During a recent podcast, a former royal correspondent recalls a shocking incident that occurred between Prince Harry and the media in 2018.
Valentine Low shared details of a fairly rude comment made by Prince Harry as he walked past the press on a plane, leaving many shocked at the behavior of the normally very polite royal.
Harry and Meghan Venture to Australia
Shortly after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot in May 2018, the newlyweds jetted off to Australia on a 16-day royal tour.
During their short trip to Australia, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex completed over 75 engagements.
Prince Harry Loses His Cool Right at the End
From attending mental health talks on Bondi Beach to Meghan baking bread for a local family, their royal presence was met with a warm welcome throughout Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand.
The tour finished, and the couple began the long journey back to the U.K. However, on the plane ride home, Harry decided to vent his apparent frustration at the press.
A Right Royal Podcast
Valentine Low recently joined the hosts of “A Right Royal Podcast” run, Emmy Griffiths, Andreas Caamano, and Hello! Magazine’s royal editor, Emily Nash.
During a portion of the episode, Low, a former royal correspondent and author, shared an incident she had with Prince Harry.
Correspondent Sheds Light on Royal Tours
Low begins by explaining the situation. “We were flying from Tonga back to Sydney.”
“On these tours, there comes a point toward the end when the royal might come back to the back of the plane and have a chat with us off the record, you know, not for printing, but it’s a way of making bonds. It’s a way of keeping us sweet,” he said, according to Hello! Magazine.
Prince Harry Avoids Contact with the Correspondents
As the podcast continued, Valentine explained they were promised the Duke of Sussex would have a chat with them at the back of the plane. Yet he never appeared.
“It didn’t happen, and this was a four or five-hour flight, ‘When’s this gonna happen?’” said Valentine.
Harry Finally Meets with the Press as Plane Begins Descent
According to the former royal correspondent, Harry and Meghan finally ventured to the back of the plane just as it was beginning its descent.
“Then we were buckling up for the descent, and we landed. And it hadn’t happened. And only after we landed, they came back into the back of the plane,” said Valentine.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Had Little to Say
Valentine recalls they had little to say when he finally met with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during the tail end of the flight.
“Harry was slightly in front of Meghan; she was slightly behind him. And she didn’t say much. She did make some strange remark about us wanting to get back for our Sunday lunch,” he said.
Prince Harry Utters Rude Remark to the Press
Moments later, Prince Harry would utter a rude remark that shocked and disheartened the press.
“But it’s what he said that was memorable. [Prince Harry] said, ‘Thanks very much for coming, even though you weren’t invited.’ And we thought, ‘What?’”
Royal Press Taken Back by Harry’s Comments
The royal press was taken aback by Prince Harry’s comments.
In the moments that followed, the correspondents, according to Valentine, agreed the remark was uncalled for and extremely “rude.”
Harry Unapologetic About the Comments
When the Duke of Sussex’s staff later told him about “how badly” the comment was being perceived in the media, Prince Harry showed no remorse, claiming he was forced to utter the words, per The Mirror.
The prince supposedly replied to his staff with, “Well, you shouldn’t have made me do it.”
Prince Harry Has Never Been a Fan of the Media
It’s no secret that Prince Harry has never been a fan of the media, and is most likely one of the reasons he stepped away from the royal spotlight.
Speaking about media harassment in a separate statement, the prince once said, “There comes a point when the only thing to do is to stand up to this behavior because it destroys people and destroys lives,” per The Mirror.
