Prince Harry has adopted a cheeky two-word nickname amid hijacking claims
Prince Harry has been branded ‘Hijack Harry’ by frustrated palace insiders, amid new claims that he and Meghan Markle are deliberately timing public appearances and announcements to overshadow major royal engagements involving King Charles and the wider royal family.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the latest tensions that emerged after Harry, 41, and Markle, 44, released romantic photos to mark their eighth wedding anniversary, while Charles, 77, and Queen Camilla, 78, made a high-profile three-day visit to Northern Ireland.
According to royal sources, the timing has reignited long-standing frustrations within palace circles, with aides telling us they believe the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have created a “hijacking diary” to compete with official royal events – releasing new launches or social media posts to coincide with senior royals’ official engagements in a bid to stay relevant and overshadow the monarchy.
The allegations come six years after the Sussexes infamously quit their royal duties and moved to Montecito, California, where they focused on media projects, philanthropy and political advocacy.
A palace insider told us: “Harry’s new nickname among some staff is ‘Hijack Harry’ as there is a growing sense that every major royal event is suddenly accompanied by a Sussex announcement, photo release or an intervention seen as a pathetic attempt to turn the spotlight back on them.”
The source added: “People working around King Charles feel it has become predictable and increasingly single-minded. Every time Charles or William try to draw attention to public duties, something comes out of California that pulls the headlines back to Harry and Meghan.”
Insiders say frustration has been growing within Buckingham Palace over what some aides see as repeated attempts to overshadow official engagements involving senior royals.
A royal source claimed: “There is enormous frustration in some Palace circles as this pattern continues to repeat itself. Every time there is a major royal involvement involving the King or Queen, something appears from Harry and Meghan that draws media attention back to them.”
The insider added: “Those within the royal family increasingly view it as cringe-inducing and deliberate, and an attempt to hijack Charles’ activities.”
Another source close to palace operations said staff were particularly annoyed by the recent photos from the couple’s eighth wedding anniversary, which coincided with Charles and Camilla’s tour of Northern Ireland.
They said: “Staff working around the King believe royal visits should be about the public engagement itself, not trying to compete with headlines from California.”
Royal insiders also pointed to what they described as a wider pattern of Sussex interventions coinciding with major royal appearances.
Harry’s recent article on a ‘divided Britain’ appeared as Catherine, Princess of Wales, 44, was on a much-publicised visit to Italy.
Earlier this year, Harry also traveled to Ukraine on the eve of Charles’ state visit to the United States, prompting comparisons with the humanitarian legacy of Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in 1997 aged 36.
An insider said: “There are advisers around the king who genuinely believe Harry is trying to rebuild relevance in Britain through carefully staged interventions linked to emotional causes.”
The source added: “The feeling among critics is that every speech, article or appearance has become part of a wider image rehabilitation campaign for Harry, but it is at serious odds with the public efforts of the rest of the royal family.”
Despite the criticism, sources close to Harry insist he remains committed to issues such as veteran welfare, mental health awareness, environmental issues and support for Ukraine.
An ally said: ‘Harry and King Charles are essentially very similar personalities. Both are emotional, deeply passionate about causes and willing to speak publicly on issues they think matter, even if it brings criticism.”
The insider added: “People close to the family believe Harry has inherited much of his father’s instinct for activism and public advocacy.”
Tensions remain unresolved ahead of Harry’s expected return to Britain later this year for preparations related to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham, while his legal dispute with the British Home Office over police protection for himself, Markle and their children Archie, seven, and Lilibet, four, continues.
