Sir Michael Eavis, the founder of the Glastonbury Festival, shared a story claiming that Prince Harry once sneaked into the festival by “jumping the fence.”
Sir Michael, who was knighted at Windsor Castle on Tuesday April 23 by the Princess Royal, jokingly mentioned Harry’s adventurous past, stating,
“The King came once, Prince Charles. And Harry – I think he jumped the fence I should think.” He added, “I’ve got spies everywhere. No, I’ve got security all over the place actually.”
Sir Michael then clarified to PA that Prince Harry had only attended the festival once, emphasizing, “That was the old Prince Harry, before he went to America.”
In 2013, the now father-of-two was captured backstage at the Glastonbury Festival, observing The Rolling Stones headlining the Pyramid Stage and reveling until the early hours. This remains his sole known appearance at the festival.
“Prince Harry was really enjoyable, actually. I suggested he stay out into the night, as Glastonbury’s nightlife is its essence,” Sir Michael remarked that year. “At three o’clock in the afternoon, you don’t fully grasp it. I advised him to have his taxi return at five in the morning, and you know what? He stayed until four in the morning. His friends were thoroughly enjoying themselves. He didn’t want to make a big deal of being here.”
Accompanied by then-girlfriend Cressida Bonas and a cadre of A-list celebrities including Kate Moss, Billie Piper, and Sienna Miller, Harry spent the afternoon taking in live music before being photographed indulging in a plate of fries, basking in the sun, and embracing the lively atmosphere, albeit attempting a measure of anonymity with sunglasses and a trilby hat.
In the early 2000s, Glastonbury Festival gained notoriety for fence-jumping, prompting the installation in 2002 of a $1.2 million five-mile perimeter fence with a second barrier to deter unauthorized entry.
Sir Michael received recognition for his contributions to music and charity; Glastonbury Festival extends donations to Greenpeace, Oxfam, and WaterAid. Since its inception in 1970, the festival, now overseen by Sir Michael’s daughter Emily, aims to raise £2 million annually, supporting numerous local causes.
In 2023, the festival donated over £3.7 million to various charitable initiatives, including British homelessness organization Centrepoint, food redistributors Fareshare, several refugee charities, and mental health charity Mind.
“I’m so pleased that [the festival] became a success after all the grafting it took to get there,” Sir Michael continued. “Trouble with the authorities and police and accountants and licensing and everything – in the end I had the last word!”
More than three million applications flooded in for the 2024 festival, where headliners including Dua Lipa, Shania Twain, Coldplay, and Sza are set to take the stage. Additionally, performances by Avril Lavigne, Camila Cabello, and The National are anticipated.
