Prince Harry Shrugs Off Royal Family Drama For Longtime Friend Support In First UK Outing
Prince Harry is back in the spotlight following his return to the UK.
The former working royal recently made his first public appearance since returning to his home country, stepping out to support a longtime friend.
The outing marked a rare chance for Prince Harry to push his troubles to the back of his mind after two major setbacks.
Prince Harry Is All Smiles At The Premiere Of Longtime Pal’s Documentary
Harry enjoyed a day without royal drama in London on Monday, July 6, at the premiere of Misan Harriman’s new documentary, “Shoot the People.” The photographer and filmmaker has been a longtime friend of Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, frequently supporting them in public.
The Duke of Sussex returned the favor when he attended the documentary’s release and was pictured beaming with a bright smile. A spokesperson for the royal echoed similar sentiments about his happy mood, telling PEOPLE:
“Harry was in good form last night. He’s really happy to be back in the UK and really looking forward to the week’s engagements.”
The Royal Kept It Casual For His First UK Public Appearance
Watermelon Pictures captured Harry’s appearance at the documentary’s debut on Instagram. The account shared a group image showcasing the royal beaming brightly at the camera while posing with Harriman, filmmaker Andy Mundy-Castle, and British writer and broadcaster Afua Hirsch.
For the event, the Duke of Sussex kept it casual in a black long-sleeve button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbow. He paired the shirt with dark trousers and grey suede shoes. His presence sparked mixed reactions, with fans and critics clashing.
Harry’s supporters were glad to see him, with an IG user applauding him for “supporting a man that has supported him for so long.” Another fan dubbed the Duke a “humanitarian” like his late mother. On the other hand, critics slammed him as an alleged “zionist,” with someone describing Harry as an “entitled pr-ck.”
Prince Harry’s Photographer Friends Supported His Netflix Series
As stated, Harriman and the Sussexes go way back, with the photographer proudly supporting the Duke’s 2023 Netflix docuseries, “Heart of Invictus.” He shared his support on Instagram, dropping praises for the show alongside a black-and-white picture of Harry.
“I’m so proud of this man and the incredible space of healing that is @weareinvictusgames,” Harriman wrote, noting “Countless lives have been changed” through the community Harry built. The royal launched the Invictus Games to support wounded service members.
The Independent reported that Harriman’s touching words came at the heels of criticism against Harry over comments made in the docuseries. Critics accused him of shading the Royal Family with claims of having no support network when he returned from Afghanistan.
The Duke Faced A Setback In His UK Plans
Harry getting criticized for his relationship with the Royal Family is an ongoing tale of troubles, with more hiccups happening recently. The Duke’s appearance at his longtime pal’s documentary premiere follows a setback in his UK visit plans.
The Blast covered the story days earlier, sharing that Harry would no longer return to the UK with his family. He, his wife, and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, were expected to make their first visit as a family to Britain since they last appeared together in 2022.
However, the other members of the Sussex clan were forced to remain in the US after Harry’s request for extra security was denied. Sources claimed the back-and-forth drama over the taxpayer-funded protection issue had allegedly reduced the Duke “to tears.”
Prince Harry Faced Another Setback With Legal Defeat
Besides losing the battle for round-the-clock security for his family, Harry faced another disappointing outcome in his legal drama against the publisher of the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday. The Blast reported that London’s High Court recently dismissed his £50 million ($66.8 million) phone hacking lawsuit.
The former working royal, alongside six plaintiffs, including Sir Elton John, had sued Associated Newspapers for the unlawful invasion of their privacy. The group argued that the articles written about them used information the publishers got through illegal means, but the judge ruled otherwise.
Mr. Justice Nicklin noted the court had accepted the evidence presented by the defendants, including their denial of unlawful information gathering. Judge Nicklin ruled that the evidence provided alongside witness statements refuted Harry’s group’s claims of illegally obtained information.
Will the Sussexes ever return to the UK as a family?
Originally published on theblast.com