Prince Harry’s ‘Hijack Harry’ Controversy: Sussexes Accused of Stealing Royal Spotlight |

Prince Harry has been branded “Hijack Harry” by frustrated palace insiders amid fresh claims that he and Meghan Markle deliberately time their public appearances and announcements to overshadow major royal engagements. The nickname has emerged following the couple’s release of wedding anniversary photographs while King Charles and Queen Camilla were carrying out a high-profile three-day visit to Northern Ireland.According to royal sources, the timing reignited longstanding frustrations within palace circles, with aides claiming the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been operating what they describe as a “hijacking diary” designed to compete with official royal events.

How the ‘Hijack Harry’ nickname came about

One palace insider told RadarOnline.com that “Harry’s new nickname among some staff is ‘Hijack Harry’ because there’s a growing feeling every major royal event is suddenly accompanied by a Sussex announcement, photograph release or intervention that is seen as a pathetic attempt to shift the spotlight back onto them.”“People working around King Charles feel it has become predictable and increasingly deliberate. Every time Charles or William tries to focus attention on public duties, something emerges from California that drags headlines back toward Harry and Meghan,” the source addedA separate royal source said, “There is enormous frustration in some Palace circles because this pattern keeps repeating itself. Every time there is a major royal engagement involving the King or Queen, something appears from Harry and Meghan that draws media attention back to them. Those inside the royal family increasingly view it as cringeworthy and deliberate, and an attempt to hijack Charles’ activities.”Staff were said to be particularly irritated by the couple’s eighth wedding anniversary photographs coinciding with Charles and Camilla’s Northern Ireland tour. “Staff working around the King feel royal visits should be about the public engagements themselves, not trying to compete with headlines generated from California,” one source said.

A pattern of Sussex interventions

Royal insiders also pointed to what they described as a broader pattern of Sussex interventions coinciding with major royal appearances. Harry’s recent article discussing a “divided Britain” appeared while Catherine, Princess of Wales, 44, was carrying out a widely publicised visit to Italy. Earlier this year, Harry also travelled to Ukraine on the eve of Charles’ state visit to the United States, drawing comparisons with the humanitarian legacy of Diana, Princess of Wales.“There are advisors around the King who genuinely believe Harry is trying to rebuild relevance in Britain through carefully staged interventions tied to emotional causes,” one insider said. “The feeling among critics is that every speech, article, or appearance has become part of a broader image rehabilitation campaign for Harry, but it is clashing badly with the public efforts of the rest of the royal family.”

What those close to Prince Harry say

Despite the criticism, sources close to Harry insist he remains genuinely committed to causes including veterans’ welfare, mental health awareness, environmental issues, and support for Ukraine. One ally offered a more sympathetic reading of the situation. “At their core, Harry and King Charles are actually very similar personalities. Both are emotional, deeply passionate about causes, and willing to speak publicly about issues they believe matter, even if it attracts criticism.“The insider added, “There is a belief among people close to the family that Harry inherited a lot of his father’s instinct for activism and public advocacy.”Tensions remain unresolved ahead of Harry’s expected return to Britain later this year for preparations linked to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham, while his legal dispute with the UK Home Office over police protection for himself, Markle, and their children Archie, seven, and Lilibet, four, continues.