The time Prince Harry was at the centre of 'secret DNA test' allegations
The plot happened almost 23 years agoPrince Harry was once involved in a conspiracy that he was almost the victim of a secret DNA test, which had hoped to prove that King Charles wasn’t his real father.
The “bonkers” plot took place in late 2002 and even saw the police get involved.
Who is Prince Harry’s real father?
For almost as long as Harry has lived, there have been rumours about his true parentage.
The Duke of Sussex is the second-born son of King Charles and the late Princess Diana.
However, for decades, rumours have circulated that Harry isn’t Charles’ son. Rumours claimed that he was the son of one of Diana’s lovers, James Hewitt.
Hewitt, a British army cavalry officer, allegedly had an affair with Princess Diana between 1986 and 1991. This was while she was still married to Charles.
Harry, meanwhile, was born in 1984, two years before Diana even met Hewitt.
Despite this fact – and mainly because both Harry and Hewitt are ginger – rumours have been rife that Hewitt was Harry’s biological father.
Hewitt has denied being Harry’s father as recently as 2017, simply saying when asked: “No, I’m not.”
Harry himself has spoken about the rumours, saying in his memoir Spare: “Never mind that my mother didn’t meet Major Hewitt until long after I was born, the story was simply too good to drop.”
Was Harry a victim of ‘secret DNA test’ plot?
In 2002, reports claimed that Prince Harry almost fell victim to a secret DNA test plot, with the aim being to prove that the duke was Hewitt’s biological son.
The Mail on Sunday and The Sunday Times reported at the time that plans had been devised to have a girl pluck a strand of Harry’s hair for DNA testing.
Charles’ private secretary, Sir Michael Peat, had allegedly been tipped off about the elaborate “honey trap” plot. He reportedly contacted the police.
Peat reportedly received a letter outlining the plans, which he then passed on to the police. Charles and Harry, 18 at the time and in his final year at Eton, reportedly became alerted to the plot too.
Sunday tabloid newspaper The News of the World – which shut down in 2011 – faced accusations of orchestrating the plot.
At the time, the reports drew a “no comment” response from St James’ Palace.
‘Utterly preposterous’
However, the managing director of the newspaper, Stuart Kuttner, angrily denied the allegations at the time.
“The allegation that we would attempt to obtain a sample of Prince Harry’s hair is utterly preposterous,” he said, the BBC reported.
“We did not do this, never attempted to do this, and it has never crossed our minds to do so,” he then continued.
“If this is the approach Sir Michael Peat is adopting in his investigation into sleaze at the palace, we can only assume he’ll find everyone guilty – regardless of any evidence,” he said. Kuttner added that the idea that the paper was involved was “bonkers”.
He added: “It’s a pity Sir Michael chooses to think otherwise.”
Earlier that year, Hewitt had denied the rumours.
“There really is no possibility whatsoever that I am Harry’s father,” he told The Sunday Mirror. “I can absolutely assure you that I am not.”
Read more: Palace ‘blocked’ photos of Princess Diana at David Bowie concert to ‘cover up James Hewitt affair’
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