. court, following an earlier unsuccessful freedom‑of‑information request submitted by the HF.
April 2024: Lost an initial attempt to appeal the Home Office ruling
In April 2024, Prince Harry lost an initial attempt to appeal against the High Court ruling in his case against the Home Office. During the proceedings it was also revealed he had leaked information and had to apologise to the court.
May 2024: Harry's request to expand his case's scope refused
In May 2024, Mr Justice Fancourt refused Prince 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.
May 2024: Given permission to challenge the High Court's decision
In May 2024, Prince Harry was given permission by the Court of Appeal to challenge the High Court's decision in his case against the Home Office.
September 2024: Case closed regarding Harry's visa application materials
In September 2024, the case was closed regarding Harry's visa application materials after two sealed orders and a sealed "memorandum opinion" were filed.
October 2024: Sides to settle or go to trial in January 2025
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.
2024: Continued Abuse Accusations Against African Parks
In 2024, continued accusations of abuse by African Parks surfaced publicly, with reports claiming that rangers managed by the organization had been torturing, beating, raping, and forcibly displacing members of the indigenous Baka community.
January 2025: Appearance at a Food Bank
In January 2025, Prince Harry and Meghan's appearance at a food bank during the Southern California wildfires in the Pacific Palisades drew mixed reactions, with some labeling it "disaster tourism".
January 2025: Harry settles with NGN with a full and unequivocal apology
In January 2025, Prince Harry and NGN settled, with NGN paying more than £10 million in pay outs and legal fees and making a "full and unequivocal apology" for intrusions by The Sun and News of the World between 1996 and 2011 and for the intrusion into the life of his mother.
February 2025: Donald Trump rules out deporting Harry
In February 2025, U.S. president Donald Trump stated that he would not deport Harry.
March 2025: Resignation from Sentebale Patron Roles
In March 2025, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho resigned from their roles as patrons of Sentebale following a dispute among trustees and the board chair, Sophie Chandauka, who reported concerns of poor governance, abuse of power, and harassment to the Charity Commission.
March 2025: Redacted versions of court documents to be released
Judge Carl Nichols ordered that redacted versions of the court documents pertaining to Harry's visa application be released by 18 March 2025.
May 2025: Harry reflects on loss of security and family estrangement
In May 2025, Prince Harry was interviewed by the BBC where he reflected on the loss of his taxpayer-funded security and his ongoing estrangement from his family. A writer for The Guardian commented that Harry's public approach was ineffective and his security needs were not a priority.
May 2025: Appeal was rejected by three senior judges
In May 2025, Prince 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's Findings on Sentebale
In August 2025, the Charity Commission announced that they found no evidence of widespread bullying or harassment involving Prince Harry or Sophie Chandauka at Sentebale but acknowledged a perception of ill-treatment and criticized all parties for the public conflict and poor internal governance.
October 2025: Ranked Among Most Disliked Celebrities in the US
In October 2025, Ranker rated Prince Harry the third most disliked celebrity in the United States.
December 2025: Appearance on the Late Show and critical comments
In December 2025, Prince Harry appeared on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert and made mocking comments seen as critical of U.S. President Donald Trump, contributing to the controversy surrounding the show's cancellation.
December 2025: RAVEC to reassess Harry's threat level
In December 2025, it was announced that, for the first time since April 2019, RAVEC would reassess Prince Harry's threat level. The decision followed a private letter he had sent to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood earlier in the year.
January 2026: Trial against ANL begins
In January 2026, the trial in the case against ANL began, with proceedings expected to last nine weeks, after ANL accused the claimants' legal team of dishonesty and fraud.
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