The internet has turned its unforgiving eye on Prince Harry, catching him in what many are calling a moment of spectacular irony. The Duke of Sussex arrived at a London court on Monday, Jan. 19, his appearance noticeably different from a video his wife, Meghan Markle, had shared just two days earlier, sparking a social media frenzy that nobody saw coming.
In footage posted to Instagram on Jan. 17, Harry appeared with a considerably fuller head of ginger hair, dancing alongside Meghan in the backyard of their Montecito mansion. Markle captioned the intimate clip: 'When 2026 feels just like 2016... you had to be there,' seemingly alluding to when the couple first began dating. The contrast with his court appearance was so stark that royal watchers could not resist pointing it out.
'Did Harry Leave His Hair in Montecito?'
One particularly blunt commenter on X questioned the timeline: 'Umm, did Harry leave his hair in Montecito? Because Meghan's "recent" video shows him with plenty of hair, but in the UK today, he's alarmingly bald... so either that clip is OLD, or he forgot to carry his hair.' Another suggested a practical solution: 'He should just shave it,' while a third joked about TSA confiscating hair products at the airport.
Umm did Harry leave his hair in Montecito? 👀 Because Meghan’s “recent” video shows him with plenty of hair, but in the UK today he’s alarmingly bald… so either that clip is OLD or he forgot to carry his hair 😭🤣 pic.twitter.com/RGRgXYvlv7
— Queen Esther (@XOQueenEsther) January 19, 2026
The timing seemed designed for maximum impact — arriving as Harry faced court proceedings, some observers wondered whether Markle's post was carefully orchestrated. As one user put it, 'He's a joke. And yes, I think that is an older video in her little "archives" just waiting for the moment she thinks it's needed for a distraction.'
Gah, look at his security guard look around like H is some kind of special target. He’s a joke.
— Mom2Many (@VintageViolet60) January 19, 2026
And yes, I think that is an older video in her little “archives” just waiting for the moment she thinks it’s needed for a distraction,
When Harry's Words Come Back to Haunt Him
What made the online ridicule particularly pointed, however, was the glaring contradiction at the heart of it all. In his controversial 2023 memoir, Spare, Harry had taken aim at his older brother's appearance with remarkable venom, writing: 'I looked at Willy, really looked at him, perhaps for the first time since we were little, taking in every detail: his familiar scowl, which had always been the norm in his dealings with me; his alarming baldness, more advanced than my own; his famous resemblance to Mummy, which was fading with time.'
It was a cutting reference to their late mother, Princess Diana, and many felt it crossed a line. As one observer noted, 'Honestly, if he hadn't mocked William's hair loss, most people wouldn't even comment.' The irony was not lost on readers: Harry had publicly ridiculed his brother's receding hairline, only to find himself now facing the same scrutiny.
Interestingly, William hasn't suffered for his appearance despite Harry's jabs. The Prince of Wales was named the 'Sexiest Bald Man Alive' in 2024 and finished second to Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in 2025, suggesting the public finds considerably more appeal in his dignified acceptance of hair loss.
Harry's Changing Relationship With His Own Hair
Since Spare hit shelves in January 2023, Harry's own hairline has receded noticeably. Rather than shying away from the subject, he's begun addressing it with unexpected candour. During a speech at the WellChild Awards in September 2025, he acknowledged his changing appearance: 'Before the beard, I had hair, you know what it is like,' he noted, drawing knowing laughter from the crowd.
By November 2025, Harry seemed to have fully embraced the situation. When questioned about wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers cap to the World Series — despite the team competing against Canada's Toronto Blue Jays — he offered a refreshingly honest explanation: 'When you're missing a lot of hair on top, and you're sitting under floodlights, you'll take any hat that's available.' The self-awareness, it appears, has finally arrived.
