Prince Harry He once became so angry with a reporter during a royal tour that he uttered a four-word warning in an outburst of emotion.
The Duke of Sussex’s comment after visiting a health clinic in a village in Malawi came hours before Harry released an unprecedented statement on his personal website condemning the “relentless propaganda” against his wife. Meghan Markle.
Harry was in southern Africa with Meghan and their son, Prince Archie Harrisonon a 10-day royal tour when the Duke criticized Sky News reporter Rhiannon Mills.
Prince Harry had just completed his solo visit to the health center, where he spoke with officials and children with malaria and AIDS.
As he left, Mills asked Harry an unscheduled question, saying: “This short conversation — what do you hope to achieve from it?”
Harry laughed, then told Mills to ask them, pointing back in the direction of the center. Mills persisted, continuing to ask, “Is that why it’s important for you to come and talk to them?”
To which Harry warned the reporter in four words: “Rhiannon, don’t behave like that.”
The exchange prompted Buckingham Palace to tell reporters that similar behavior in the future would not be tolerated, according to The Sun.
Hours later, Harry’s statement complaining about the media’s treatment of Meghan appeared online. In the statement, the prince claimed that the publication of a letter between Meghan and her father, Thomas Markle, was done unlawfully.
The Duchess of Sussex stressed that the letter, which detailed her feelings of estrangement from her father, was private.
Harry’s statement at the time was his second attempt to protect his wife, after complaining about the “racial undertones” of the comments, as well as “overt sexism and racism” from online trolls and in comments on web articles in 2016.
In a BBC In the documentary first broadcast in 2021, Mills said that “most people” watch her conversation with Harry and ask why it went wrong, as, in her words, it was a “polite question”.
She went on to say, “But looking back now, I had basically kicked the hornet’s nest and didn’t realize it.”
Shortly after the Sussexes returned to Britain from Africa, ITV aired a documentary in which Harry revealed for the first time his split with Prince William and Meghan said no one asked her if she was feeling comfortable as a new mother.
Harry and Meghan then spent Christmas in Canada, having taken several weeks off from their royal duties. Shortly afterwards, it was announced that the Sussexes would step back as senior royals and pursue lives outside the Royal Family.