Prince Harry has revealed he faced bullying during his school years due to his hair colour, with classmates dubbing him “carrot top.”
The Duke of Sussex, 41, made the candid admission while appearing on The Joe Marler Will See You Now podcast.
When the former England rugby player asked about common misconceptions people hold about him, Harry responded with characteristic wit: “That I’m not ginger.”
He then jokingly clarified his preferred description: “People think I’m ginger, but I’m more sunset auburn.”
Reflecting on the childhood taunts, Harry added: “Unless you want to call me ginge. I got bullied a lot at school, called carrot top.”
The duke’s school experiences were shaped by tragedy, having arrived at Eton College in Berkshire just 12 months after losing his mother, Princess Diana.
In his memoir Spare, Harry described this period as “a profound shock,” finding it immensely difficult to adjust to life at the prestigious boarding school.
Academic work held little appeal for the young prince, who struggled to settle into the classroom environment.
Harry attended Eton from 1998 to 2003, following earlier education at Wetherby School in London and Ludgrove School in Berkshire.
Despite his academic struggles, Harry discovered solace through physical activity at Eton. The school’s extensive sporting opportunities proved transformative for the young royal.
He has since acknowledged that athletics essentially saved his education, stating that without “the sports field and the wide variety of activities on offer, there was no way I would have stayed in school.”
This connection between exercise and wellbeing remains central to Harry’s life today. Speaking on the podcast, he emphasised the importance of regular physical activity for mental health.
“Going to the gym is an absolute… any form of exercise is great, especially when you’re depressed,” he explained.
The podcast was recorded during Harry’s most recent trip to Britain as preparations continue for next year’s Invictus Games.
The visit proved significant for family relations, with Buckingham Palace confirming that Harry, Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, met King Charles and Queen Camilla at the monarch’s Highgrove residence in Gloucestershire.
This gathering marked the first time in four years that the family had come together, with the King last seeing his grandchildren during Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.
