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The Prince apparently did not take a liking to all the phones that went up when he took the stage and decided to make one or two jibes at the audience to express his displeasure.
This comes on the heels of his New York visit, which was predicted to have been more motivated by business than charity.
Key Takeaways
- Prince Harry makes a surprise appearance at a London travel awards ceremony
- Harry jokes about audience members filming him with their phones
- Some online critics accuse the Duke of Sussex of hypocrisy
- Critics compare his remarks with cameras used during school visits
- Harry’s appearance follows a business-focused trip to New York
Fans Blast Hypocrite Prince Harry For Reprimanding Audience
Prince Harry recently took the stage at the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards to deliver a keynote speech.
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Shortly after taking the stage, the ‘Spare’ author paused his introductory remarks to encourage the audience members to put down their phones.
“All I can see is phones,” he quipped, with audience members laughing in response.
In the video, we see him put his hand on his hip and later decide to attempt to make light of the matter.
When the news of this broke, some fans did not particularly take to Harry trying to impose his no-camera will on the audience when he travels to places, like schools and hospitals, with giant cameras in tow.
Harry and Meghan have also faced criticism over school photography restrictions involving their own children.
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“He takes film crews into schools and hospitals, shut up Harry,” one commenter wrote.
“Harold Dumbarton visited a school and had 6 cameras shoved in a kid’s face. #FOHarry,” a second commenter ridiculed, with another adding, “But its ok for him to put unwanted cameras in front of school kids and act like a complete moron.”
Another commenter chose to take a harsher approach, writing, “The blame isn’t on Harry, but on those who actually go there to listen this useless fool.”
Some advised him to “stay home” if he doesn’t want to be filmed, while another commenter thought to harken back to the recent Sussex scandal by writing, “He should be lecturing his own wife about keeping silent for the past 7-8 years and not protecting children from an alleged child abuser. Hypocrisy and double standard at its best. He should stop bringing cameras into children’s schools and filming them for his own PR.”
The couple have previously faced similar criticism over their stance on cameras and children’s privacy.
Harry’s relationship with publicity has attracted attention for years, including coverage of his interactions with fans and cameras at public engagements.
Annemarie’s Take
Harry may have intended his comment as a joke, but it’s easy to see why some people are questioning the double standard.
When cameras are part of your own public appearances, complaining about audience members using their phones is bound to raise a few eyebrows. Still, the laughter in the room suggests the moment may have been more playful than confrontational.
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