Prince Harry

Harry and Meghan announced in January 2020 their intention to step back as working members of the royal family and become financially independent. The final agreement removed them from the working royal arrangements. After six years spent mainly in North America, they returned to live in the United Kingdom in 2026, reviving questions about their status.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Institutional responsibility

Following the end of his automatic protection associated with his withdrawal from royal duties, Harry challenged the British arrangements providing for case-by-case security assessments. The Court of Appeal dismissed his challenge on 2 May 2025.

Sentebale brought a defamation action against Harry and Mark Dyer in the High Court, alleging that they had orchestrated an adverse media campaign since March 2025 that had harmed the organisation, its leadership and its partners.

State of the evidence

Alleged

Attribution

Accused

Harry and six other public figures sued Associated Newspapers, alleging unlawful information-gathering practices. On 7 July 2026, the High Court dismissed the claims, finding the evidence insufficient. On 21 August, the claimants were ordered collectively to pay £9.54 million on account of costs, with potential total costs considerably higher.

Attribution

Protagonist is the complainant

Harry was president of African Parks from 2017 and subsequently a board member. An internal investigation acknowledged cases of torture, rape and forced displacement committed by guards in Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of the Congo, following warnings from Survival International. Harry's association with the organisation prompted public calls for his resignation.

Harry and Meghan undertook a four-day private tour of Australia combining charitable engagements, meetings and paid commercial events. Its resemblance to an official royal tour and the combination of philanthropy, royal titles and commercial activities prompted public debate.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Harry's admissions in "Spare" concerning past drug use led the Heritage Foundation to seek disclosure of his immigration file, arguing that the public should know whether he had declared that use or received special treatment.

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist not prosecuted

On the eve of trial, Harry reached a settlement with News Group Newspapers. The group issued a broad apology for unlawful intrusions into his private life and phone hacking by the News of the World, and agreed to pay substantial damages.

State of the evidence

Settlement

Harry and Prince Seeiso stepped down as patrons of Sentebale amid a conflict between the trustees and chair Sophie Chandauka. She publicly accused Harry of harassment and harmful conduct, while Harry and the departing trustees disputed her account. The Charity Commission subsequently examined the crisis.

State of the evidence

Documented

ESPN awarded Harry the Pat Tillman Award for Service for his work with the Invictus Games. Mary Tillman, the mother of the soldier after whom the award is named, criticised the choice and considered that other, less privileged people working for veterans would have been more appropriate.

State of the evidence

Documented

In his memoir "Spare", Harry published numerous allegations and revelations about the royal family, including a claim that an argument with William in 2019 had turned physical, alongside criticism of relationships between certain family members and the media. The book also contains personal admissions concerning past use of cocaine, cannabis and psychedelics.

State of the evidence

Allegations

Attribution

Personally implicated

Harry wrote that he had killed 25 fighters during his deployments in Afghanistan and had regarded them, in the context of combat, as "chess pieces removed from the board". The disclosure prompted an international reaction, notably from the Taliban government, as well as criticism from veterans over publishing a personal death toll.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

The High Court found that Harry had been subjected to unlawful information gathering and phone hacking in relation to several Mirror Group Newspapers articles. The judge awarded him £140,600 in damages and found extensive use of unlawful methods within the group during the relevant period.

State of the evidence

Documented

The Netflix documentary series "Harry & Meghan" reignited the public conflict with the press and the royal family. Harry spoke about unconscious bias within the institution, while the couple shared private footage and personal accounts, prompting renewed criticism of the perceived contradiction between their desire to control their privacy and their media exposure.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

During Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah Winfrey, the couple made major allegations against the royal environment, particularly concerning concerns expressed about their son's skin colour and the lack of support provided to Meghan. Harry also described a financial and family rupture following their departure.

State of the evidence

Disputed

Attribution

Personally implicated

On the Armchair Expert podcast, Harry described the US First Amendment as "bonkers", prompting a strong reaction from American politicians and commentators who criticised him for attacking a constitutional cornerstone of his country of residence.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Harry and Meghan were criticised for using private jets for personal travel while regularly speaking out about climate change. The controversy intensified when Harry launched the sustainable tourism initiative Travalyst.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Photographs taken during a private party in a Las Vegas hotel room showed Harry naked during a game of strip billiards. The episode attracted extensive worldwide coverage and prompted debate about his judgement and the security of a member of the royal family.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

A video filmed during Harry's military training at Sandhurst and made public in 2009 showed him using the racist term "Paki" for a Pakistani fellow serviceman and "raghead" in reference to another soldier. The footage prompted condemnation from politicians and community representatives.

State of the evidence

Admitted by the person

Attribution

Personally implicated

A former Eton teacher, Sarah Forsyth, claimed to have given Harry improper assistance with his art work, going so far as to allege that she had written part of his coursework. The matter was examined in the context of her employment dispute with Eton and prompted considerable controversy over academic integrity.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Harry was photographed at a fancy-dress party wearing a uniform resembling that of the Afrika Korps with a swastika armband. Publication of the images prompted international condemnation and particularly strong criticism given his position within the British royal family.

State of the evidence

Admitted by the person

Attribution

Personally implicated

Leaving a London nightclub at around 3 a.m., Harry became involved in an altercation with photographers. One photographer sustained a cut lip after his camera was pushed away, and several witnesses described Harry physically reacting to the scuffle.

State of the evidence

Disputed

Attribution

Personally implicated

At the age of 17, Harry became the centre of controversy after it emerged that he had used cannabis on several occasions and consumed alcohol while underage. Clarence House acknowledged that he had experimented with cannabis and drunk excessively. The episode contributed to his enduring image as the "party prince".

State of the evidence

Admitted by the person

Attribution

Personally implicated