Prince Harry Says Nazi Costume Error Fuels Antisemitism Stand
Prince Harry has said his decision to wear a Nazi uniform in 2005 was a “mistake” that later shaped his determination to fight antisemitism, as he warns of a rise in anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hatred in Britain. The Duke of Sussex made the remarks in an opinion piece for The New Statesman, in which he also argued that public debate has become increasingly polarised.
Prince Harry said he was “acutely aware” of his “past mistakes” and that the episode informs his belief that “clarity matters now more than ever”, as Daily Star reported.
In the piece, the Duke wrote that “hatred directed at people for who they are, or what they believe, is not protest. It is prejudice,” while acknowledging “deep and justified alarm” about casualties in Gaza and Lebanon. He argued that legitimate protest can exist alongside hostility toward Jewish communities at home, but stressed that “nothing… can ever justify hostility toward an entire people or faith”.
His comments build on earlier remarks in which he warned that antisemitism was rising in the UK and urged people not to stay silent in the face of hate.
Prince Harry concluded by calling for unity and for people to be unequivocal in standing against antisemitism “wherever it appears”, while also recognising that anti-Muslim hatred and racism draw from “the same well of division”.
