Prince Harry reveals he's 'never been allowed to vote' as a royal in new speech
Prince Harry spoke at the Upfront Summit in Los Angeles this week
Prince Harry made a surprising revelation during a speech at the Upfront Summit in Los Angeles on Thursday, sharing that he has never been allowed to vote.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, addressed a venture capital audience, sharing insights on investing in a shared future while also reflecting on the differences between his life in the UK and the US.
Prince Harry ‘never been allowed’ to vote
In a candid moment, Prince Harry highlighted how his royal upbringing had kept him apolitical.
“I’m not one to be caught in the divide between left or right views, not cornered by a belief in blue or red,” he told the audience. “Hell, I’ve never even been allowed to vote!”
The duke explained that his past roles within the British royal family and the military reinforced this neutral stance. Members of the monarchy traditionally refrain from political engagement.
“From my institutional role travelling the world to my decade of duties in the military, I saw the power of serving others firsthand,” he said.
Hell, I’ve never even been allowed to vote!
Despite his claim, British law does not technically prohibit members of the royal family from voting.
However, as Sky News’ royal expert Alastair Bruce explains, they choose not to vote to maintain political neutrality.
“Traditionally, they do not,” Alastair explained, according to HELLO!. “This is principally to protect the apolitical nature of their support to the monarch. But also because, in the past, as royal dukes, many male members of the family were prevented by law from voting because they could sit as peers in the House of Lords.
“When the royal family agreed to withdraw from exercising their rights to sit and speak in the House of Lords in 1999, it technically lifted the bar to vote in elections.”
While Queen Elizabeth II hosted US presidents Donald Trump, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush at Windsor Castle, members of the royal family have never publicly discussed their political opinions.
Prince Harry on finding ‘solutions’ for children Archie and Lilibet
During his speech, Harry also reflected on fatherhood. He addressed the responsibility of shaping a better world for his two children, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.
“How do we invest in our shared future to solve the challenges we face today as a divided society? As a dad, this has me constantly looking for solutions,” Harry admitted. He emphasised the importance of creating a more unified, sustainable world for future generations.
He also noted that his focus has shifted since moving to America. The duke claimed that he now prioritises long-term solutions rather than just charitable efforts.
“The way that I answer the question of how we invest in our shared future is different now living in the US to when I was living in the UK,” Harry shared. “Since then, while my charities remain a core part of my life’s work, I’ve also been focusing on upstream solutions and prevention, driven by decisions and investments that address problems before they require fixing.”
The Duke of Sussex discussed the Invictus Games, which he founded in 2014 to support wounded and injured veterans.
He also spoke about his and wife Meghan Markle’s charity, the Archewell Foundation. Archewell focuses on digital safety, education, and mental health initiatives.
Read more: Prince Harry’s moment of ‘concern’ when Meghan Markle was pregnant with Archie
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