Prince Harry's 'apology' over Harry Styles during 'incredibly nervous' speech
Prince Harry once jokingly apologised for not being singer Harry Styles
Prince Harry had an arena full of teenagers in stitches back in 2014 when he kicked off a heartfelt speech by apologising for not being pop superstar Harry Styles.
Speaking to more than 12,000 students and teachers from over 400 schools at We Day UK, held at Wembley Arena, the then 29-year-old royal took to the stage in jeans, sneakers, and a blue-and-white plaid shirt and broke the ice with a self-deprecating joke.
Prince Harry ‘apologises’ over Harry Styles in speech
“For those of you who were expecting Harry Styles, I apologise. And no, I’m not going to sing,” Harry quipped.
“I feel extremely privileged and incredibly nervous to be here standing in front of you today at the first We Day to be held in the UK,” he continued.
The event was hosted by international charity Free The Children. It was designed to empower youth to create positive social change. Prince Harry’s appearance aimed to encourage the crowd to use their voice and passion for good.
He praised the students for their achievements in earning a place at the event and offered a powerful message about the potential of their collective impact.
He said: “Every single one of you has done something amazing to be here today. It may not feel like it to you. But I can assure you that, collectively, your actions can and will shape the course of our future.”
Continuing, he emphasised the ripple effect of small actions.
Harry added: “If each of you here could get just one more friend to help someone else, you would have started changing the lives of 20,000 people. Some people don’t think it’s cool to help others. Personally, I think it’s the coolest thing in the world.”
Prince Harry and Harry Styles’ meeting
The humorous comparison to Harry Styles came full circle a year later, when the pair met backstage at the 2015 Royal Variety Performance.
The star-studded show featured performances from One Direction, Elton John, Kylie Minogue, and Ricky Martin. Prince Harry also attended on behalf of the royal family.
According to PEOPLE, Prince Harry jokingly asked Styles: “When was the last time you had a haircut?” a cheeky nod to the singer’s famous locks.
Meanwhile, Styles was asked by reporters whether he’d ever copy the prince’s beard.
“No, no, I’m not growing any facial hair,” he replied. “At some point, I’ll be cutting it [the hair] for charity.”
In 2017, the two Harrys reunited at the London premiere of Dunkirk, the World War II drama in which Styles made his acting debut. Prince Harry attended alongside a group of veterans, having hosted them at Kensington Palace earlier that day.
A photo of the two men shaking hands warmly quickly went viral, sending fans into a frenzy on social media.
“HARRY STYLES WITH PRINCE HARRY!!!! I LOVE THIS!” one fan gushed.
“Harry Styles and Prince Harry, so iconic, so unreal, so beautiful,” another tweeted.
This week, Harry Styles sent the internet into meltdown as tickets for his 2026 Together, Together tour went on sale.
Read more: Brooklyn Beckham tipped to follow in Prince Harry’s footsteps with ‘seven-figure book deal’
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