Prince Harry Says Wearing Nazi Uniform Was 'One Of The Biggest Mistakes' Of His Life

"All I wanted to do was make it right," the Duke of Sussex says in his new Netflix series.
A still of the Duke of Sussex from his and Meghan's new docuseries, "Harry & Megan."
A still of the Duke of Sussex from his and Meghan's new docuseries, "Harry & Megan."
Netflix

Prince Harry spoke about the time he was photographed wearing a Nazi uniform as a costume to a party in January 2005, calling it “one of the biggest mistakes of my life” in the couple’s new Netflix series.

“I felt so ashamed afterwards,” Harry said in the third episode of the series, which premiered Thursday. “All I wanted to do was make it right.”

The royal was 20 when he wore the uniform to a party.

“I sat down and spoke to the chief rabbi in London, which had a profound impact on me,” the Duke of Sussex said. “I went to Berlin and spoke to a Holocaust survivor.”

“I could’ve just ignored it and probably made the same mistakes over and over again in my life, but I learnt from that,” the prince said.

A copy of the New York Post front page shows the "Royal Nazi" headline Jan. 13, 2005, in New York City. Prince Harry reportedly attended a fancy dress party wearing a khaki uniform with an armband emblazoned with a swastika, the emblem of the German WWII Nazi Party.
A copy of the New York Post front page shows the "Royal Nazi" headline Jan. 13, 2005, in New York City. Prince Harry reportedly attended a fancy dress party wearing a khaki uniform with an armband emblazoned with a swastika, the emblem of the German WWII Nazi Party.
Stephen Chernin via Getty Images

Harry also spoke about there being a “a huge level of unconscious bias” in the royal family, as the Netflix series revisited when Princess Michael of Kent wore a racist, blackamoor brooch to Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas lunch, which Meghan also attended, in 2017.

The princess ― who is married to the late queen’s cousin ― later apologised, claiming she was “very sorry and distressed that it has caused offense” in a statement shared with People magazine.

“In this family, sometimes you’re part of the problem rather than part of the solution. And there is a huge level of unconscious bias,” Harry says.

“The thing with unconscious bias is it’s actually no one’s fault, but once it’s been pointed out or identified within yourself you then need to make it right,” the royal added. “It’s education, it’s awareness and it’s a constant work in progress for everyone ― including me.”

Princess Michael of Kent, wearing racist jewelry, attends a Christmas lunch for the extended royal family at Buckingham Palace on Dec. 20, 2017 in London.
Princess Michael of Kent, wearing racist jewelry, attends a Christmas lunch for the extended royal family at Buckingham Palace on Dec. 20, 2017 in London.
Mark Cuthbert via Getty Images
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