Prince Harry is not exactly a typical member of the British royal family. He may have settled down since his twenties, but in spirit, he remains a bold and daring individual.
Throughout Princess Diana’s life (36, † 1997), everything stayed the same. Prince Harry mourned deeply for her tragic death. He smoked for the first time at 14. This was followed by wild parties, alcohol, and women. When he turned 18, there was still hope. At that time, he expressed in an exclusive interview with the British Press Association that he deeply regretted abusing drugs and alcohol as a minor. His escapades were “a mistake,” and from then on, he would rather dedicate himself to charitable activities.
Nine years later, not much remained of these good intentions. His “Dirty Harry” image was firmly established. To improve his image, King Charles did everything he could in 2000 to bring his 16-year-old son back onto the straight and narrow. He even sent Harry to a drug clinic for a day to educate him about the dangers of drug use. For the prince, the reports from addicted prisoners were so impressive that he didn’t touch a joint again. But wild nights of dancing and drinking continued.
In “Spare,” Prince Harry describes his first lover, Sasha Walpole, as an “older woman,” even though she was only two years his senior.
Harry attended Eton College until 2003. A year later, he made headlines. The prince allegedly had a scuffle with photographer Chris Uncle outside the Pangea nightclub in London. Both sides blamed each other for starting the fight, and Harry refused to apologize to Uncle for his lip injury. It is said that Harry’s hatred for paparazzi, a sentiment rooted in the aftermath of his mother’s death, led to the altercation. That issue has stayed with him to this day.
In 2005, Harry’s father, Charles, married longtime companion Camilla Parker Bowles. The image of Prince Harry and Prince William on their wedding day in Windsor is memorable. That same year, Harry appeared in a Nazi uniform at the costume party of Olympic equestrian Richard Meadeim. Harry’s military career was in jeopardy, and the outrage overshadowed all previous lapses. He apologized and attended an anti-discrimination course before joining the army.
In 2007, Prince Harry and his girlfriend, Chelsy Davy, parted ways after five years, as announced. His childhood sweetheart could not cope with the intrusion of certain media, which disrupted her life and that of her family. The same year, the party-loving prince ran into trouble with the justice system. He was accused by locals of illegally shooting two protected hawks in flight. Killing these birds is a criminal offense in England and can lead to a six-month prison sentence or a fine of 10,000 euros. Harry and his friend denied everything and ignored it.
At the age of 25, Prince Harry reportedly used part of his inheritance from Princess Diana’s estate to buy a Ducati supercar, retailing at £11,500 (13,000 euros). Perhaps he needed balance between military and royal duties.
A year later, in 2006, an incident occurred in the Sandhurst Military Academy’s airport lounge. Harry insulted two colleagues, and the incident was recorded on video obtained by the BBC in 2009. Harry apologized, though it caused a lot of trouble. Also in 2006, Harry went to Lesotho to establish “Sentebale,” a charity named after Diana.
In 2010, at a polo match, Prince Harry did something royals typically avoid: He pulled his shirt over his head and provocatively posed bare-chested, knowing full well he was about to “break the Internet.”
Clips of Prince Harry can quickly be found on video platforms if you know the key details: In 2011, Harry played the partier at a party at the “Veneranda” nightclub on Croatia’s Hvar Island. Though he fell into the pool while dancing enthusiastically, he climbed out soaking wet and continued dancing.
That same year, on April 29, 2011, Prince William married Kate Middleton. To celebrate William’s bachelor party, Prince Harry reportedly stayed up until 3 a.m. on the night before his brother’s royal wedding. He accidentally jumped from the balcony of the Goring Hotel terrace and seemed to have injured his leg. His smile on the wedding day was ambiguous.
Charles III had lived in Clarence House since 2002, and Harry moved in with his father in 2012. A security guard recounted: “Instead of an intruder or terrorist, we found Prince Harry.” It’s said that they had to team up to carry the “mumbling” Prince Harry back to his apartment. Harry likely recalls that whenever he visits his father there today.
In 2012, Prince Harry turned 29 when photos of the royal children spread around the world. Harry exposed the naked truth at a party in Las Vegas, where he was completely nude on newspapers from Australia to Cyprus. Only the British press refrained from publishing these photos, but only because the Queen threatened punishment.
He was declared the favorite by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II (96, † 2022), and anyone who has met him is usually captivated by the charming Duke of Sussex. Meghan Markle could only be envious of Harry as a husband and the father of their children. He also advocates for mental health and shows tremendous commitment and passion in the “Invictus Games,” which he founded, as well as being a co-founder of “Sentebale.” But things weren’t always that way: his teenage years were rocky. He was a desirable bachelor, but continuous scandals kept interfering with his path.
