As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex prepare for an eventful 2025, with Meghan Markle launching With Love, Meghan on Netflix, January may evoke bittersweet memories for Prince Harry.
One such memory dates back to 2009 when a New Year incident led to a public apology from his father, King Charles.
In his memoir Spare, Harry recounted a mistake he made while serving in the army at 21, which escalated into widespread controversy. He described how a video he recorded as a cadet three years earlier went viral, sparking accusations of racism.
Harry explained: “Killing time before our flight, messing around, I panned the group, gave a running commentary on each lad. When I came to my fellow cadet and good friend Ahmed Raza Khan, a Pakistani, I said: ‘Ah, our little Paki friend…’
“I didn’t know that Paki was a slur. Growing up, I’d heard many people use that word and never saw anyone flinch or cringe, never suspected them of being racist. Neither did I know anything about unconscious bias. I was twenty-one, awash in isolation and privilege, and if I thought anything about this word at all, I thought it was like Aussie. Harmless.”
The footage was later sold to News of the World, triggering public outrage. Harry recalled: “Heated condemnations began rolling in. ‘Prince Harry is worse than a thicko,’ they said. ‘Worse than a party boy—he’s a racist.’ The Tory leader denounced me. A cabinet minister went on TV to flog me. Ahmed’s uncle condemned me to the BBC. I was sitting in Highgrove, watching this furor rain down, barely able to process it.
“My father’s office issued an apology on my behalf. I wanted to issue one as well, but courtiers advised against it. ‘Not the best strategy, sir.’ To hell with strategy. I didn’t care about strategy. I cared about people not thinking I was a racist. I cared about not being a racist.”
Harry shared that he issued a personal apology to Ahmed, who graciously accepted it, though this only deepened Harry’s regret. “His forgiveness, his easy grace, only made me feel worse,” he concluded.
Looking Ahead to 2025
Royal astrologer Debbie Frank predicts significant changes for Prince Harry in the coming year.
“As the rebellious planet Uranus hovers over Harry’s destiny point in 2025, he’s facing decisions about his role in life, where he wants to be, and what truly matters to him,” she explained. “These are complex issues that may lead him to oscillate as he searches for clarity. He wants to break free from expectations and pursue something different. This maverick energy could bring both disruption and opportunities for transformation. He may also encounter changes that are thrust upon him.”
With new beginnings on the horizon, 2025 promises to be a year of introspection and evolution for Prince Harry.
