Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (Henry Charles Albert David; born 15 September 1984), is a member of the British royal family. He is the younger son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales, and is fifth in the line of succession to the British throne. Harry was born during the reign of his paternal grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. He was educated at Wetherby School, Ludgrove School, and Eton College, before completing officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Harry was commissioned as a cornet in the Blues and Royals and served briefly alongside his elder brother, Prince William. He was deployed twice on active service in Afghanistan: for ten weeks in Helmand Province during 2007–2008, and for twenty weeks with the Army Air Corps in 2012–2013. Inspired by the Warrior Games in the United States, Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 and remains actively involved as its patron. In 2016, together with his brother William and sister-in-law Catherine, he co-founded the mental health awareness initiative Heads Together. In 2018, Harry was created Duke of Sussex ahead of his wedding to American actress Meghan Markle. The couple have two children, Archie and Lilibet. In January 2020, Harry and Meghan stepped back from their roles as working members of the royal family and relocated to Southern California. They subsequently established Archewell Inc., a Beverly Hills–based organisation encompassing both commercial and charitable ventures. In March 2021, Harry and Meghan gave a widely publicised interview to Oprah Winfrey on Oprah with Meghan and Harry. In December 2022, they appeared in the Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan. In 2023, Harry published his memoir, Spare. In August 2026, he and Meghan relocated to the UK with their children, without plans to resume public duties as working members of the royal family.
Early life
Harry was born at 4:20 pm on 15 September 1984 at St Mary's Hospital, London, during the reign of his paternal grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. He is the second child of Charles, Prince of Wales (later King Charles III), and his first wife, Diana, Princess of Wales. He was christened Henry Charles Albert David on 21 December at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, by Robert Runcie, the then archbishop of Canterbury. From childhood he was known as "Harry" to family, friends, and the public, and was nicknamed "Harold" by his elder brother, William. Harry and William were raised at Kensington Palace in London, and at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire. Diana sought to give her sons a broader range of experiences and a clearer understanding of ordinary life than previous generations of royal children. She took them to venues that ranged from Walt Disney World and McDonald's to AIDS clinics and homeless shelters. Harry began accompanying his parents on official visits at an early age; his first overseas tour was to Italy in 1985. He later travelled with his family to Canada in 1991 and 1998. Harry's parents divorced in 1996. The following year, his mother died in a car crash in Paris while he and William were staying with their father at Balmoral Castle. Charles informed his sons of her death. At Diana's funeral, Harry, then aged 12, walked behind the cortège from Kensington Palace to Westminster Abbey alongside his father, his brother, his paternal grandfather, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and his maternal uncle Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer. Harry and William inherited the "bulk" of the £12.9 million left by their mother on their 30th birthdays, a sum that had increased to about £10 million each by 2014. In the same year, they inherited Diana's wedding dress and many of her personal possessions, including dresses, diamond tiaras, jewellery, letters, and paintings. They also received the original lyrics and score of "Candle in the Wind", by Bernie Taupin and Elton John, as performed by John at Diana's funeral. In 2002, The Times reported that Harry would share with his brother a disbursement of £4.9 million from trust funds established by their great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on their 21st birthdays, and a further £8 million on their 40th birthdays. It was also reported that Harry would inherit the larger share of the money left by the Queen Mother for the two brothers, as William is expected to ascend the throne and receive additional financial benefits.
== Education == Like his father and brother, Harry was educated at private schools. He began at London's Jane Mynors' nursery school and the pre-preparatory Wetherby School. He then attended Ludgrove School in Berkshire. After passing entrance exams, he was admitted to Eton College. The decision to place him at Eton departed from the past practice of the Mountbatten-Windsors, who traditionally sent their children to Gordonstoun, which his grandfather, father, two uncles, and two cousins had attended. It did, however, see Harry follow in his brother's footsteps and the Spencer family tradition, as both his maternal grandfather and his maternal uncle attended Eton. As with William, the royal family and the tabloid press agreed that Harry would be allowed to study free from intrusion in exchange for occasional photograph opportunities, in what became known as the "pressure cooker agreement". In June 2003, Harry completed his education at Eton with two A-Levels, achieving a grade B in art and a D in geography, having decided to drop history of art after AS level. He has been described as "a top tier athlete", having played competitive polo and rugby union. One of his former teachers, Sarah Forsyth, asserted that he was a "weak student" and claimed that staff at Eton conspired to help him cheat on examinations. Both Eton and Harry denied the allegations. A tribunal made no ruling on the cheating claim, but it "accepted the prince had received help in preparing his A-level 'expressive' project, which he needed to pass to secure his place at Sandhurst." While at Eton, Harry joined the Combined Cadet Force and was made cadet officer in his final year, leading the corps' annual parade at the Eton tattoo. After leaving school, Harry took a gap year, during which he spent time in Australia working as a jackaroo on a cattle station and taking part in the Young England vs Young Australia Polo Test match. He also travelled to Lesotho, where he worked with orphaned children and produced the documentary film The Forgotten Kingdom: Prince Harry in Lesotho.
Military career
Sandhurst; Blues and Royals; deployment to Afghanistan
Harry passed the Regular Commissions Board (RCB) in September 2004 and entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 8 May 2005, where he was known as Officer Cadet Wales and joined Alamein Company. His entry into the academy had been delayed for four months while he recovered from an injury to his left knee. In April 2006, he completed his officer training and was commissioned as a Cornet (second lieutenant) in the Blues and Royals, a regiment of the Household Cavalry in the British Army. On 13 April 2008, after reaching two years' seniority, he was promoted to lieutenant. In 2006, it was announced that Harry's unit was scheduled to be deployed to Iraq the following year. A public debate followed over whether he should serve there. In April 2006, the Ministry of Defence stated that Harry would be shielded from the front line if his unit went to war, with a spokeswoman noting that he was expected to "undertake the fullest range of deployments", but that his role required monitoring because "his overt presence might attract additional attention" that could endanger him or those he commanded. Defence Secretary John Reid argued that he should be allowed to serve on the front line. Harry agreed, saying, "If they said 'no, you can't go front line' then I wouldn't drag my sorry ass through Sandhurst and I wouldn't be where I am now." Harry completed the Troop Leaders' Course in October 2006 and rejoined his regiment in Windsor, where he was put in charge of a troop of 11 soldiers and four Scimitar reconnaissance vehicles. On 22 February 2007, the Ministry of Defence and Clarence House jointly announced that Harry would be deployed with his regiment to Iraq as part of the 1st Mechanised Brigade of the 3rd Mechanised Division – a move supported by Harry, who had said he would leave the army if ordered to remain in safety while his regiment went to war. General Sir Richard Dannatt, the head of the British Army said on 30 April 2007 that he had personally decided Harry would serve with his unit in Iraq as a troop commander, and he was scheduled for deployment in May or June 2007 to patrol the Maysan Governorate. By 16 May, however, Dannatt announced that Harry would not serve in Iraq; concerns included his status as a high-value target – several threats had already been made against him – and the risks this posed to the soldiers around him should any attempt be made on his life or if he were captured. Clarence House made public Harry's disappointment with the decision, though he said he would abide by it. In the summer of 2007 Harry trained as a joint terminal attack controller at RAF Leeming. In early June 2007, it was reported that he had arrived in Canada to train alongside soldiers of the Canadian Forces and the British Army at CFB Suffield near Medicine Hat, Alberta, in preparation for a possible deployment to Afghanistan, where Canadian and British forces were serving in the NATO-led Afghan War. This was confirmed in February 2008 when the Ministry of Defence revealed that Harry had been secretly deployed as a joint terminal attack controller to Helmand Province in Afghanistan for the previous ten weeks. The revelation followed breaches of the media blackout by Bild and New Idea. He was immediately withdrawn due to concerns that the publicity would endanger him and fellow soldiers. Harry returned on a flight carrying servicemen injured by an IED, including Ben McBean. It was later reported that Harry had helped Gurkha troops repel an attack by Taliban insurgents, and had carried out patrol duties in hostile areas while in Afghanistan. Harry's tour made him the first member of the British royal family to serve in a war zone since his uncle Prince Andrew, who flew helicopters during the Falklands War. For Harry's service, his aunt Princess Anne presented him with the Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan at Combermere Barracks in May 2008.
=== Army Air Corps and second deployment to Afghanistan === In October 2008, it was announced that Harry would follow his brother, father, and uncle, in learning to fly military helicopters. He attended the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury, where he joined his brother. Harry initially failed his pilot's theory test in February 2009. Prince Charles presented him with his flying brevet (wings) on 7 May 2010 at a ceremony at the Army Air Corps Base (AAC) at Middle Wallop. Harry was awarded his Apache Flying Badge on 14 April 2011. On 16 April, it was announced that he had been promoted to captain. In June 2011, Clarence House announced that Harry would be available for deployment in current operations in Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter pilot. The final decision rested with the Ministry of Defence's senior commanders, principally the Chief of the Defence Staff, in consultation with the wishes of Harry, the Prince of Wales, and the Queen. In October 2011, Harry was transferred to a United States military base in California to complete his helicopter gunship training. This final phase included live-fire training and "environmental and judgment training" at naval and air force facilities in California and Arizona. Later that month, it was reported that he had placed top of his class in extensive training undertaken at the Naval Air Facility, El Centro, California. While training in Southern California, Harry also spent time in San Diego. In November 2011, he returned to England and went to Wattisham Airfield in Suffolk to complete his training to fly Apache helicopters. Around 2012, Harry was trained in skydiving by the Red Devils. On 7 September 2012, Harry arrived at Camp Bastion in southern Afghanistan as part of the 100-strong 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment, Army Air Corps, to begin a four-month combat tour as a co-pilot and gunner for an Apache helicopter. On 10 September, within days of his arrival, it was reported that the Taliban had threatened his life. On 18 September, Harry was moved to a safe location after a Taliban attack on Camp Bastion that killed two US marines. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond stated that "additional security arrangements" had been put in place because Harry could be a potential target, but added that he would face "the same risk as any other Apache pilot" while in combat. Files later obtained on the incident quoted Major General Gregg A. Sturdevant as saying "The night of the attack, he slept through the entire thing. We didn't do anything special for him. He came and went, and you never would have known he was there" and, "The only thing special we did for him was we had a place identified as a safe house in case the base came under attack." On 21 January 2013, it was announced that Harry was returning from a 20-week deployment in Afghanistan. On 8 July 2013, the Ministry of Defence announced that he had successfully qualified as an Apache aircraft commander. Harry compared operating the Apache's weapons systems in Afghanistan to playing video games. Harry later revealed in his 2023 memoir Spare that he flew on six missions that resulted in him killing 25 Taliban members, writing that he felt he had been trained not to view them as "people" but as "chess pieces" removed from the board. He added, "It's not a number that gave me any satisfaction. But neither was it a number that made me feel ashamed." Following the publication of Harry's claims, Pen Farthing, a British former Royal Marines commando and founder of the Nowzad Dogs charity, was evacuated from Kabul on 6 January 2023 to avoid "potential reprisal attacks on ex-forces people". Harry's revelations prompted criticism from Taliban members, British politicians, and military figures.
HQ London District and Invictus Games
On 17 January 2014, the Ministry of Defence announced that Harry had completed his attachment to 3 Regiment Army Air Corps and would take up a staff officer role, SO3 (Defence Engagement), in HQ London District. His responsibilities included helping to coordinate significant projects and commemorative events involving the Army in London. He was based at Horse Guards in central London. On 6 March 2014, Harry launched Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style sporting event for injured servicemen and women, which was held from 10 to 14 September 2014. He met British hopefuls for the Games at Tedworth House in Wiltshire on 29 April 2014 for the start of the selection process. On 15 May 2014, Harry attended a ticket-sale launch for the Invictus Games at the BT Tower, from where he tweeted on the Games' official Twitter account as its president. To promote the event, he was interviewed by BBC Radio 2's Chris Evans alongside two Invictus Games hopefuls. He said, "[The Invictus Games] is basically my full-time job at the moment, making sure that we pull this off." The programme aired on 31 July 2014. Harry later wrote an article in The Sunday Times about his experiences in Afghanistan, explaining how they had inspired him to support injured personnel and how, after attending the Warrior Games, he had vowed to create the Invictus Games. Harry and officials attended the British Armed Forces Team announcement for the Games at Potters Field Park in August 2014. As president of the Invictus Games, he attended all events related to the competition from 8 to 14 September 2014. In January 2015, it was reported that Harry would take on a new role supporting wounded service personnel by working alongside members of the London District's Personal Recovery Unit for the MOD's Defence Recovery Capability scheme, ensuring that wounded personnel had adequate recovery plans. The palace confirmed weeks later that the scheme had been established in partnership with Help for Heroes and the Royal British Legion. In late January 2015, Harry visited The Battle Back Centre set up by the Royal British Legion, and Fisher House UK at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. The Centre was created through a partnership between Help for Heroes, the Fisher House Foundation, and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB) Charity. The Fisher House Foundation is one of the Invictus Games' sponsors. In February and March 2015, Harry visited Phoenix House in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, a recovery centre run by Help for Heroes. He also visited Merville Barracks in Colchester, where Chavasse VC House Personnel Recovery Centre is located, run by Help for Heroes in partnership with the Ministry of Defence and Royal British Legion.
Secondment to Australian Defence Force
On 17 March 2015, Kensington Palace announced that Harry would leave the Armed Forces in June. Before then, he would spend four weeks across April and May at army barracks in Darwin, Perth, and Sydney whilst seconded to the Australian Defence Force (ADF). After leaving the Army, and while considering his future, he would return to work in a voluntary capacity with the Ministry of Defence, supporting Case Officers in the Ministry's Recovery Capability Programme. He would be working with both those who administer and those who receive physical and mental care within the London District area. On 6 April 2015, Harry reported for duty to Australia's Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in Canberra. Harry flew to Darwin later that day to begin his month-long secondment to the ADF's 1st Brigade. His visit included detachments to NORFORCE as well as to an aviation unit. While in Perth, he trained with the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), participating in the SASR selection course, including a fitness test and a physical training session with SASR selection candidates. He also joined SASR for live-fire shooting exercises with numerous Special Forces weapons at a variety of ranges. Harry completed an insertion-training exercise using a rigid-hull inflatable boat. In Sydney, he undertook urban-operations training with the 2nd Commando Regiment. Training activities included remotely detonating an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and rappelling from a building. He also spent time flying over Sydney as co-pilot of an Army Black Hawk helicopter and participated in counter-terrorism training in Sydney Harbour with Royal Australian Navy clearance divers. Harry's attachment with the ADF ended on 8 May 2015, and on 19 June 2015 he resigned his short service commission.
=== Post-military service === In 2021, Harry described his 10 years (2005–2015) in the army as "the happiest times in my life". Since leaving the army, he has remained closely involved with the armed forces through the Invictus Games, honorary military appointments, and other official engagements. On 19 December 2017, he succeeded his grandfather Prince Philip as Captain General Royal Marines. In May 2018, he was promoted to the substantive ranks of Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy, Major of the British Army, and Squadron Leader in the Royal Air Force. On 18 January 2020, Buckingham Palace announced that an agreement had been reached for Harry "to step back from Royal duties, including official military appointments". In February 2021, the Palace confirmed that the Duke would give up his position as Captain General Royal Marines and relinquish all his other honorary military appointments. In January 2026, Harry said that the sacrifices of NATO troops in Afghanistan must be spoken about "truthfully and with respect", emphasising that allied forces had fought on the front lines and had paid a heavy price. His remarks followed comments by US president Donald Trump, who claimed that allies had stayed "a little back" and questioned whether the alliance would support the US if required.
Personal life
=== Bachelorhood === Chelsy Davy, the daughter of Zimbabwean-born, South Africa-based businessman Charles Davy, was referred to as Harry's girlfriend in an interview conducted for his 21st birthday. Harry said he "would love to tell everyone how amazing she is but once I start talking about that, I have left myself open.... There is truth and there is lies and unfortunately I cannot get the truth across." Davy was present when Harry received his Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan and also attended his graduation ceremony when he received his flying wings from his father. In early 2009, it was reported that the pair had parted ways after a relationship that had lasted for five years. In his 2023 memoir, Harry states that months after breaking up with Davy he was introduced to Caroline Flack, whom he described as "funny", "sweet", and "cool". The two saw each other for a while before press intrusion "tainted" their relationship "irredeemably", according to Harry. Flack discussed the relationship in her own autobiography as well. In May 2012, Harry's cousin Princess Eugenie introduced him to Cressida Bonas, an actress and model who is the granddaughter of Edward Curzon, 6th Earl Howe. On 30 April 2014, it was reported that the couple had parted amicably.
Marriage and family
In mid-2016, Harry began a relationship with American actress Meghan Markle. According to the couple, they first connected with each other via Instagram, though they have also said that they were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend in July 2016. On 8 November, eight days after the relationship was made public by the press, Harry directed his communications secretary to release a statement on his behalf expressing concern about pejorative and false comments made about his girlfriend by mainstream media and internet trolls. In September 2017, Harry and Markle made their first public appearance together at the Invictus Games in Toronto. Their engagement was announced on 27 November 2017 by Harry's father. The announcement prompted generally positive commentary about having a mixed‑race person as a member of the royal family, particularly in Commonwealth countries with populations of blended or native ancestry. On the morning of the wedding, Queen Elizabeth II conferred the title of Duke of Sussex upon Harry; Markle became Duchess of Sussex through her marriage to him later that day. The ceremony was held at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on 19 May 2018. The couple later revealed in the 2021 television interview Oprah with Meghan and Harry that, three days before the ceremony, they had privately exchanged vows in their garden in the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. This earlier exchange of vows was not an official religious or legally recognised marriage. Harry and Meghan initially lived at Nottingham Cottage in London, within the grounds of Kensington Palace. In May 2018, it was reported that they had signed a two-year lease on WestfieldLarge, located on the Great Tew Estate in the Cotswolds. They gave up the lease after photographs of the house and its interior were published by a paparazzi agency. The couple considered settling in the 21-room Apartment 1 at Kensington Palace, but instead moved to Frogmore Cottage in the Home Park of Windsor Castle, which Queen Elizabeth II had recently gifted to them. The Crown Estate refurbished the cottage at a cost of £2.4 million, paid from the Sovereign Grant, with Harry later reimbursing expenses beyond restoration and ordinary maintenance, part of which was offset against rental payments due at the time. Harry and Meghan's first child, son Archie, was born on 6 May 2019. Their office was moved to Buckingham Palace and officially closed on 31 March 2020 when the Sussexes ceased "undertaking official engagements in support of the Queen". After several months in Canada and the US, the couple bought a house in June 2020 on the former estate of Riven Rock in Montecito, California. The following month, Meghan suffered a miscarriage. Their second child, daughter Lilibet, was born on 4 June 2021. In 2024, the couple reportedly acquired a property in Portugal, understood to be in the Melides area of the Alentejo coast, while retaining their home in Montecito. In August 2026, the couple relocated to the UK for an extended period and established a private residence outside London, while retaining their properties in California and Portugal. They have owned a Labrador named Pula and two Beagles named Guy and Mamma Mia. In 2017, Harry stated that he had "five or six" godchildren, some of whom later attended his wedding.
=== Health === In May 1988, Harry underwent a surgery for a minor hernia. In November 2000, he broke his thumb while playing football at Eton and required a minor operation. In his memoir Spare, Harry stated that he took cocaine at the age of 17. In 2002, it was reported that, with Charles's encouragement, Harry had visited a drug-rehabilitation unit to speak with recovering drug addicts after it emerged that he had been smoking cannabis and drinking at his father's Highgrove House and at a local pub in the summer of 2001. He adds in the memoir that he smoked cannabis at Eton and in the gardens of Kensington Palace, though he later told a court that "he never smoked in [his] father's house". He has also recounted taking magic mushrooms at a party at Courteney Cox's house in January 2016. In 2017, during an appearance on Bryony Gordon's podcast Mad World, Harry said that, with the support of his brother, he had sought counselling years after his mother's death. He stated that he had struggled with aggression, experienced anxiety during royal engagements, and had been "very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions". He later said that he had taken up boxing as a way of managing stress and "letting out aggression". In other interviews, he said that alongside therapy he used alcohol to cope and took experimental drugs recreationally, including "psychedelics, ayahuasca, psilocybin, mushrooms." He said that psychedelics are a fundamental part of his life in 2023. He also said that what he experienced after his mother's death "was very much" post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In his mental-health documentary, The Me You Can't See which premiered in 2021, Harry said that he had undergone four years of therapy to address his mental-health difficulties, having been encouraged to do so by his future wife after they began dating. He added that he had suffered from "panic attacks [and] severe anxiety" in his late 20s and that the demands of official visits and functions had eventually "led to burnout". In an episode of Armchair Expert, he attributed some of his difficulties to what he described as the ineffective parenting style of previous generations and to the "genetic pain and suffering" passed down in his family, saying he believed his issues stemmed from "the pain or suffering that perhaps my father or my parents had suffered". In his 2023 memoir, Harry described himself as an agoraphobe.
=== Political views === 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, a message that some commentators interpreted as an implicit endorsement of Joe Biden. Earlier that year, Harry had been 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 on New Year's Eve and 22 January 2020. 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. 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, "I've got so much I want to say about the First Amendment as I sort of understand it, but it is bonkers." He added that it was "a huge subject and one which [he didn't] understand", emphasising that one could "capitalise or exploit what's not said rather than uphold what is said." His comments drew criticism from a number of conservative American public figures, including Ted Cruz, Dan Crenshaw, Candace Owens, Jack Posobiec, and Laura Ingraham, as well as British politician Nigel Farage. In November 2021, during a panel at Wired's Re:Wired Conference, Harry said that he had emailed Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, the day before the January 6 United States Capitol attack to "warn" of potential civil unrest, but had not received a response. In the same month, Conservative MP Johnny Mercer, who was leading efforts to waive visa fees for foreign-born UK veterans and their families, told the Commons that the Duke of Sussex supported the proposal and viewed it as "morally right", adding that it should not be interpreted as "a political intervention". 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". Harry later criticised the ruling as "rolling back of constitutional rights" in his address to the United Nations on Mandela Day in July 2022. Associate justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the majority opinion in the case, subsequently criticised foreign figures, including Harry, for commenting on "American law" during a public speech. In June 2023, Harry broke with royal protocol by criticising the UK government in a witness statement submitted to a court. He argued that both the British press and the government were "at rock bottom" and that, rather than scrutinising the government, the press had got "into bed with them so they can ensure the status quo". In February 2026, Harry stated in an interview with Channel 4 that aid corridors had been shut to Gaza in the aftermath of the Gaza war, which prompted Israel's deputy minister of foreign affairs, Sharren Haskel, to invite him "to speak directly with the British general serving at the CMCC center ... He will tell you clearly: the corridors are open, and thousands of trucks are entering every day." She described his comments as "deeply disappointing" given his position as a member of the British royal family.
=== Drug use and US visa application === In March 2023, the Heritage Foundation (HF) sent a dossier on Harry's past drug use to various government entities, asking whether he had disclosed such use on his US visa application. The following month, the organisation filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seeking access to his immigration records. In March 2024, the US 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. In September 2024, the case was closed after two sealed orders and a sealed "memorandum opinion" were filed. The HF then requested that the ruling be "vacated" and that confidential correspondence between the judge and DHS be released. In February 2025, the US president Donald Trump ruled out deporting Harry, telling the New York Post: "I'll leave him alone." Judge Carl Nichols ordered that redacted versions of the court documents be released by 18 March 2025. Eighty‑two pages across seven exhibits were published, heavily redacted and without the visa application itself; his immigration status was withheld, and it remained unclear whether he had disclosed his drug use on the application. Immigration officials argued that the HF could "not point to any evidence of government misconduct", while Harry's representatives said he had been "truthful" and that the documents indicated he had not received preferential treatment. The Heritage Foundation subsequently brought a new case in 2025 against the US Department of State, requesting the release of all documents on Harry except the visa papers themselves. As of July 2026, the State Department had withheld 18 documents concerning Harry in their entirety, while 289 others remained under review. The State Department and the HF were expected to update the judge on the progress of the FOIA case on 13 October 2026.
Public life
At the age of 21, Harry was appointed a Counsellor of State and began his duties in that capacity. The Queen granted Harry and William their own royal household on 6 January 2009. Previously, William and Harry's affairs had been handled by their father's office at Clarence House in central London. The new household released a statement announcing they had established their own office at nearby St James's Palace to look after their public, military and charitable activities. In March 2012, Harry led an official visit to Belize as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. He continued to the Bahamas and Jamaica, where the Prime Minister, Portia Simpson-Miller, was considering initiating a process of turning Jamaica into a republic. He then visited Brazil to attend the GREAT Campaign. Harry also played tambourine and took part in the music video for the song "Sing", which was released in May 2012 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee. Between 9 and 15 May 2013, he made an official visit to the US. The tour promoted the rehabilitation of injured American and UK troops, publicised his own charities and supported British interests. It included engagements in Washington, DC, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. He met survivors of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey. In October 2013, he undertook his first official tour of Australia, attending the International Fleet Review at Sydney Harbour. He also paid a visit to the Australian SAS HQ in Perth. In May 2014, he visited Estonia and Italy. In Estonia, he visited Freedom Square in the capital Tallinn to honour fallen Estonian soldiers. He also attended a reception at the Estonian Parliament and a NATO military exercise. In Italy, Harry attended commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the Monte Cassino battles, in which Polish, Commonwealth and British troops fought. He opened the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey on 6 November 2014, a task usually performed by Prince Philip. Before reporting for duty to the Australian Defence Force (ADF), Harry visited the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on 6 April 2015. He made a farewell walkabout at the Sydney Opera House on 7 May 2015 and visited Macquarie University Hospital. He joined his father in Turkey to attend commemorations of the centenary of the Gallipoli Campaign in April 2015. In October 2015, Harry carried out a day of engagements in the US. He launched the Invictus Games Orlando 2016 with First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Jill Biden at Fort Belvoir. He later attended an Invictus Games board meeting and a reception to celebrate the launch at the British Ambassador's Residence. Harry, as patron of Sentebale, travelled to Lesotho to attend the opening of the Mamohato Children's Centre in November 2015. From 30 November to 3 December 2015, he made an official visit to South Africa. He visited Cape Town, where he presented the insignia of the Order of the Companions of Honour to the Archbishop on behalf of the Queen. Harry also played the Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup, at Val de Vie Estate in Cape Town, fundraising for Sentebale. He visited Nepal 19–23 March 2016. He stayed until the end of March 2016 to help rebuild a secondary school with Team Rubicon UK, and visited a Hydropower Project in Central Nepal.
In April 2018, he was appointed Commonwealth youth ambassador, a position which he held until March 2020. Also in that month, Harry became a patron of Walk of America, a campaign which brings together a number of veterans who will take part in a 1,000-mile expedition across the US in mid-2018. The Prince was appointed the president of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust, which focuses on projects involving children and welfare of prisoners, in April. Periodically, online QCT chat sessions were conducted and uploaded to YouTube for general public viewing. He remained the charity's president until February 2021. In July 2018, Harry travelled to Dublin, Ireland, alongside his wife Meghan, which marked their first overseas visit as a couple. In October 2018, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex travelled to Sydney, for the 2018 Invictus Games. This formed part of a Pacific tour that included Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand. Harry identifies as a feminist. During their visit to Morocco in February 2019, the Duke and Duchess focused on projects centred on "women's empowerment, girls' education, inclusivity and encouragement of social entrepreneurship". As part of establishing a separate office from that of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2019, the Duke and Duchess created an Instagram social media account, which broke the record for the fastest account at the time to reach a million followers. During his trip to Angola in 2019, the Duke visited the Born Free to Shine project in Luanda, an initiative by First Lady Ana Dias Lourenço which aims to "prevent HIV transmission from mothers to babies" through education, medical testing and treatment. He also met HIV+ youth and teenagers during his visit. During his visit to the Luengue-Luiana National Park, the Duke unveiled an initiative by the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy to help with protecting "an ancient elephant migration route" by providing safe passage for them in the forest. In September and October 2019, a Southern African tour included Malawi, Angola, South Africa and Botswana. Because infant son Archie travelled with the Sussexes, this was "their first official tour as a family". Harry completed 1,190 engagements between 2006 and 2019.
Stepping back and subsequent public appearances
In January 2020, the Duke and Duchess announced that they were stepping back from their role as senior members of the royal family, and would balance their time between the United Kingdom and North America. A statement released by the Palace confirmed that the Duke and Duchess were to become financially independent and cease to represent the Queen. At the time of the announcement of Harry and Meghan's decision to "step back" as senior members of the royal family in 2020, 95% of the couple's income derived from the £2.3 million given to them annually by Harry's father, Charles, as part of his income from the Duchy of Cornwall. The couple retain their HRH stylings but are not permitted to use them. The formal role of the Duke and Duchess was subject to a twelve-month review period, ending in March 2021. In March 2020, Harry attended the opening of the Silverstone Experience in Silverstone Circuit together with racing driver Lewis Hamilton. Harry's appearance at the museum was his final solo engagement as a senior royal. He and Meghan attended the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on 9 March 2020, which was their last engagement as a couple before they officially stepped down on 31 March. Harry's personal wealth was estimated at £30 million by The Daily Telegraph in 2020. In April 2021, Harry returned to the UK to attend the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Meghan did not attend due to her pregnancy. The following year, they made their first official appearance in the UK in June 2022 while attending the Platinum Jubilee National Service of Thanksgiving. The Sussexes visited the UK and Germany in September 2022 for a number of charity events in Manchester and Düsseldorf. On 8 September, while Harry and Meghan were in London preparing to attend a charity event, Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, and they remained in the United Kingdom for her funeral. In May 2023, Harry attended the coronation of his father alone. Harry and Meghan visited Nigeria in May 2024 to honour the work of the Invictus Games. According to CNN, their trip focused on "sports rehabilitation, mental health, and women's empowerment". In August that year, the couple visited Colombia at the invitation of the country's vice-president, Francia Márquez. The visit to Colombia cost Col$244,245,305 (approximately £44,419) in public funds, covering official expenses such as internal transportation, security, and advance logistical planning, while the couple paid for their own international flights, accommodation in Bogotá, and personal expenses. Harry visited the Superhumans Center in Lviv, Ukraine, in April 2025 after an invitation from its chief executive. During the visit, he met people injured in the Russo-Ukrainian war and viewed the centre's rehabilitation work. He returned to Ukraine in September 2025 at the invitation of Superhumans, travelling to Kyiv to meet veterans and others affected by the conflict. During the visit, he spoke at an event on the transition from military service, met privately with the Minister for Veteran Affairs, and attended a fundraising gathering in support of the organisation. On 3 November 2025, Harry's office announced that he would travel to Toronto, Canada, for a series of events ahead of Remembrance Day. He and Meghan visited Jordan in February 2026 with the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. For the trips to Colombia and Jordan, the couple was accompanied by one selected reporter. In April 2026, Harry and Meghan undertook a four‑day visit to Australia. A petition on Change.org calling for the couple not to receive taxpayer-funded security during the trip attracted more than 45,000 signatures, prompting their team to state that the visit would be funded privately. Australian police later announced that they would be conducting an operation to ensure safety during parts of the couple's tour. Later that month, Harry made another visit to Kyiv, where he used a speech at the Kyiv Security Forum to urge the US to take a stronger role in supporting Ukraine and said to Russian President Vladimir Putin that "there is still a moment – now – to stop this war." In response to the remarks, US president Donald Trump stated, "I know one thing, Prince Harry is not speaking for the UK, that's for sure". In July 2026, Harry's wife and children joined him on a visit to the UK as he marked one year until the 2027 Invictus Games, during which they privately met with King Charles III and Queen Camilla. In the following month, the family relocated to the UK for an "extended period", with Archie and Lilibet enrolled to begin school there in September. It was reported that the family would reside at a private, non-royal property, and Harry and Meghan would remain non-working members of the royal family and would not resume official royal duties.
=== Publicly funded police security === Harry faced difficulties with obtaining and maintaining publicly funded security, both in Canada and the United Kingdom, after he and Meghan announced their self-demotion within the royal family. While the couple resided on Vancouver Island, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation launched a petition calling for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to cease providing security to the Sussexes. The Government of Canada announced RCMP security would not be provided after March 2020 when the couple's status changed. A similar petition circulated in the UK in mid-March 2020. The backlash in the two countries led President Donald Trump to preemptively assert that the US would not pay either; though, the couple never intended to ask for it while in the US. 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. Following the first court hearing of the case by the High Court, it was 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. After receiving applications by the Duke and the Home Office to keep parts of the case private, the High Court ruled in March 2022 that some parts of it 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". In July 2022, Mr Justice Swift granted permission for part of Harry's claim to proceed for a judicial review. Harry filed a lawsuit against the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police in August 2022, 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. In February 2023, a High Court judge ruled that the second case should be thrown out; however, the decision was later appealed by Harry's legal team. He lost the legal challenge in May 2023, meaning that he will not be allowed to make private payments for police protection. 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. 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. In April 2024, he lost an initial attempt to appeal against the ruling. Despite his lawyers' attempts to have him pay no more than 50% of the Home Office's legal costs of defending his challenge, the judge held him liable for 90% of the costs. It was also revealed that during the proceedings Harry had leaked information via email to "a partner of Schillings" and to Johnny Mercer, for which he apologised to the court. In May 2024, he was given permission by the Court of Appeal to challenge the High Court's decision. His appeal was rejected by three senior judges in May 2025 and he was likely to be held liable for the UK government's legal fees. In December 2025, it was announced that, for the first time since April 2019, RAVEC would reassess Harry's threat level. The decision followed a private letter he had sent to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood earlier in the year. In June 2026, ahead of a visit to the UK with his family, the government declined Harry's request for police protection outside royal residences. A risk-management assessment took place at the end of July, although Harry had yet to receive a decision on his security arrangements. In the following month, Harry's lawyers wrote again to Shabana Mahmood asking her to personally review his case and alleging that the head of RAVEC had failed to inform Harry's security team of threats against him by al-Qaeda in 2023, when he was living in the United States. The information had been shared through the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing system, but it was the FBI that passed it on to Harry's security team. Harry gave RAVEC less than two weeks' notice before moving his family back to Britain in August 2026 rather than the customary 28 days, citing concerns about leaks and a desire to inform his father first. Following the family's return, RAVEC commissioned new risk assessments for both Harry and Meghan, the first such assessment for Meghan since the couple stepped down as working royals in 2020.
== Civilian career and investments == In summer 2019, before announcing their decision to step back in January 2020, Harry and his wife were involved in talks with Jeffrey Katzenberg, the founder of the now-defunct streaming platform Quibi, over a possible role in the service without gaining personal profits, but they eventually decided against joining the project. In September 2019, it was reported that the couple had hired New York-based PR firm Sunshine Sachs, which had been working with them on intermittent projects since 2017. The firm represented them until 2022 before being rehired by them in 2026. The couple has also been associated with Adam Lilling's Plus Capital, a venture capital fund designed to connect early stage companies with influencers and investors. Between 2019 and 2020, Harry and Meghan contributed to the book Finding Freedom through a third-party source. Despite initially denying their involvement with the book, their contributions to the book became apparent during Meghan's court case against Associated Newspapers who were trying to use the book in their defense. In June 2020, they signed with the Harry Walker Agency, owned by media company Endeavor, to conduct paid public speaking engagements. In September 2020, the Sussexes signed a five-year private commercial deal with Netflix. In December 2020, the Duke and Duchess signed a multi-year deal with Spotify to produce and host their own programs through their audio producing company, Archewell Audio. A holiday special was released by the couple on the service in December 2020. In June 2023, Spotify announced they would not proceed with the deal, cancelling Archetypes which had run for a single season of 12 episodes. Harry & Meghan, a docuseries about the Sussexes, was produced by Netflix and the couple's Archewell Productions and premiered on 8 December 2022. It is directed by Liz Garbus. The series received mixed reviews. In April 2024, it was announced that Archewell Productions is working with Netflix to produce two new shows – on lifestyle and on polo – for the streaming platform. The Polo docuseries was released in December 2024 and was a critical and commercial disappointment. In August 2025, Archewell Productions renewed its partnership with Netflix under a multi-year first-look deal, which included plans for other documentary and scripted projects.
In March 2021, San Francisco-based mental health start-up BetterUp, a company that helps people get in contact with coaches or counsellors, said that Harry would become its first chief impact officer. In the same month, Harry was appointed as a commissioner for the Aspen Institute's Commission on Information Disorder to carry out a six-month study on the state of misinformation and disinformation in the US. The study was published in November 2021 as a report with 15 recommendations. In the following month, in his capacity as BetterUp's chief impact officer, Harry was interviewed by Fast Company, stating that the recent trend of people leaving their jobs (known as the Great Resignation) was something that needed to be celebrated, though his remarks were criticised for coming from a position of privilege. 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. In April 2019, it was announced that Harry was working as co-creator and executive producer on a documentary series about mental health together with Oprah Winfrey, which was initially set to air in 2020 on Apple TV+. It was later announced that the series, titled The Me You Can't See, would be released on 21 May 2021. In the following month, UCAS reported an increase in the percentage of students declaring mental health issues on their university applications, citing self-help books and Harry's statements on his struggles with "panic attacks and anxiety" as contributing factors. In October 2021, Harry and Meghan announced their partnership with Ethic, a sustainable investment firm based in New York City, which also manages the couple's investments. According to state filings from Delaware, where the couple's Archewell foundation is registered, Harry and Meghan incorporated 11 companies and a trust beginning in early 2020 which include Orinoco Publishing LLC and Peca Publishing LLC to hold the rights for their books as well as Cobblestone Lane LLC and IPHW LLC which are holders of their foundation's logos. In July 2021, it was announced that Harry was set to publish his memoir Spare via Penguin Random House, with Harry reportedly earning an advance of at least $20 million. Spare was ghostwritten by novelist J. R. Moehringer. The memoir is reportedly the first of a four-book publishing deal that is set to include a second book by Harry and a wellness guide by Meghan. Spare was officially published on 10 January 2023 in 16 languages, and it has since become the UK's fastest selling non-fiction book with 400,000 confirmed sales in all formats on publication day. Harry announced that $1.5 million of the proceeds from the memoir were pledged to the charity Sentebale, while £300,000 would be given to WellChild.
Charity work
=== Humanitarian and environmental activities === Harry has granted his patronage to organisations including WellChild, Dolen Cymru, MapAction and the London Marathon Charitable Trust; he stepped down from MapAction in 2019 and the London Marathon Charitable Trust in 2021. In 2007 he and William organised the Concert for Diana, in memory of their mother, which benefited the charities and patronages of Diana, William, and Harry. In October 2008, Harry and his brother embarked on the 1,000 mile eight-day Enduro Africa motorbike ride across South Africa to raise money for Sentebale, UNICEF and the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund. In September 2009, William and Harry set up The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry to enable them to take forward their charitable ambitions. Harry left the charity in June 2019. After taking part in an unfinished trip to the North Pole with Walking With The Wounded in 2011, Harry joined the charity's 200-mile expedition to the South Pole in Antarctica during December 2013, accompanying twelve injured servicemen and women from the UK, the US and the Commonwealth. In August 2014, Harry took part in a flight in a vintage Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft, with Phil O'Dell acting as the pilot instructor and flight commander. The flight took place over the Isle of Wight coastline to promote the Spitfire Scholarship, a charitable initiative launched by Harry that mirrored World War II pilot training to teach wounded, injured, and sick service veterans how to fly. As patron of Walk of Britain, he walked with the team on 30 September and 20 October 2015. To raise awareness for HIV testing, Harry took a test live on the royal family Facebook page on 14 July 2016. He later attended the 21st International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa, on 21 July 2016. On World AIDS Day, Harry and Rihanna helped publicise HIV testing by taking the test themselves. Since 2016 Harry has been working with Terrence Higgins Trust to raise awareness about HIV and sexual health. In November 2019, to mark the National HIV Testing Week, the Duke interviewed HIV+ Rugby player Gareth Thomas on behalf of the trust. In December 2017, Harry guest edited BBC Radio 4's Today programme, conducting interviews with his father, then Prince of Wales, former US president Barack Obama, and others on issues such as youth violence, the Armed Forces, mental health, the Commonwealth, conservation and the environment. Harry was officially appointed the new president of African Parks (a conservation NGO) on 27 December 2017, a position which he held until 2023 when he was appointed a member of its board of directors. Harry had previously spent three weeks in Malawi with African Parks where he joined a team of volunteers and professionals to carry out one of the largest elephant translocations in history. The effort to repopulate areas decimated due to poaching and habitat loss moved 500 elephants from Liwonde and Majete National Parks to Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve. Harry had previously helped with relocating rhinos in the Okavango Delta and later became patron of the Rhino Conservation Botswana. Accusations of abuse by the charity surfaced publicly in 2022 and 2024, when reports claimed that rangers managed by African Parks had been torturing, beating, raping, and forcibly displacing members of the indigenous Baka community. Following a ten-year association with the organisation, he is due to conclude his tenure on the board on 30 September 2026.
In July 2018, the Elton John AIDS Foundation announced that the Duke of Sussex and British singer Elton John were about to launch a global coalition called MenStar that would focus "on treating HIV infections in men". In May 2019, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex together with Harry's brother and sister-in-law launched Shout, the UK's first 24/7 text messaging service for those who suffer from mental issues. In September 2019, the Duke launched Travalyst during his visit to the Netherlands after two years of development. The initiative is set "to encourage sustainable practices in the travel industry" and "tackle climate change and environmental damage", in collaboration with a number of companies, including Tripadvisor, Booking.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Visa Inc. The organisation later announced a partnership with Google in 2021. In October 2019, along with other members of the royal family, Harry voiced a Public Health England announcement, for the "Every Mind Matters" mental health program. In February 2020, Harry recorded a new version of the song "Unbroken" with Jon Bon Jovi. The new version features backing vocals from members of the Invictus Choir. The song was released on 27 March 2020, the proceeds of which were donated to the Invictus Games Foundation. In April 2020, Harry launched a new initiative named HeadFIT, a platform designed to provide mental support for members of the armed forces. The initiative was developed mutually by the Royal Foundation's Heads Together campaign, the Ministry of Defence, and King's College London. In June 2020, the Duke and Duchess backed the Stop Hate for Profit campaign and encouraged CEOs of different companies to join the movement.
In April 2021, Harry and Meghan were announced as campaign chairs for Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World, an event organised by Global Citizen to increase access to COVID-19 vaccinations. They also announced their support for a vaccine equity fundraiser initiated by the same organisation, and penned an open letter to the pharmaceutical industry CEOs urging them to address the vaccine equity crisis. Later that month, he narrated "Hope Starts Here", a special video rereleased by African Parks to mark the Earth Day in which he urged organisations and communities to preserve biodiversity and paid tribute to his grandfather Prince Philip for his efforts as a conservationist. He helped with the establishment of Peak State, a mental fitness programme aimed at providing tools and resources for managing mental health, to which he publicly lent his support in May 2021. Like his mother, Harry has worked with the HALO Trust, an organisation that removes debris – particularly landmines – left behind by war. He had previously visited a minefield in Mozambique with the charity and spent two days learning about their work and mine-clearing techniques. In 2013 he was named as patron of the charity's 25th Anniversary Appeal. In April 2017, he hosted the Landmine Free 2025 reception at Kensington Palace, during which the UK government announced an increase in its financial support for de-mining efforts. In September 2019, he walked through a de-mining site in Angola, the same country visited by his mother 22 years earlier. In June 2021, after ten members of the trust were killed by an armed group at a mine clearance camp in Afghanistan, Harry issued a statement saying the attack "was nothing less than an act of barbarism". In September 2021, together with First Lady Jill Biden, he hosted a virtual event for the Warrior Games, which were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2021, he spoke against oil drilling in the Okavango River in an op-ed for The Washington Post. In the same month and ahead of the 2021 G20 Rome summit, Harry and his wife penned an open letter together with the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, asking the G20 leaders to expedite efforts for the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. In March 2022, they were among more than a hundred people who signed an open letter published by the People's Vaccine Alliance, asking for free global access to COVID-19 vaccines and calling out the UK, EU and Switzerland for opposing a waiver that would allow vaccine intellectual property protections to be lifted. In April 2022 and in a video featuring Rhys Darby and Dave Fane on Māori Television, Harry launched an eco-travel campaign through his non-profit Travalyst, encouraging people to travel sustainably. In November 2023, he was named global ambassador for Scotty's Little Soldiers, one of the seven charities which he and his wife had invited people to support in lieu of giving them wedding presents. In September 2025, Harry announced that he had donated £1.1 million to BBC Children in Need in December 2024, describing it as a "significant investment" in grassroots organisations in Nottingham supporting young people affected by violence. The money was reportedly drawn from the Glen Beg Foundation, a charitable entity holding funds inherited from his mother. In the following month, he and Meghan joined a coalition of public figures, scientists, and tech experts in signing an open letter calling for a global ban on the development of artificial superintelligence until there is strong scientific consensus and public support ensuring it can be created safely and ethically, emphasising the existential risks such unchecked AI could pose to humanity. In September 2026, Harry completed a charity skydive in Ontario with the grandson of World War II veteran Ed Marshall, fulfilling a promise to Marshall and raising funds for Sunnybrook and the True Patriot Love Foundation.
Sport
Harry has enjoyed playing sports, such as competitive polo, skiing, and motocross. Like his brother and father, he has participated in polo matches to raise money for charitable causes. Harry is also a keen Rugby football fan and supported England's bid to host rugby union's 2015 Rugby World Cup, and presented the trophy at rugby league's 2019 Challenge Cup finals. In 2004 Harry trained as a Rugby Development Officer for the Rugby Football Union and coached students in schools to encourage them to learn the sport. He, along with former rugby player Brian Moore, both argued that in response to Black Lives Matter, the song "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" should no longer be sung in rugby context. Between December 2016 and February 2021, he was patron of both the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Rugby Football League (RFL), Rugby League's governing body in England. He had served as the RFU's vice-royal patron since 2010, supporting the Queen as patron. In 2012 Harry launched Coach Core alongside his brother and sister-in-law, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The program was set up following the 2012 Olympics and provides apprenticeship opportunities for people who desire to pursue a career as a professional coach. In January 2017, Harry visited the Running Charity and its partner Depaul UK to highlight the role of sport in helping homeless and vulnerable people. In June 2019, the Duke was present at the launch of Made by Sport, a charity coalition set to raise money to boost sport in disadvantaged communities. In his statement, he lent his support to the charity by arguing that its role in bringing sport into the life of disadvantaged people would save "hundreds of millions of pounds" towards treating the issues among young people.
=== Sussex Royal and Archewell === In June 2019, it was announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would split from The Royal Foundation and establish their own charity foundation by the end of 2019. Nevertheless, the couple would collaborate with Harry's brother and his wife on mutual projects, such as the mental health initiative Heads Together. In July 2019, Harry and Meghan's new charity was registered in England and Wales under the title "Sussex Royal The Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex". It was confirmed on 21 February 2020 that "Sussex Royal" would not be used as a brand name for the couple following their withdrawal from public life. Sussex Royal Foundation was renamed "MWX Foundation" on 5 August 2020 and dissolved the same day. 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. Representatives for the couple claimed that Sussex Royal was "managed by a board of trustees" and that "suggestion of mismanagement" directed exclusively at the Duke and Duchess would be incorrect. The commission later concluded that the foundation did not act unlawfully, but criticised the board of directors for expending a "substantial proportion of funds" on setting up and closing the charity. In April 2020, Meghan and Harry confirmed their new foundation (in lieu of Sussex Royal) would be called "Archewell". The name stems from the Greek word "arche", which means "source of action"; the same word that inspired the name of their son. Archewell was registered in the US. Its website was officially launched in October 2020.
=== Sentebale === In 2006 Harry visited Mants'ase Children's Home near Mohale's Hoek in Lesotho, which he had first toured in 2004, and alongside Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, he launched Sentebale: The Princes' Fund for Lesotho, a charity to assist children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. 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. Chandauka reported the charity to the Charity Commission due to what she described as "poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir – and the coverup that ensued". Chandauka later accused Harry of "harassment and bullying at scale" by authorising "the release of a damaging piece of news to the outside world", adding that his "toxic" brand was "the number one risk" for the organisation. There were also allegations that through his contacts Harry had asked Chandauka to issue a statement in support of his wife following an awkward interaction between the two women during a polo match in Miami, and had later demanded that she "explain herself" in a note that was described as "unpleasant" in tone and reportedly used "imperious" language. 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. It also criticised all sides for allowing the conflict "to play out publicly" and cited poor internal governance and a "failure to resolve disputes internally" as factors that impacted the charity's reputation. In March 2026, Sentebale filed a defamation claim against Harry and former trustee Mark Dyer, with documents lodged in the High Court in London alleging that they had conducted an "adverse media campaign" against the charity since March 2025.
== Public image == In his youth, Harry earned a reputation for being rebellious, leading the tabloid press to label him a "wild child". At age 17, he was seen smoking cannabis, drinking underage with friends, and clashing physically with paparazzi outside nightclubs. In early 2005, he was photographed at a "Colonial and Native"-themed birthday party in Wiltshire wearing a Nazi German Afrika Korps uniform with a swastika armband. His choice sparked a backlash from the media, politicians, and religious figures. Clarence House later issued a public statement in which Harry apologised for his behaviour. In an interview for his 21st birthday, he stated that it "was a very stupid thing to do and I've learnt my lesson". In January 2005, in response to an inquiry about his Zimbabwean girlfriend Chelsy Davy, Harry responded "She's not black or anything, you know". In January 2009, the British tabloid, the News of the World, revealed a video made by Harry three years earlier in which he referred to a Pakistani fellow officer cadet as "our little Paki friend" and called a soldier wearing a camouflage hood a "raghead". These terms were described by the Leader of the Opposition at the time David Cameron as "unacceptable", and by The Daily Telegraph as "racist". A British Muslim youth organisation called Harry a "thug". Further extracts showed him telling a comrade "I love you" before giving him a kiss on the cheek and licking his face, and asking another whether he felt gay, queer, or on the side. Clarence House immediately issued an apology from Harry, who stated that no malice was intended in his remarks. Subsequently, it was reported that the military had instructed Harry to attend a diversity course. In the same year, British stand-up comedian Stephen K. Amos alleged that after a stand-up show for Charles's 60th birthday celebrations in November 2008 Harry had commented on his performance by saying, "You don't sound like a black chap", though he hoped that the remarks were made in jest. In October 2007, a video from Harry's trip to Namibia with his friends surfaced, which showed him snorting vodka and licking a male friend's nipples. While on holiday in Las Vegas in August 2012, 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 American celebrity website TMZ on 21 August 2012, and reported worldwide by mainstream media on 22 August 2012. The photographs were shown by the American media, but British media were reluctant to publish them. Royal aides suggested Clarence House would contact the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) if British publications used the pictures. St James's Palace confirmed that Harry was in the photographs, saying that he was essentially a victim whose privacy had been invaded and contacted the PCC upon hearing that a number of British newspapers were considering publishing the photographs. On 24 August 2012, The Sun newspaper published the photographs. At a 2014 event in England, Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins was slapped by Harry after he had told him "I can't wake up, so tired", with Harry subsequently stating "You awake now?" Hawkins added "I got slapped in the face by the prince. That's OK really, if you think about it. But in the moment, I was like, 'You fucking slapped me, dude.'" In December 2021, reports emerged about Harry's meetings with Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, whose receipt of a CBE became the subject of an investigation by the Scottish Charity Regulator. Mahfouz had met Harry in 2013 and 2014 and donated £50,000 to his charity Sentebale and £10,000 to Walking With The Wounded, of which Harry is patron. The Sunday Times claimed that the meetings with Harry opened the way for Mahfouz to get access to the Prince of Wales. Harry referred to the incident as the "CBE scandal" in December 2021 and stated that he severed ties with Mahfouz in 2015 after expressing "growing concerns" about his motives, though aides from his father's household denied having any discussions with him regarding Mahfouz. A spokesperson for Sentebale defended the meetings and added that there was not any impropriety regarding the donations. 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. In July 2026, The Sunday Times journalist Camilla Long accused Harry and his team of using "bully boy tactics" against the press. She alleged that on the first day of his trial against the Daily Mail, his PR representative approached her to express disapproval over one of her previous articles, which she viewed as an attempt to intimidate journalists.
=== Public opinion === In view of their environmental activism, Harry and Meghan were criticised in August 2019 for reportedly taking four private jet journeys in 11 days, including one to Elton John's home in Nice, France. The criticism was in line with the reactions the royal family faced in June 2019, after it was revealed that they "had doubled [their] carbon footprint from business travel". Harry received backlash again in August 2021 and 2022 for taking a two-hour flight on private jets between California and Aspen, Colorado, to participate in an annual charity polo tournament. In June 2022 and on their way to California after the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, Harry and Meghan boarded a private jet that was estimated to have emitted "ten times more carbon than flying commercial". After his marriage, Harry's popularity skyrocketed above all the other royals as he was deemed likable by 77 per cent of respondents in a poll of 3,600 Britons conducted by statistics and polling company YouGov. However, his popularity fell after stepping back from royal duties, and it plummeted after the release of his controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey, his Netflix docuseries, and his memoir. 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. Writing for The New York Times, Sarah Lyall noted that following the release of his memoir Harry and his wife lost support within segments of the American public and press. It has been suggested by critics that this fall from public esteem is due to Harry and Meghan's frequent attempts to achieve ongoing relevancy, and their perceived hypocrisy and selfishness. Harry and Meghan's exit from the royal family was satirized in a 2023 episode of South Park. In 2018 and 2021, Harry was selected as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Time magazine. In 2019, the magazine named Harry and his wife as among the 25 Most Influential People on the Internet. In 2021, the couple was featured on one of the magazine's seven worldwide Time 100 covers. In 2024, Harry's role as founder of Travalyst was recognised in the second edition of the Time 100 Climate list which ranked the most influential climate action leaders. In 2026, he was named in the Time 100 list of most influential people in sports for his role as patron of the Invictus Games. In 2023, People named him as one of the "25 Most Intriguing People of the Year". In the same year, James Hibberd of The Hollywood Reporter named Harry and Meghan among the Hollywood losers of 2023. Following Harry and Meghan's trip to Nigeria in May 2024, Lucia Stein of the ABC argued that the couple could have been used by the royal family, and added that "perhaps how helpful they would have been" had an agreement on a "hybrid working model" been achieved. Media editor, Tina Brown commented in relation to the visit, they are "enormously appealing to the public, and very good at [public engagement]." In January 2025, Harry and Meghan's appearance at a food bank during the Southern California wildfires in the Pacific Palisades drew mixed reactions from segments of the media and public figures, who labeled it "disaster tourism".
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