Prince Harry has come under criticism after describing himself as the “Prince of England,” a title that does not officially exist.
The Duke of Sussex made the remark while answering a question about his occupation. He described himself as a “full-time dad, British Army veteran, Prince of England, Duke.”
Writing for the Daily Express, reporter Emily Wright argued that Harry’s choice of words overlooked Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, while also misrepresenting the history of his royal title.
“You can take the Prince out of the United Kingdom, it seems, but you can also take the United Kingdom completely out of the Prince,” she wrote.
Wright called the comment an “absolute blunder,” claiming it exposed how disconnected Harry has become from his royal background.
“In one lazy, slip-of-the-tongue gaffe, he managed to completely erase Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from his own lineage,” she said.
The Kingdom of England ceased to exist as a separate sovereign state following the Acts of Union in 1707, which created the Kingdom of Great Britain. Wright also noted that “Prince of England” was not historically used as an official title before the union.
The heir to the British throne has traditionally been granted the title Prince of Wales, while younger sons of the monarch have generally received peerages such as Duke of York.
Wright suggested that Harry’s wording may have been influenced by his life in California, where “England” is sometimes informally used when referring to the wider United Kingdom.
“By adopting this phrasing on the podcast, Harry showed he is speaking the language of his new home,” she wrote. “But for a Prince of the United Kingdom by birthright, the distinction matters.”
The reporter acknowledged that the remark was probably an innocent slip of the tongue. However, she argued that it reflected the tension between Harry’s royal heritage and the new identity he has developed since moving to the United States.
While the comment may have been casual, it has sparked debate over how the duke now views his place within the institution and the country into which he was born.
