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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Courtney Pochin

Prince Harry's unusual TK Maxx shopping routine - 15-minute rule and no changing rooms

When looking for branded clothing at discounted prices, many of us will head to our nearest branch of TK Maxx to scour the rails and see what offers we can find.

And it turns out we're not the only ones that do this, as even members of the royal family apparently love to "snag" a bargain there.

Writing in his new memoir, Spare, Prince Harry has revealed how he "didn't fundamentally believe in fashion" when he was younger and would often buy his outfits for everyday wear from TK Maxx.

Though unlike most people, he didn't head to the shop with an open mind, preparing to leisurely browse and see what random goodies could be found, instead he claims to have had a very specific 'system' for his visits.

The royal claims he had a 'system' for shopping in TK Maxx (LightRocket via Getty Images)

He tells readers how his father, King Charles, used to give him an annual allowance for formal wear, such as suits, but he shopped cheaper for other items.

"For my everyday casual clothes I'd go to TK Maxx, the discount store. I was particularly fond of their once-a-year sale, when they'd be flush with items from Gap or J.Crew, items that had just gone out of season or were slightly damaged," the Duke of Sussex says.

"If you timed it right, got there on the first day of the sale, you could snag the same clothes that others were paying top prices for down the high street! With two hundred quid you could look like a fashion plate."

The 38-year-old continues to share his unusual method for shopping, which involved getting to the shop 15 minutes before closing time and hurrying up to the top floor with a basket in hand.

Prince Harry spoke about shopping in TK Maxx in his new memoir, Spare (Penguin Random House)
He adds that his father gave him a separate allowance each year for formal clothes like suits (Getty Images)

From here he recounts how he would 'systematically' work his way up and down the racks of clothing, holding items up against his body to see how they looked, but never taking anything into a changing room.

He adds that he never "dawdled" over the colour or style of any clothing, he just opted for anything that looked "nice" or "comfortable".

And if there ever was anything Harry wasn't 100 percent sure about, he claims he'd ask the opinion of his driver, known as Billy the Rock, who reportedly "delighted" in the chance to moonlight as the young royal's stylist.

When the 15 minutes were up, Harry claims they would run out of the store with two large bags of shopping, "feeling triumphant" as he wouldn't have to think about buying clothes again for a while.

Social media users were left bemused by the idea of the prince shopping in a discount store, with one person tweeting: "The thought of Prince Harry in TK Maxx during the sale rooting about for a pair of Diesel jeans and Fred Perry shirt baffles me."

"He’s probably never set foot inside a TK Maxx in his life," said another.

However, people were quick to point out that in 2013, Prince Harry was branded 'thrifty' and hit headlines after he was seen leaving TK Maxx in Kensington High Street, Central London where he reportedly spent £160 on a T-shirt, hoodie, and an iPhone case at the time.

Others were confused and online couldn't stop themselves from debating whether or not TK Maxx actually has an end-of-year sale, as the royal says.

"I've held back wading from wading in with further hot takes on the revelations in this book, but I'm afraid I have to speak out on this… TK Maxx doesn't *do* sales," proclaimed a different user.

The company's website does state that they "generally don't do promotions, sales or other gimmicks", but they do have clearance sections that feature price reductions.

"Sales, clearance, reduced to clear... whichever word used it's the same thing, let's not play on words to push vitriol towards him. I myself got many good items in the TK Maxx sales/clearance/reductions over the years. Their sale, they call clearance," added someone else.

However, a TK Maxx spokesperson told The Mirror: "Whilst we’re delighted Prince Harry is a big fan, we thought we should explain we don’t actually do sales. Instead, we offer great value, style, and savings all year round".

Do you have a story to share? Email courtney.pochin@mirror.co.uk

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