Two decades ago, Prince Harry made a mistake that still shames him. Yet, the Duke of Sussex used his “ill-judged” decision to help him be a better person.
In January 2005, at a pivotal moment in his early military career, Harry found himself at the center of international controversy. The 20-year-old prince, who had recently passed the Regular Commissions Board and was preparing to enter the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, attended a “Natives and Colonials” themed costume party at Olympic showjumper Richard Meade’s Wiltshire home. His choice of attire – a Nazi uniform complete with a swastika armband – would prove to be a decision that would haunt him for years to come.
The party itself was typical of the British upper class at the time, with Prince William reportedly wearing a leopard outfit and various guests dressed as everything from Roman soldiers to Queen Elizabeth. However, what might have seemed like just another aristocratic costume party became a defining moment in Harry’s public life when photographs emerged of him drinking and smoking while wearing the offensive costume. The timing couldn’t have been worse. Harry was just four months away from beginning his military training, and the controversy threatened to overshadow his commitment to service. While the prince quickly issued an apology, the incident sparked a broader discussion about privilege, responsibility, and historical sensitivity within the Royal Family.
How Prince Harry transformed a moment of shame into a journey of growth
In his Netflix documentary series with Meghan Markle, Harry offered his most candid reflection yet on the controversy. In the prince’s words, “It was probably one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I felt so ashamed afterward. All I wanted to do was make it right.” This admission came after years of demonstrating his commitment to learning from the incident through concrete actions.
Rather than letting the controversy fade with time, Harry actively sought to educate himself about the Holocaust and its lasting impact. “I sat down and spoke to the Chief Rabbi in London, which had a profound impact on me. I went to Berlin and spoke to a Holocaust survivor,” he revealed in the documentary. “I could have just ignored it and gone on and made the same mistakes over and over again in my life. But I learned from that.”
In December 2010, Harry’s commitment to understanding manifested in a visit to Berlin’s Holocaust memorial, where he met with survivors and laid a wreath at the Berlin Wall memorial with a handwritten message honoring those who sacrificed their lives for freedom. His engagement with Jewish causes has continued, with him and Meghan making significant donations to Jewish organizations, including HIAS, the largest Jewish nonprofit organization for refugee assistance worldwide.
This incident has become a touchstone in discussions about unconscious bias. While Harry notes in his Netflix series that such bias is “actually no one’s fault,” recognition must be followed by action. “Once it’s been pointed out or identified within yourself, you then need to make it right,” he explained, adding that this requires “education” and “awareness” and remains “a constant work in progress for everyone ― including me.”
In his 2023 memoir Spare, Harry provided further context for his actions while maintaining full responsibility for his actions. “There were moments over the course of the next several weeks and months when I thought I might die of shame,” he wrote. However, in the same book, Harry tries to share the blame for his decision by explaining how his brother, Prince William, pushed him to wear the swastika armband. So, while the Duke of Sussex tried to fix his mistake, it is obvious that he still struggled to shoulder the blame alone.
Published: Jan 12, 2025 08:51 am