Prince Harry has reportedly been left “absolutely crushed” after being booed by rugby fans during a public outing in Leicester, just days before he and Meghan Markle are set to undertake their first joint engagement since returning to the UK.
The Duke of Sussex, 42, was among the spectators at Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium on Friday evening, where he watched Leicester Tigers take on Gloucester in a Premiership Rugby clash.
Dressed casually in blue jeans and a dark coat, Harry appeared relaxed as he enjoyed a pint in the stands alongside Leicester Tigers chief executive Andrea Pinchen.
However, the royal’s seemingly pleasant evening took an awkward turn when cameras focused on him during TNT Sports’ live coverage, prompting boos from sections of the crowd.
“A face in the crowd, Prince Harry, back home and enjoying some rugby again,” commentator Nick Mullins remarked as Harry appeared on screen.
The less-than-enthusiastic reception did not go unnoticed, with Mullins acknowledging the crowd’s reaction.
“Some boos there,” he said, before turning his attention back to the match.
TNT Sports also highlighted the uncomfortable moment in its live blog, describing it under the headline “Indifferent reception for Prince Harry”.
While Harry appeared unfazed at the time, a Sussex source has since claimed the father-of-two was deeply upset after discovering how some spectators had reacted to his presence.
“Harry didn’t hear the boos. He was enjoying the match and genuinely believed everyone was happy to see him,” a source told royal reporter Rob Shuter.
“It wasn’t until afterwards that the reality hit. He was absolutely crushed.”
The source added: “He knows his relationship with his family is damaged, but he never imagined British people would turn against him. Finding out they were booing was devastating.”
It is not the first time the Sussexes have faced an awkward reception at a major sporting event.
Almost a year ago, Harry and Meghan were met with boos when their faces appeared on the big screen during the World Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
Wearing matching blue Dodgers caps, the couple had arrived with an entourage of security personnel and assistants before settling into premium front-row seats near Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Magic Johnson and legendary pitcher Sandy Koufax.
Despite the apparent hostility from some spectators, the pair maintained their smiles and appeared determined not to acknowledge the uncomfortable moment.
Speaking to Sky News Australia host Rita Panahi at the time, ‘Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered’ host Kinsey Schofield suggested the negative reception had visibly affected Harry.
“Oh goodness, the look on Harry’s face when it registers that they’re being booed- you can tell that it really affects him.”
The latest incident comes at a particularly sensitive time for the Sussexes, who made the surprise decision to relocate to Britain in late August after spending six years living in Montecito, California.
The couple, who stepped down as senior working royals in 2020, have since been attempting to establish a new chapter in Harry’s home country.
However, their latest announcement has already raised eyebrows, particularly given Harry’s longstanding concerns about his family’s safety in Britain.
Over the weekend, the Duke and Duchess revealed they would undertake their first “joint engagement” since returning to the UK, with a visit to Nottingham scheduled for Thursday.
During their upcoming visit, Harry and Meghan are expected to meet representatives from three charitable organisations supporting young people and disadvantaged communities through music, film, sport and initiatives addressing food poverty.
A friend of the couple said the Sussexes told the Telegraph UK they are particularly excited about returning to a place that played an important role in the early days of their relationship.
“Nottingham is a really special place for them and they are looking forward to getting back out there into the community, together,” the friend said.
Meanwhile, friends of the Sussexes have insisted the couple are “happy and settled” in their new life in the Cotswolds with their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.
The family are understood to be renting a property on a friend’s estate while weighing up their longer-term living arrangements.
However, their decision to publicise Thursday’s engagement has sparked fresh questions about the couple’s royal status and Harry’s continued pursuit of taxpayer-funded police protection.
In early September, the Sussexes reportedly expressed surprise after King Charles III sent a letter to government departments, military officials and lord lieutenants reminding them that Harry and Meghan were no longer working members of the Royal Family.
The correspondence reportedly instructed officials that the couple should be “treated as private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.”
The King’s intervention was widely interpreted as an attempt to reinforce the distinction between the Sussexes’ independent activities and the official duties undertaken by working royals.
Now, the couple’s decision to announce their Nottingham visit in advance has drawn scrutiny from royal commentators, who have questioned how the move aligns with Harry’s repeated warnings about security threats.
Writing on his The Royalist Substack, respected royal reporter Tom Sykes highlighted the apparent contradiction between the Sussexes’ public announcement and their ongoing security concerns.
“The royals tend not to preannounce their jobs these days to minimise security issues.
“It seems slightly odd, therefore, that the Sussexes are doing so, especially after Harry got booed at the rugby on Friday.”
Sykes also questioned the decision in a video shared on his official YouTube channel: “If you genuinely thought your security was a massive, massive risk issue that was going to attract people trying to kill you and your family, would you tell everybody in the whole world where you were going to be next Thursday?”
Harry has repeatedly argued that the security arrangements available to him and his family in Britain are inadequate, maintaining that their safety remains a major concern.
The Duke and Duchess are currently awaiting the outcome of a review by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC), which is reconsidering their security arrangements.
The committee has yet to announce its decision on whether his taxpayer-funded protection will be reinstated.
Read related topics:Prince HarryPrince Harry Meghan Markle