Prince Harry's 'hot and cold' behavior on royal tours revealed

Prince Harry's behavior towards the press on overseas tours has been described as unpredictable

Prince Harry's behavior on royal tours is 'hot and cold'
(Image credit: Getty)

Prince Harry's treatment of the media on royal tours is 'hot and cold', an insider has revealed. 


Prince Harry behaves unpredictably towards the press on royal tours, an inside source has revealed. 

The Duke of Sussex began undertaking overseas trips on behalf of the Royal Family as a young child, embarking on his first-ever abroad tour to Venice with his parents, Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, in 1985. 

Since then, the 37-year-old has flown to countries all over the globe as an ambassador of the British monarchy. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Prince Harry with Meghan Markle on their tour of Australia in 2018 

(Image credit: Getty)

These ceremonial trips are typically accompanied by journalists, who travel together in a media 'ratpack' to document the tour's developments for the UK's leading news outlets. 

According to British journalist, Robert Hardman, there are usually about 40 'reporters, photographers, and film crews' camped out at each of the royal's engagements. This tight-knit cohort is managed by eight Buckingham Palace employees, who are tasked with organizing the press coverage of Royal Family members—with the exception of Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla, who have their own team at Clarence House

Prince Harry and Meghan

Prince Harry and Meghan being photographed by media in Morocco in 2019 

(Image credit: Getty)

While these journalists have full permission from the Firm to capture the tours, their presence isn't always appreciated by the royals themselves. 

The Duke of Sussex, in particular, has been known to struggle with the glare of the cameras, having developed a negative perception of the British press since the death of his mother in 1997. Princess Diana was tragically killed in a car crash when Harry was just 12, after being chased by paparazzi in Paris. The devastating loss, which resulted in no prosecution, left the royal heir deeply distrustful of the media. 

Princess diana and prince william

Princess Diana, Prince Harry and Prince William's mother, was killed in a car crash after being chased by the media 

(Image credit: Anwar Hussein/WireImage)

Camilla Tominey has now revealed how this traumatic incident appears to influence the prince's treatment of reporters on overseas tours. 

Speaking last month on the Women With Balls’ podcast, the Telegraph editor revealed that the Duke's attitude towards the press can be hard to predict. 

"I’ve been on jobs with Harry where he’s been angry with us and ignored us," she said, before recalling a positive encounter with the father-of-two in 2016. 

"I remember being in Barbados with him and I was on the rota. He kept on beckoning me like, ‘Camilla. You need to hear this’. I don’t know what they were talking about, palm oil or something.

“I’m there with my notebook, thinking ‘Oh, he’s being very friendly’. So, it’s a bit of a hot and cold environment.”

Camilla added that other members of the Royal Family can also be dismissive with the press, but did not provide any names. 

“Sometimes you can be on the back of the plane and a royal comes down for a chat," she said. "Sometimes they act as if you shouldn’t even be there.”

Prince Harry has made no secret of his disdain for the British media in recent times, calling it 'toxic' for his mental health during a candid interview with James Corden last year. He even admitted that his tense relationship with the press was a major factor in his decision to withdraw as a senior royal with his wife, Meghan Markle, and emigrate to the US in early 2020. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.


Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.