Prince Harry booed at Leicester Tigers match during rugby night out
Prince Harry was booed by Leicester Tigers supporters after being spotted in the stands at Welford Road on Friday, 9 October.
He watched Leicester Tigers play Gloucester Rugby in the Gallagher PREM, the top flight of English club rugby union, at the Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium in Leicester. The appearance was reported by Yahoo News after photographs from the stands circulated.
He kept it casual. Prince Harry wore blue jeans and a black puffer jacket and was photographed holding a drink that appeared to be a beer, according to HELLO!.
Rugby has been a long-running thread in his public role. Prince Harry previously served as patron of the Rugby Football Union and the Rugby Football League, honorary roles that involve supporting the organisations and attending major fixtures. He relinquished both roles in 2021 after he and Meghan Markle confirmed they would not return as working royals. The Princess of Wales has since taken over those two patronages.
A source told HELLO! that for Prince Harry “it’s all about rugby over football.” The same source told HELLO! that Prince Harry says Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet support Northampton and that he looks forward to taking them to a match once his security situation is sorted, saying “it’s one hurdle at a time.” That account rests entirely on the unnamed source. It has not been confirmed in a household statement.
Security remains the context around family outings. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle lost taxpayer-funded security when they stepped back from royal duties in 2020. They now employ private security guards who are unable to carry guns or access state-level intelligence, as reported by Yahoo Entertainment.
Meghan Markle was seen at Claridge’s hotel in London on Wednesday with Malala Yousafzai. It was her first public sighting in London since returning to the UK in late August.
Prince Harry’s rugby outing follows his solo appearance at the Invictus Spirit Gala Dinner and Awards in London, which was his first public appearance since moving back to the UK, according to People.
For fans, this means a familiar sight in an unfamiliar setting. A prince known for rugby patronages, now without those roles, watching from the stands in jeans with a drink in hand.
