Prince Harry Responds to Claims He Punched Prince Andrew Over Meghan Markle Comments

Royal author Andrew Lowni alleges a past altercation between the Duke of Sussex and his uncle in his new book, 'Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York'

Prince Harry has broken his silence on a long-standing rumor involving a physical confrontation with his uncle, Prince Andrew, reportedly sparked by comments about Meghan Markle.

The allegation appears in Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, a new biography by royal author Andrew Lowni. While the book focuses primarily on Prince Andrew's fall from grace and his relationship with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, it also includes a striking claim about a private dispute involving Harry.

According to Lowni, the incident took place more than a decade ago during a family gathering. Present were members of the York family along with Harry, who was not yet married to Meghan. Despite the couple only going public with their relationship in 2016, the book claims Andrew had been speaking critically about Meghan behind Harry’s back at this earlier event.

As reported by The Mail, which obtained an excerpt from the book, a heated argument broke out between the two royals. The confrontation allegedly stemmed from “something Andrew said behind Harry's back.” Lowni writes that “punches” were “thrown” by Harry, leaving Andrew with a bloody nose.

The book also alleges that Andrew questioned the longevity of Harry’s relationship with Meghan, describing her as an “opportunist.”

The incident took place more than a decade ago during a family gathering.

Chris Jackson

Following the publication of these claims, Harry’s spokesperson issued a firm denial. In a statement to PEOPLE magazine on August 2, the Duke’s team stated: “Prince Harry and Prince Andrew have never had a physical fight, nor did Prince Andrew ever make those comments about the Duchess of Sussex to Prince Harry.”

The statement also noted that legal proceedings are underway regarding both Lowni’s book and The Mail's reporting.

“Such are the gross inaccuracies, damaging and defamatory remarks made in the Daily Mail's story,” the statement read. “I can confirm a legal letter from Prince Harry's counsel has been sent to the Mail.”

Harry and Meghan made their relationship public in 2016 after being introduced by a mutual friend. A year later, they announced their engagement, and in 2018, they were married.

In 2020, after ongoing tensions within the royal household and increasing scrutiny from the press, the couple stepped back from their senior royal roles.

At the time, they said: “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as 'senior' members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.”

The confrontation allegedly stemmed from “something Andrew said behind Harry's back.”

Max Mumby/Indigo

That same year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex relocated to Montecito, California. There, they began a new chapter as private citizens and welcomed their daughter, Princess Lilibet, joining their son, Prince Archie.

Earlier this year, Prince Harry expressed hope for healing within his family. In an interview with the BBC, he shared: “I would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious.”