Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
Younger son of King Charles III and founder of the Invictus Games.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (Henry Charles Albert David; born 15 September 1984) is the younger son of King Charles III and the late Diana, Princess of Wales. He currently sits fifth in line to the British throne. He is best known for founding the Invictus Games in 2014 and for co-founding the mental health campaign Heads Together in 2016 alongside his brother, Prince William, and sister-in-law, Catherine.
Harry was born at St Mary’s Hospital in London at 4:20 pm on 15 September 1984, during the reign of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. He was christened Henry Charles Albert David on 21 December at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, by Archbishop Robert Runcie. From childhood, he was called “Harry” by family and the public, and his brother William nicknamed him “Harold.” He and William grew up at Kensington Palace in London and at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire. Their mother, Diana, took them to a wide range of places—from Walt Disney World and McDonald’s to AIDS clinics and homeless shelters—to give them a broader view of life. Harry’s first overseas trip was to Italy in 1985, and he later visited Canada with his family in 1991 and 1998.
His parents divorced in 1996. The following year, Diana died in a car crash in Paris while Harry and William were staying with their father at Balmoral Castle. Charles told them the news. At Diana’s funeral, 12-year-old Harry walked behind the cortège from Kensington Palace to Westminster Abbey alongside his father, brother, grandfather Prince Philip, and maternal uncle Charles Spencer. Harry and William inherited the bulk of their mother’s £12.9 million estate on their 30th birthdays—by 2014, that sum had grown to about £10 million each. They also received her wedding dress, personal items like dresses, tiaras, jewellery, letters, and paintings, as well as the original lyrics and score of “Candle in the Wind.” In 2002, it was reported that Harry would share £4.9 million from trust funds set up by his great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, on his 21st birthday, and a further £8 million on his 40th birthday. He was also expected to inherit a larger share of her money than William, since William would one day become king.
For his education, Harry attended private schools: Jane Mynors’ nursery school, Wetherby School, and Ludgrove School in Berkshire. He then passed entrance exams to Eton College, br
- born
- 15 September 1984
- field
- British royal family, military service, philanthropy
- nationality
- British
- known_for
- Founding the Invictus Games; co-founding Heads Together; memoir Spare; stepping back from royal duties
Lore & Background
Prince Harry was born at St Mary's Hospital, London, during the reign of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II. He was educated at Wetherby School, Ludgrove School, and Eton College, achieving two A-Levels. He completed officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned as a cornet in the Blues and Royals. He served two deployments in Afghanistan: ten weeks in Helmand Province during 2007–2008, and twenty weeks with the Army Air Corps in 2012–2013. In 2018, he was created Duke of Sussex ahead of his wedding to American actress Meghan Markle; the couple have two children, Archie and Lilibet.
Reader's Guide
Prince Harry's significance lies in his dual role as a senior royal who both upheld tradition and broke from it. His founding of the Invictus Games in 2014, inspired by the Warrior Games, created a global adaptive sports movement for wounded servicemen and women. His co-founding of Heads Together in 2016 helped destigmatize mental health discussions. His decision in January 2020 to step back from working royal duties and relocate to Southern California marked a historic departure from royal norms. The subsequent establishment of Archewell Inc., the Oprah Winfrey interview in March 2021, the Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan in December 2022, and his memoir Spare in 2023 further reshaped public discourse on the monarchy. His return to the UK in August 2026 without plans to resume public duties underscores his ongoing redefinition of royal life.
Did You Know?
- Harry was nicknamed 'Harold' by his elder brother William.
- He inherited the original lyrics and score of 'Candle in the Wind' from his mother's estate.
- He worked as a jackaroo on a cattle station in Australia during his gap year.
- His deployment to Iraq in 2007 was cancelled due to security concerns.
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