Prince Harry finds himself under scrutiny once more, this time facing allegations of mimicking his elder brother, Prince William, following a strikingly similar photo opportunity during his recent trip to Canada.
Earlier this week, on Tuesday, Prince William, aged 43, was photographed exuding style in sunglasses as he commanded a boat, steering through the stunning Guanabara Bay in Brazil. The image captured the attention of many, as it coincided with his visit to promote the Earthshot Prize awards, a significant endeavor in his royal commitments.
Just a few hours later, Prince Harry was spotted enjoying a boat excursion himself, this time alongside soldiers from two historic Army Reserve units. This led to suggestions that the Duke of Sussex, aged 41, might be attempting to overshadow his brother’s high-profile event with his own publicized activities.
Harry has dismissed these claims, asserting that there was no deliberate intention to rival William’s presence in Brazil. The timing, however, has sparked discussions, considering that William’s trip was announced beforehand, underscoring the Earthshot Prize as one of his notable achievements and a prominent fixture in the royal agenda.
William’s visit was made public first: Earthshot is one of his biggest achievements and is a key staple in the royal calendar.
The clash was labelled ‘predictable’ by one royal expert, however Harry’s spokesman knocked back any suggestion his announcement was about sibling rivalry.
But today, more fuel was added to the fire after royal fans spotted that the Duke had taken part in a very similar photo opportunity to his estranged brother. Both royals were seen holding onto the railings on a boat ride, and looking pensively into the distance.
‘William went on a boat ride… I need to go on a boat ride,’ one royal fan commented, comparing the two pictures.
Prince Harry has been accused of ‘copying’ his older brother Prince William after posing for a remarkably similar photo opportunity
Hours earlier, William was also seen on a boat as he toured the picturesque Guanabara Bay
A second said: ‘Prince William looks like he’s having so much fun on that boat. Haz, on the other hand, looks bored.’
Others said: ‘This is soooooooooo cringe’; ‘Going on a boat in Canada in November is a weird choice’;
‘Wait. Let me hop on a ferry and look concerned.’
‘Just as his wife does trying to copy Catherine. And always failing,’ another commented.
Similarly, Meghan Markle has also been accused of emulating the Princess of Wales and her style in the past.
Most recently, royal fans said she was ‘copying’ Kate after taking a picture in the cockpit of a plane during her Washington DC trip last month – weeks after the Princess visited RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.
On Wednesday, Harry spent time with members of Canada’s Reserve Forces in Toronto, meeting with soldiers from two historic Army Reserve units.
In a previous statement, his team blamed the timing of his trip on the fact that he is ‘not afforded the same level of security and protection as other working members of the Royal Family’.
Prince Harry on the water during his trip to Canada this week, at the same time Prince William is in Brazil
Prince William, Prince of Wales (centre) rides in a boat during a tour of the Guapimirim mangrove area in Guanabara Bay
Today, more fuel was added to the fire after royal fans spotted that the Duke had taken part in a very similar photo opportunity to his estranged brother
‘It means therefore, that the period of time in which we can release details of events is much more truncated than it is for His Majesty the King or the Prince of Wales’, his spokesman added.
The Prince of Wales landed in Rio de Janeiro on Monday to mark the fifth anniversary of his environmental award, the Earthshot Prize.
But as William began his first engagement at Sugarloaf Mountain, his younger brother’s office in California announced a trip to Canada this week ahead of Remembrance Sunday.
The Duke of Sussex’s visit to Toronto to meet with veterans, members of the armed forces community and military charities directly clashed with William’s trip to South America.
The Brazil visit marks a pivotal and personally important moment for the heir to the throne, who jetted out of the UK after he and his father stripped his uncle Andrew of all his titles and his Windsor home.
Royal commentator Victoria Arbiter said the timing of Harry’s announcement was ‘inevitable if not predictable.’
But a spokesman for the Duke of Sussex has hit back, declaring: ‘The events were planned nearly a year ago.
‘The date of the main event, the dinner, is set by the charity, not Prince Harry.
William’s visit was made public first, and Earthshot is one of his biggest achievements, and is a key staple in the royal calendar
‘The period of Remembrance-tide traditionally extends from the 1–11 November and has done since 1918, over 100 years. He can’t choose to move those dates.’
The spokesman added: ‘We are always guided – as to when we can announce trips like this, by the advice given to us by his private security advisers and the event’s security team.
‘This visit, months in the planning, marks a return to a city that has a special place in the Duke’s heart, having played host to the Invictus Games back in 2017.’
The British royal household was informed of Harry’s Canada plans in advance – a sign that communications between the King and his youngest son are open again.
But Harry and William, however, are understood not to be talking.
William has diplomatically declined to discuss the Royal Family’s current woes in public – but did speak of his desire to surround himself with people ‘who want to do good’.
The Prince of Wales would not be drawn on the rows caused by his uncle Andrew and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in a ‘fireside’ chat with CNN on his Earthshot Prize trip to Brazil.
Veteran journalist Christiane Amanpour asked the heir to the throne about his recent comments that he would pursue ‘change for good’ when he is king.
Ms Amanpour pointed to William’s recent Apple TV interview with Eugene Levy and asked if could expand on his comments ‘given there has been a lot of change in your family recently’.
Harry is in Canada ahead of Remembrance Sunday
However, William batted away the apparent nod to the decision to strip Andrew of all his titles and home, as well as the rift with Harry and Meghan over Megxit.
Without hesitation he decided instead to focus on Earthshot and praised ‘the brilliant people in this room’, calling them ‘action heroes’ and declaring: ‘Change will come from backing them not by what I do’.
But to cheers from the audience he did add: ‘I want to surround myself with people who want to make change and do good in the world’.
Royal watchers have praised his decision to stay quiet. ‘Unlike Harry, William doesn’t air the family laundry in public’, one said.
Last night, Harry’s tour of Canada continued with a glittering gala for veterans where he used his speech to speak of his bond with the Commonwealth nation’s troops and crack jokes about his ‘ever-increasing bald spot’.
‘I am truly sorry for wearing a Dodgers hat’, he said, before joking that the cap had also helped hide how much his hair is thinning.
There were more guffaws in the crowd of 500 when he made a gag about the lights on bouncing off his bald spot.
Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, meanwhile, has this week revealed she is returning to acting.
