Prince Harry Booed at Rugby Match During UK Visit
Commentators noted audible jeers from the crowd as the Duke of Sussex appeared on a stadium screen, though his supporters claimed the boos were directed at the referee.
Prince Harry was met with audible booing from some spectators at a rugby match in Leicester, England, during a recent solo public outing. The incident occurred on Friday night as the Duke of Sussex watched a Premiership game between Leicester Tigers and Gloucester at Welford Road stadium.
As Harry appeared on a big screen at the ground, TV commentator Nick Mullins remarked, "Well, that wasn't overly welcoming, was it?" Another commentator, former Wales captain Sam Warburton, lightheartedly suggested the crowd might be jeering a former player, before Mullins added, "Maybe they think he is a Gloucester supporter."
The Duke's loyal supporters, known as the 'Sussex Squad,' took to social media to assert that the booing was not directed at Harry but at the referee, Karl Dickson, for a controversial call. They claimed the crowd was reacting to the referee's decision to award Leicester a scrum after an alleged knock-on by Gloucester.
However, an analysis of the broadcast footage suggests the timing of the boos did not immediately follow the referee's call. The scrum was awarded approximately 16 seconds before the audible jeers began.
Harry, who was patron of the Rugby Football Union from 2016 to 2021, attended the match with his cousin George McCorquodale. Both were seen drinking beer in the stands. This appearance marks one of several public outings for the Duke since he, his wife Meghan, and their children Archie and Lilibet returned to the UK in August.