At the age of 73, King Charles III became the oldest person to ever ascend to the English throne. Having spent most of his life in the public eye, it’s easy to think that we know most about the controversial monarch. Yet, there are several interesting facts about King Charles that even the biggest royal enthusiasts may be unaware of, including certain things that Charles purposely suppressed from the public...
His World Completely Changed at the Age of Three
King Charles’s childhood has been widely documented over the years, with bits and pieces pointing towards the fact that his childhood and teenage years were extremely lonely. Even though he was born into one of the most well-known royal families in the world, as a young kid, King Charles was far from being the perfect Prince he was expected to be.
At the age of three, his world turned upside down when his grandfather King George VI tragically died, and his mother was crowned the new Queen Elizabeth II on February 6, 1952.
He Wasn’t The Perfect Prince
With 25-year-old Queen Elizabeth suddenly becoming the new Queen of England, her son, four-year-old Charles, became the new heir to the throne. Being a Prince already came with countless pressures, but being the heir to the throne put a toll on Charles's life that he certainly wasn’t expecting at such a young age.
The young Charles was often criticized for being extremely shy and sensitive, but perhaps the most amount of pressure and disappointment came from his father, Prince Philip.
Expectations Were High
Prince Philip, an athletic and very determined man, had very high expectations of his son from the moment he was born. Both he and the queen had a time when they worried about the “slow development” of their son, who was the polar opposite of his father.
Being the traditionalist that he was, Prince Phillip decided to try to “fix” his son by being incredibly cold to him, hoping that this type of treatment would motivate him to “man up.” Sadly for Charles, Prince Philip’s plan was absolutely ghastly.
He Got Tough Love From His Father
At the age of eight, Charles was sent to one of the harshest boarding schools at the time: Gordonstoun. Though it was apparent that the Queen didn’t quite agree with this decision, Prince Phillip put a foot down and basically vetoed it, leaving Charles with no other option but to adapt to his new harsh circumstances.
When he recalled his time at the infamous school later on, he referred to it as “Colditz in kilts,” making reference to the German castle used as a camp for prisoners of war during World War II. There was no doubt that Charles’s years at Gordonstoun were absolutely horrible.
He Had The Worst Time In Boarding School
As soon as Charles arrived at his new boarding school, his time there became a nightmare. Knowing of his royal background and getting a sense of his shyness, his classmates immediately started bullying the young prince. The bullying came in many forms, both physically and psychologically, making it difficult for Charles to make any friends at school.
Whenever anyone showed him any sort of kindness or friendship, the bullies would make sure that they too would be bullied and discouraged from starting a friendship with the young prince. For years, he experienced a terrible and lonely time in school, but thankfully for him, he experienced a huge rebirth as soon as he became a young adult.
He Eventually Became A Playboy
When the time for attending the competitive Cambridge University came, Charles was determined to reinvent not only his life but himself too. It was the beginning of the playboy life he would live for the next few years, which many members of his family and friends circle were eager to share with the public. Tabloids loved reporting on his dating life which was clearly unstoppable, placing him as one of the most sought-after bachelors of his time.
Lord Mountbatten, who acted as a father figure to Charles for most of his life, often encouraged him to enjoy his life and have as many affairs as he could while young, literally offering his own home for the prince to use as his personal love shack.
He Met the Love of His Life in His Early 20s
It’s not a secret that the love of Charles’s life was and will always be Camilla Parker Bowles. He met her early on, in 1970 when he was merely 22 years old and she was 23. The two of them attended the same polo match at Windsor Castle and were later properly introduced in 1971 in the home of a friend. Camilla Shand was the respectable daughter of an Army Major and came from quite an upper-class family.
She had similar hobbies to Charles, including horse-riding and dog-rearing, which contributed to the incomparable chemistry the two youngsters felt for one another. Unfortunately, though, time never seemed to be quite right for these two.
A Prohibited Love Story
When Charles and Camilla met, their love lives were completely intertwined. Camilla had been dating her on-and-off boyfriend Andrew Parker Bowles for a while until the two broke up and Andrew began dating Charles’s sister, Princess Anne. Charles and Camilla, on the other hand, fell head over heels for one another right away and began a low-key relationship that they kept a secret for as long as they could.
As the relationship got serious, Charles began wanting to introduce her to the family, as she was the perfect partner for him: they could talk for hours, they had the same intellectual interests, and they came from similar aristocratic households.
His Family Sent Him Away
But there was one small catch with Charles and Camilla’s relationship: she was slightly older than him and a little “too experienced” in romance (at least in Charles's royal family’s eyes). After disapproving of Charles's romantic pursuit, the family came up with the idea of sending him off to the Royal Navy overseas, giving him no other option but to break up with Camilla.
Instead, the couple somehow managed to keep a long-distance relationship. Unfortunately, Charles would have his heart broken after a few months away when he read the announcement in The Times stating that Camilla was engaged to Andrew Parker Bowles.
He Wasn’t as Betrayed as He Thought He Was
Though he felt betrayed, Charles later found out that the announcement on the paper had been put by the Shands and Parker Bowles families without Camilla nor Andrew having any knowledge of it. The families' move was to put pressure on their on-and-off relationship and to make sure that Charles and Camilla were done once and for all.
The tactic worked since Andrew felt like he had no other option but to propose to Camilla, and she went on to accept it. Charles was completely devastated, but his family was ecstatic and expected him to find a suitable future wife now that Camilla was supposedly out of the way.
He Suffered A Terrible Tragedy
Four years later, at the age of 29, Charles began dating Diana Spencer’s sister, Lady Sarah. It was during this relationship that Charles met 16-year-old Diana. While it wasn’t love at first sight, he was surely interested in the young girl. But around this time, his life was shaken up by a terrible tragedy.
His great uncle and father figure, Lord Mountbatten, was killed while sailing his boat after the IRA placed a bomb on it. For months, Charles mourned the loss of one of his closest people and went on to make a decision he later regretted in life.
A Proposal With No Love
In 1980, Charles and Diana reconnected, and slowly, he started showing her more interest. He took her out of town, courted her, and even introduced her to his family, but all the while never really fell in love with the young woman. Though his lack of feelings was apparent, his family was completely in love with the sweet Diana, who seemed to be the perfect fit for Charles in their eyes.
So Prince Philip began putting a ton of pressure on Charles to bite the bullet and propose to Diana, which he eventually did. The proposal came in early February of 1981 and didn’t include any crazy romantic gestures. It was simply a decision Charles felt he had to make.
Charles And Diana Met Only 13 Times Before They Were Engaged
Later in life, Diana would admit that she said yes to becoming the next Queen Consort of England after meeting Charles only 13 times in her life. As we know, their marriage would be far from perfect and would contribute to some of the most controversial headlines in British Royalty’s history. But despite the tragic relationship they had, one thing’s for sure: Charles and Diana had one of the most fairy-tale weddings out there.
Sadly, behind the extravagance of the royal wedding was a terrible secret. Just before marrying Charles, Diana found out that he had bought a bracelet for someone who wasn’t her. She realized the bracelet belonged to Camilla, and of course, she became enraged.
Neither Diana Nor Charles Was Sure About The Wedding
Diana instantly felt like breaking things off with Charles and calling off the wedding. But according to her own notes on the event, Diana’s sisters convinced her to calm herself down and to forgive him; she was about to become a Princess after all. Things on Charles’s side weren’t much better.
He clearly loved Camilla, which led him to have a complete breakdown a day before his wedding, but his commitment to his duty and family ended up winning. After the wedding, Prince Charles and Princess Diana traveled around in the royal yacht Britannia and then spent some time at one of the family’s homes in Balmoral.
They Fulfilled Their Duties
During their photo ops for the public, they looked like a perfect couple, but behind closed doors, things just kept going from bad to worse. Charles clearly continued his connection with Camilla Parker Bowles throughout his marriage, but even so, the unhappy Diana and Charles managed to follow through with their royal duty when a few months after the wedding Diana found out she was pregnant.
Tragically, Diana would suffer an accident in 1982, toward the end of her first trimester, falling down the stairs at the royal Christmas state of Sandringham. Thankfully everything was okay with both mom and baby, but after some time, Diana confessed that the fall had been no accident and that she had attempted to take her own life in order to escape from the misery she was living.
A Royal Baby Was Born
Prince William was born on June 21, 1982, and the entire royalty and country were absolutely ecstatic. Sadly, while Charles and Diana had hoped their baby would bring them a fresh start, things only got worse between the two of them. Their second son, Prince Harry, was born two years later, on September 15, 1984.
Interestingly, the couple admitted that some of their best times together were during Diana’s pregnancy with Harry, but even that wasn’t enough to save their marriage. Five years into their marriage it was clear that things were irreparable, and both Charles and Diana engaged in extra-marital affairs.
His Private Conversation With Camilla Was Leaked
As if things weren’t bad enough, it was around this time that one of Charles’s most scandalous moments took place. In the early 1990s, the British press did something unthinkable when they went ahead and published a transcript of a telephone conversation between Charles and his mistress, Camilla.
Among many personal things, Charles told the future Queen Consort "I want to be yours," and Camilla claimed “I can’t start the week without you,” and many other personal statements. But perhaps the most infamous part of the call was when Charles claimed that he wanted to “live inside Camilla’s trousers” and that he even imagined becoming her tampon. Of course, the public was incredibly vicious after hearing the infamous beginning of “Camillagate.”
He Appeared On TV and Tried to Do Damage Control
With his reputation on the line, Charles saw no other option but to go on TV for a raw interview that allowed him to tell his side of the story. In it, he admitted that he had rekindled his romance with Camilla in 1986, but insisted that he only did so when he realized his marriage with Diana was “irretrievably broken down.” It turned out that this wasn’t true, as his relationship with Camilla had been going on even during his courting for Diana.
Princess Diana, who was understandably livid at the situation, went on to give her own interview the year after, where she notoriously claimed that there had been “three of them” in the marriage from the beginning, making it quite crowded.
The Queen Sent A Letter That Changed Everything
After the interview in which Diana went all out, Queen Elizabeth wrote a letter to Charles, urging him to finally separate and divorce Diana - something she had refused him from doing for years. This was something unprecedented for a senior member of the royal family, but things were so irreparable at that point that she saw no other option for the two of them.
Immediately, Prince Charles and Princess Diana agreed with the Queen’s request and though they would separate in 1992, their divorce would only be completed in 1996. Things didn’t go smoothly and the divorce was ugly, but Diana’s tragic passing eventually came and shocked the entire world.
He Delivered The Tragic News Of Diana’s Passing To His Sons
On August 31, 1997, Charles was informed that his ex-wife and former Princess had died in a car accident while being chased by paparazzi in Paris. She was with her companion Dodi Fayed in the car, who also lost his life. No matter how terrible his relationship with Diana had been, she was the mother of his two young boys, so the horrific duty of telling William and Harry that their mother had tragically died was simply terrible.
William, 15, and Harry, 12, experienced grief in the rawest possible way, and sadly, they were forced to do so in the eyes of the entire world. On that same day, Charles then traveled to France to accompany Diana’s body back to Britain for her funeral.
He Broke Royal Protocol During Diana’s Funeral
During the funeral, Charles wore a navy suit, standing out among William, Harry, and the rest of the entourage who were wearing black. The press picked this up as a form of disrespect, but in truth, he was paying tribute to his ex-wife. Throughout their marriage, Diana had apparently loved it when Charles wore navy, which was one of her favorite colors.
All of a sudden, Charles was in the difficult position of being a Prince and a single father, which he struggled with for years after Diana’s passing. It didn’t take long until everyone started wondering what would happen between Charles and Camilla’s relationship, who had also divorced her husband after the “Camillagate” scandal.
He Put His Foot Down About Camilla
Unsurprisingly, Charles waited for the most opportune time to give his family an ultimatum, and his family eventually had to give in. For ten years, he would work on his and Camilla’s image in the eyes of the public, while slowly reintroducing their relationship to everyone. They eventually got married in a modest ceremony in 2005. Charles was not only the first heir to the throne to get a divorce and remarry, but also broke a huge royal taboo by marrying a divorced person.
Still, after decades of having a prohibited affair, Charles and Camilla were finally officially married, and would go on to become the next King and Queen Consort following Queen Elizabeth's death on September 8, 2022.
Camilla’s Great-Great-Grandmother Was Also A Royal Mistress
Believe it or not, Queen Consort Camilla’s great-great-grandmother, Alice Keppel, was once the mistress to King Charles’s great-grandfather, King Edward VII. Alice Keppel, also known as Freddie, was married to handsome Lieutenant Colonel George Keppel when she was 23 years old, but according to historical sources, Keppel couldn’t quite provide her with the lavish lifestyle she had dreamed of for herself.
So, she began targeting wealthier men to have affairs with, until she met the Prince of Wales, Albert Edward in 1898. She was 29 and he was 56. Their affair would last for an entire 12 years, and only ended when he died in 1910.
He Got Into Many Financial Scandals
Affairs and family drama aren’t the only scandals that Prince Charles has been a part of over the years. Financial controversies have been constant throughout his royal life, and the list only seems to keep on getting bigger with the years. First, Charles has allegedly accepted different unofficial commissions from the Osama bin Laden Family and a former minister from Qatar.
In addition to that, he has also been known for being a pretty lavish spender. He has six homes on his estate, a ton of staff and servants, 11 secretaries, expensive cars, and an annual salary of about 17 million pounds.
British Police Investigated His Charity After Alleged “Cash For Honors”
One of the latest fishy moments that King Charles has experienced in the eyes of the public took place in early 2022 when British police started an investigation into the King’s charity, The Prince’s Trust. Charles’s close aide, Michael Fawcett was accused of offering a Saudi tycoon a knighthood in exchange for donations in the amount of $2 million.
Fawcett immediately stepped down from his position as chief executive of the foundation, and the King’s official spokesperson made a statement denying any wrongdoing from the king, and claiming that he had no prior knowledge of any of the allegations.
Sick With Cancer
The public learned in February 2024 that King Charles III is battling cancer after his hospitalization for an enlarged prostate. The monarch was continuing state affairs but postponing public duties. Prince William planned to step in for royal duties and Prince Harry went to London to visit his father, but only for 30 minutes as it was feared that certain conversations would get his "blood pressure rising." After the diagnosis, British officials had to refute rumors from Russian media that King Charles III had died. The Embassy in Ukraine clarified that "news about the death of King Charles III is fake."
As of now, the cancer type is unknown, but he is hopeful that the best medical treatment in the world will help him. Additionally, Princess Anne carried out her engagement at Windsor Castle just hours after the King's cancer diagnosis was revealed. Camilla has stood by his side and a few days later updated that the King is doing "extremely well". Royal experts have said the fate of Camilla is "nuanced" and hinges on the decision of the reigning monarch, William. If William ascended to the throne, his wife, Princess Kate, would become queen. King Charles' funeral plans were unveiled as it was revealed that he is not only battling pancreatic cancer but the monarch has been reportedly given "2 years to live." They also say that King Charles’ final resting plans are timely prioritization.
Fallout
King Charles' funeral plans were said by In Touch to have been unveiled as it was revealed that he is not only battling pancreatic cancer but the monarch has been reportedly given "2 years to live." They also say that King Charles’ final resting plans are timely prioritization, and that "Operation Menai Bridge", similar to his mother's "Operation London Bridge" plan upon passing, is top priority as the king might have less time to live than the Palace is letting on.
In Touch also claimed, in March of 2024, both that Charles feels William isn't ready to rule, and that Camilla is "frustrated" by the king's ill-health, even saying that she is "disgusted by the king’s apparent weakness and is providing him little comfort..." as the cancer is "eating him alive." Only time and the Palace's PR team will tell.
King Charles Royal Portrait Revealed
King Charles’ new portrait has sparked a wave of mockery online, with people humorously comparing the 75-year-old monarch to various notable characters, including Vigo the Carpathian from Ghostbusters, Dracula, and the frozen Han Solo from Star Wars. Social media has been abuzz with witty remarks and creative memes, turning the portrait into an overnight sensation.
The British Royal Family shared Charles III’s portrait on their official social media platforms, captioning it: "Today, The King unveiled a new portrait by @RealJonathanYeo at Buckingham Palace.” They then added: “The painting—commissioned by The Draper’s Company—is the first official portrait to be completed since His Majesty’s Coronation. The painting will hang in Draper’s Hall in London.” The portrait's unexpected virality showcases the power of social media in shaping public perception and the ever-present appetite for royal-related humor.
A Strained Relationship With Harry And Meghan
Though he seemed to live a much calmer life in the last two decades, Charles’s life was still accompanied by many scandals. He became the grandfather to Prince William and Duchess Catherine’s children, and then to Harry and Meghan’s kids. Things got particularly scandalous again after the arrival of Meghan Markle into his son Harry’s life.
According to Harry, his relationship with his father became fractured after he and his wife decided to take a step back from royal duties, resulting in Charles stopping to take his calls or replying to his messages.
Charles and Meghan's Relationship
According to palace sources, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan, has an unusual nickname by her father-in-law — 'Tungsten'. The source says: 'Prince Charles admires Meghan for her strength and the backbone she gives Harry, who needs a tungsten-type figure in his life as he can be a bit of a softy". Their bond became more evident when Meghan asked Charles to walk her down the aisle in place of her father.
Charles was touched by the request, and Meghan later thanked him during a speech at the private wedding party. Even Meghan's father approved saying he couldn't 'think of a better replacement than someone like Prince Charles'. Adding: "I was jealous I wish I'd been there I wish it had been me but thank god he was there and thank him for that. It might have been a treat for him as he never had a daughter.'
Racist Remarks Towards Meghan Markle
Based on Christopher Andersen's book Brothers and Wives: Inside the Private Lives of William, Kate, Harry, and Meghan, it was suggested that the racist comments that Harry mentioned his wife received were made by his own father. Still, the source of these remarks was never confirmed by Harry and never admitted by King Charles, so it’s all just an allegation for now.
This came as a shock to many since Charles seemed to be an avid supporter of the marriage. In fact, he even walked Meghan down the aisle after her own father got into a scandal and didn’t attend the wedding ceremony.
King Charles' Coronation Was Nearly Tampered
Even though both Harry and Charles have shown a willingness to reconcile and have peace in their relationship in the eyes of the public, things in private have apparently been very different. According to royal experts, before his coronation, the King was "paralyzed by fear and indecision" about how to manage the Sussexes' outspoken criticisms of him. He even contemplated their attendance in case they overshadowed the event.
However, after his coronation as King, Charles referenced his “love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas," and Harry publicly supported his father in an official statement. According to some sources, however, Charles feels embarrassed by the route that Harry has taken, and Harry and Meghan have apparently refused Charles’s invitation to host them whenever they are in England.
Prince Harry, the Royal Who Walked Away
Harry Windsor, the prince who walked away from the British Royal family in 2020, has been the subject of newspaper front pages since he was a child. Originally an innocent bystander as the press tried to take pictures of his parents, his own behavior became newsworthy in time, often for the wrong reason. Harry’s had an eventful journey so far, and with his recent delve into family life, it’s just the beginning. He’s spent time as a soldier, spokesman, and philanthropist, just like his late mother was. Read on to find out how young Harry survived the traumatic tragedy and what kind of a man he is today.
Born to Wait in Line
The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, was born Henry Charles Albert David Windsor on the 15th of September, 1984 at St. Mary’s Hospital, London. Even since Harry was young, his life has been a rollercoaster of emotions.
From having all the little people in the land surround him and celebrate him and his family, to hiding from and running away from the paparazzi at all hours of the day, he inherited this misfortune from his ever-scandalous parents then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Both parents had affairs and there were many rumors about Harry’s “real” father being James Hewitt, Will Carling, and others.
Diana Tried to Maintain Balance
Harry was very close to his mother, Princess Diana. Unfortunately, the rocky marriage between Diana and Prince Charles soon turned into a chaotic mess, which isn’t the best environment for any child, let alone a young royal who became famous before he was even born. Diana acknowledged that her sons had more of everything than other kids do, so she tried to instill some grounded values in them.
Diana took Harry and William to McDonald’s to dine with regular kids, as well as homeless shelters to see how the less fortunate are forced to live. In 1992, when he was just eight years old, his parents separated, and they eventually divorced in 1996. Bouncing between his parents, there was very little stability overall, and Harry felt that he didn’t get enough time with either of them…a feeling that was about to hit VERY hard!
A Child’s Worst Nightmare
Only a year and a week after his parents divorced, Harry and the world were heartbroken at the tragic news of Princess Diana’s death in 1997. He was staying in Balmoral with his brother and father when they heard the news, and things went from bad to worse. Harry was just twelve years old, he’d lost his mother to a car accident, and the vultures of the tabloids descended on him and his family.
It would have been one thing for the press to have just hounded Diana’s ex-husband, then-Prince Charles, but Harry and William were caught in the crossfire too. Looking back, Harry has since stated that he struggled during this part of his life. He suffered from nightmares for years and even the sound of a camera shutter or the sight of a flash threw bad memories into his mind.
He Walked Behind the Coffin
Millions of people around the world watched Princess Diana’s funeral with tears in their eyes for the immediate loss of the Princess of Wales, as well as the heartache everyone could see in her grieving sons. Seeing Harry and William escorting her coffin was enough to make a grown man cry. It was the late Prince Philip’s idea to have the boys walk behind the coffin, as he reportedly told his grandsons, “If you don’t walk, I think you’ll regret it later. If I walk, will you walk with me?”
Harry and William did their mother proud and the image of them on that day was burnt into many people’s minds. In memory of his mom, Prince Charles took Harry on a trip that mirrored many visits that Diana made. Harry also took on a number of causes that were close to Diana too.
His Past Came Back to Haunt Him
The trauma Harry suffered when his mother died in 1997 is still present to this day. But back in 2002, when the wound was still rather fresh, something was about to tear it back open. Just before Christmas that year, Harry was horrified to hear that his friend Henry van Straubenzee had also been killed in a car wreck.
Losing a close friend at that age is hard enough, but when the cause of death mirrored the demise of his own mother, that hit three times as hard. Harry showed his mettle and provided support to his friend’s family in their time of need. He also paid tribute to Henry by becoming a patron of a charity that was set up in van Straubenzee’s honor.
He Was Sent Away for Some Privacy
Harry was first educated at Jane Mynor’s nursery school and the pre-preparatory Wetherby School in London. When he was just seven years old, he was then sent off to Ludgrove School, a boarding school in Berkshire. Next, Harry passed the entrance exams and was admitted to Eton College, just as his brother William was, but controversy lurked around the corner…
Harry completed his education at Eton in June 2003, but one of his former teachers made allegations that the “weak student” had cheated on his exams with the support of a “conspiracy” of Eton staff. The resulting panel didn’t clear up these accusations; it in fact "accepted the prince had received help in preparing his A-level 'expressive' project, which he needed to pass to secure his place at Sandhurst," and discussion of the matter ended.
He Had a Plan
Harry had developed an interest in the military while he was at Eton, but he was in no rush to join before having a little fun and character-building first. Harry took a gap year and spent three months in Australia working on the ranch of Annie and Noel Hill, who were friends of his mother’s.
Harry also visited Lesotho in South Africa and produced the documentaryThe Forgotten Kingdom, as well as taking a qualifying course to become a rugby coach. When he was ready to get back on with it, Harry entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on May 8th, 2005. He was known as Officer Cadet Wales and he joined the Alamein Company.
He Met a Party Girl
While Harry was in Africa, he met a young woman by the name of Chelsy Davy. The daughter of a Zimbabwean landowner, Chelsy shared Harry’s interest in sport, adventure, and partying until all hours of the night. The newspapers immediately picked up on the relationship and did their usual thing of following people around.
Harry didn’t help matters when he’d get himself into trouble and bring the wrong attention his way while boozing the night away, but the fact remains people should have some privacy. Around the time of his 21st birthday, Harry said in an interview that 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.” After five years, the pair split up in 2009.
He Partied Like It Was a Competition
Thanks to all of his drunken stupors, Harry earned himself a reputation as the “wild child” of Princess Diana’s sons. Not only was he constantly being caught on camera guzzling booze and smoking weed, but he also got into fights with the paparazzi who were following him around. Many have attributed this behavior to his mother’s passing, but he was no stranger to partying before that.
While still studying at Eton, Harry had been caught drinking and smoking by the staff. Prince Charles decided the best course of action was to send Harry to Featherstone Lodge, a rehab center, but Charles was concerned about how that would look if anyone found out. Instead, Harry spent a total of one day there learning about the pitfalls of drugs and alcohol, before being sent on his merry way. Obviously, nothing was learned at this time.
Nobody Saw the Funny Side
Much to his family’s dismay, Harry had quite the history of infamous intoxicated nights on the town. But in early 2005, Harry attended a costume party, where he may have upset the most people in one go. The shindig in question had a fancy dress theme of “Natives and Colonials,” and Harry responded by arriving in a full Nazi Germany Afrika Korps uniform.
Pictures of Harry and his armband were taken and published almost before the party had ended, causing the royal family to sigh in disbelief for the hundredth time. Harry issued a statement in apology for the choice of outfits, but some politicians felt that wasn’t enough. They insisted on an official (and public) apology, but the Lord Chancellor deemed it unnecessary.
He Was Deployed to Afghanistan
After joining the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in May 2005, Harry did manage to find the time in between parties to advance his military career, and in 2006, he was faced with deployment overseas to an active war zone. The public found out that Harry was being sent to Iraq, saying there was no need for such a high-profile figure to enter combat. The British Army gave in to the public.
Harry wasn’t happy with the decision, stating that he wouldn’t have signed up if he knew he wouldn’t be allowed to fight. He got his wish in 2007 when news broke that he’d been serving in Afghanistan for the last 10 weeks. When he returned home, Harry admitted that he’d battled the Taliban while over there, and this his instructors had called him an “instinctive flyer” while performing as a copilot gunner.
He Was Still One to Party
Harry found himself in another spot of bother in 2012 during a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada. He and a group of his friends got incredibly, yet unsurprising legless, and photographs of them naked were circulated. A mystery photographer used their cell phone to take the snaps after Harry and an unknown female had finished their losing game of strip billiards, and another royal outrage ensued!
As you’d expect, TMZ had no problems publishing them stateside, but no publications in the UK were willing to print the pictures of Harry in his birthday suit. The palace even sent the vague threat of the Press Complaints Commission’s wrath, saying that Harry was a victim and his privacy had been invaded. It was all redundant though, as The Sun went ahead and printed them anyway.
She Seemed Like the One…on Paper
After Harry and Chelsy Davy split up, he spent a few years enjoying the single life. Then in May 2012, Harry’s cousin Princess Eugenie introduced him to a friend of hers, an actress and model named Cressida Bonas. Just like before, the tabloids caught wind of the courting couple, especially since Cressida is the granddaughter of Edward Curzon, 6th Earl Howe.
Many people, including Harry, held their breath at what they thought would lead to a future royal wedding, but it wasn’t meant to be. Harry was smitten as a kitten with his new lady, but when Cressida came face to face with Prince William and Kate Middleton’s family, she decided the role of wife and mother wasn’t for her. Harry asked Cressida to reconsider, but she ended the relationship in April 2014.
Second Deployment
On September 7th, 2012, Harry arrived in southern Afghanistan to start a four-month combat tour as an Apache helicopter co-pilot and gunner. Just three days later, Harry’s life was publicly threatened. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told Reuters, "We are using all our strength to get rid of him, either by killing or kidnapping. We have informed our commanders in Helmand to do whatever they can to eliminate him."
Harry faced "the same risk as any other Apache pilot" while there, and he safely and successfully qualified as an Apache aircraft commander. When Harry returned home, he was asked how he jumps between his roles. He described his "three mess," set up as, "one in the army, one socially in my own private time, and then one with the family and stuff like that. So there is a switch and I flick it when necessary."
Wannabe Princesses
As a royal, wealthy man in uniform, Harry was no stranger to having a line of admirers trying to live out their dreams of becoming a real-life Disney princess. This idea became a reality in 2014 when an American reality TV show called I Wanna Marry “Harry” aired. Quite simply, twelve women competed for the affections of Prince Harry…or so they thought.
The truth of the matter was that it was all a ploy, and that “Harry” was actually an impersonator called Matthew Hicks. The show was canceled after airing only four episodes, and the remaining four were released on a few streaming platforms. UK channel ITV2 broadcast the whole series, but the ratings were nothing to get excited over.
Now That You’re 30…
Harry turned 30 in 2014, and one of his gifts was utterly heartbreaking. Little did he know, but Harry’s mother Princess Diana had stated in her will that Harry would receive something of hers on his 30th birthday: her famous wedding gown.
Although it wouldn’t be the strangest item of clothing Harry had been seen in, the dress wasn’t directly for him and obviously handed down to Harry’s future wife, whoever that may be. That wasn’t all that he got - he also cashed in a sweet £12.9 million inheritance, too.
Trust No One
Throughout his entire life, the tabloids had made Harry’s life hell. One way or another, they’d gotten in the way, been caught following people in places they shouldn’t be, and of course, they were involved in the death of Princess Diana, Harry’s mom. This was something Harry would never be able to un-see, and it all came to a head in 2014 when Harry and his brother Prince William suspected there was a mole in their social group.
Apart from discovering their friends hadn’t betrayed them, the truth was even worst than their suspicions. The reason that the media was getting ahold of information that nobody should have had access to was that reporters for the News of the World had tapped both Harry and William’s cellphones. Their concerns and momentary paranoia may have subsided around people, but they’d understandably be cautious around technology in the future.
When Harry Met Meghan
In July 2016, Harry started a relationship with an actress from America, Meghan Markle. By that November, Harry was using his then-princely powers to have his communication secretary release a statement regarding people talking about Meghan online and in the press. Harry was known for trying to avoid getting press, whereas his new lady was an actress by trade, so getting attention is a huge part of her job.
Despite their clash in this area, Harry and Meghan grew closer by the day, and they were thankful to the mutual friend who introduced them. That period between July and November had been nice for them to get to know each other. You know, before the tabloids were all over them constantly.
They Moved Fast
During their first date, Harry had already asked for a second meeting with Meghan Markle. She agreed, and on that next meeting, Harry invited her on a trip to Botswana with him. With what sounded like the start of a Disney Princess movie, the pair vanished abroad for some alone time. However, that wouldn’t last…
The media were relentless with their coverage of Harry and Meghan; it was like they knew where they were going to be and at what time. Finally, Harry had enough and he released a statement pleading with the press to cease its “wave of abuse and harassment.” Other royals raised an eyebrow at this behavior, as Harry urgently and informally addressed the people in this manner. To the observant, it was obvious that Harry’s priorities were shifting.
Wedding Bells
The lovebird's engagement was announced on November 27th, 2017. Although catholic, Meghan was baptized to become a Roman catholic. She was also divorced, but the Anglican Church has permitted marriage to divorced persons with a living former spouse since 2002. They married on May 19th, 2018. With the combination of royalty and Hollywood, came a very glamorous wedding guest list...
Amongst non-royal notable guests were George and Amal Clooney, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, James Corden, Sir Elton John, David and Victoria Beckham, James Blunt, Marcus Mumford, and wife Carey Mulligan. Meghan's Suits co-stars were there as well as Serena Williams and Oprah Winfrey. Two of Harry's ex-girlfriends, Cressida Bonas and Chelsy Davy, were also invited. That was a nice gesture, as long as it wasn’t just to rub their noses in it!
Falling For Meghan Through Diana (And Her Jewelry)
Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with their mother’s former engagement ring. However, the ring wasn’t originally meant for Willam’s future bride, as it was initially left to Harry. Meghan didn’t have to worry about missing out though, because Harry proposed to her with something just as fancy. The central piece in Harry’s engagement ring to Meghan was from Botswana and the two other diamonds were from Prince Diana’s collection
But that may not be the only way Harry chose to honor his beloved late mother. According to Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, Harry might have fallen for Meghan in the first place because of her and Diana's similar personalities. "Harry went for and married Meghan because she's like Diana," he reportedly said claimed. "Both women who would always stand up for what they believe in and wouldn't be pushovers." Still, Paul doesn't think that means they'd be besties. "I think, possibly, they would have clashed," he continued. "I imagine it would have been two strong, independent women with different views on things—it would have been a battle between Meghan's way and Diana's way."
His Real Father
In 2023, Harry released a tell-all autobiography, where amongst many topics, he addressed old rumors that he is in fact the child of Princess Diana's former lover James Hewitt. Harry recounts that his father was the first to joke about it. 'Pa liked telling stories, and this was one of the best in his repertoire,' he writes, recalling that his father would say, '"Who knows if I'm really the Prince of Wales? Who knows if I'm even your real father? Maybe your real father is in Broadmoor, darling boy!"'
It was 'a remarkably unfunny joke, given the rumour circulating just then that my actual father was one of Mummy's former lovers: Major James Hewitt,' writes the Prince. 'One cause of this rumor was Major Hewitt's flaming ginger hair, but another cause was sadism,' Harry continues. 'Tabloid readers were delighted by the idea that the younger child of Prince Charles wasn't the child of Prince Charles. Harry then goes on to set the record straight: 'Never mind that my mother didn't meet Major Hewitt until long after I was born, the story was simply too good to drop.'
They Had Roommates
Harry and Meghan were going to have to wait a little while if there were expecting to jump straight into their own lives together. Their first official home was on the grounds of Kensington Palace, and they weren’t alone. Harry and Meghan had to share living space with Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their children!
Although this sounds like someone’s pitch for a new sitcom, as the upcoming years would prove, nobody in attendance was laughing. Harry and Meghan continued with their marriage regardless and had their first child on May 6th, 2019. He was named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, and his parents made their first of many controversial decisions. Instead of taking one of Harry’s titles and making their son an Earl, Harry and Meghan decided against it and chose to raise him as a public citizen.
Who’s to Blame?
In time, cracks began to emerge in the relationship between Harry and Prince William. Maybe it was the time they spent living together. Perhaps it was the fact that their wives could never seem to hit it off properly. Or maybe they’d both just gotten older and drifted apart. Only they’ll ever truly know the answer, but there was one incident that might hold some of the blame.
In 2019, a rumor began to make the rounds that William was having an affair with a woman named Rose Hanbury. When Harry heard the news he confronted his brother and was furious with him. Harry was recently married and he still remembered all the problems his parents’ cheating ways caused, so it’s no wonder he was so emotional. All parties denied the affairs and falling out, but there was now an obvious rift between the brothers.
They Dumped the Queen for Oprah
In January 2020, Harry and Meghan announced that they were leaving the royal family! They moved to America in an effort to ensure their privacy, saying "This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter."
They also boasted big things in their future including a podcast, documentaries, and TV shows. However, they got a bit too excited and forgot to tell the Queen about their decision before they went public. Due to how quickly Harry and Meghan appeared in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, there’s a good chance that Oprah knew what was going on before the Queen did.
He Torpedoed His Relationship With The Royals
The palace released a statement saying they accepted Harry and Meghan’s choice, but sources, say that as of 2023, the former prince and the royal family are not on good terms. Harry, along with six other claimants, including Sir Elton John, are suing Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail, of invading their privacy by using private detectives who intercepted their calls and voicemails and even put tracking and listening devices on cars and in homes.
Harry testified as a witness saying: “The Institution was without a doubt withholding information from me for a long time about NGN’s phone hacking and that has only become clear in recent years as I have pursued my own claim with different legal advice and representation.” He made similar claims in his memoir, Spare Netflix documentary, alleging his family colluded with the press, sometimes selling him out to win favors for themselves. A friend says: “Harry has torpedoed any remaining bridges with this statement. It is just six weeks until the coronation and the last thing Charles needs.”
They Plan to Tell All
Harry and Prince William had drifted further and further apart by this time, and there was even an ITV documentary made on the story. Although, after their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, died on September 8th, 2022, Harry and Prince William were seen together again. The future is uncertain between the two brothers, but their shared loss may be a bittersweet bridge to get back into each other’s lives.
On the other hand, too much water may have passed through that bridge, and it may only be a matter of time before we all find out the details. Harry (and to an extent, Meghan) has a book called Spare due out revolving around their marriage and new life together away from the royal family. It was originally due for release in August 2020, but several delays have disappointed fans and they must now wait until 2023. And it's not just fans that are waiting - according to Esquire, the royal family is apparently "shaken up" and "nervous" about what might be contained inside...