Prince Harry’s ‘wild’ streak before he met Meghan Markle is something that was well documented in the media. From his naked Las Vegas antics to a Kanye West adventure, the duke was known to be a party boy before he settled down.
The youngest son of King Charles has opened up in the past about his “crazy” younger years, including the infamous leaked photos of his nude debauchery during a 2012 Las Vegas jaunt.
Harry’s youth regularly involved heavy partying, numerous flings and late-night escapades driven by booze and substances but the 40-year-old has since traded his rebellious past for a more family-focused existence, the Express reports.
Here we take a closer look at some of Harry’s maddest eyebrow raising party moments over the years..
Nude snaps
Back in 2012, a young Prince Harry caused a global storm as racy images emerged of him in the buff with an also nude female companion, as he covered his genitals with his hands.
Another revealing image showed him embracing a naked woman close to a pool table inside his hotel room, leaving very little to imagination.
Prince Harry’s wild ways hit the headlines after he was reported to have been playing air guitar with pool sticks at a Las Vegas party.
An attendee disclosed to TMZ: “There was a pool table and he was playing air guitar with pool sticks. He was screaming out, ‘Somebody get me a glove! I’m going to do a Michael Jackson impression’?”
Not one to shy away from lively escapades, just a year prior, Harry famously dove into a pool fully clothed and danced barefoot at a Croatian rave.
Revelling in the scene at Veneranda nightclub on Hvar Island, he partied in the VIP area and sipped on drinks.
Nazi costume
Another highly controversial moment of Prince Harry’s involved him donning a costume with a swastika armband in 2005, an image The Sun splashed across their January 14, 2005 edition under the headline “Harry the Nazi”.
The incident occurred right before the Queen’s visit to Auschwitz for the 60th-anniversary remembrance, drawing rapid apologies issued from Clarence House and Prince Harry himself who remarked: “I am very sorry if I caused any offence or embarrassment to anyone” and acknowledged, “It was a poor choice of costume and I apologise.”
Balcony jump
Known for rubbing elbows with A-listers, Prince Harry’s picture with Kanye West at a 2007 event honouring Princess Diana is emblematic of his high-profile social circle.
The prince has had his share of late nights, and one such occasion nearly resulted in an injury just hours before his elder brother’s nuptials. On the eve of Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton on April 29, 2011, it is reported that Prince Harry stayed up until the early hours at 3am.
He daringly jumped off a balcony during the pre-wedding festivities, narrowly avoiding serious harm. Alongside him were his ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy and Pippa Middleton who were his drinking buddies that night.
A Daily Mail insider disclosed: “He flinched for just a moment before he stood up, rubbing his ankle. Then he looked up, smiled and waved to a roar of cheers before disappearing on to the lawn where there was a secret exit.”
“People were laughing and joking that his fall could have seen him walking through Westminster Abbey the following morning with a broken leg. At one point it was thought he’d twisted his ankle.”
Drug use and famous exes
Like many young celebrities, Prince Harry has been caught on camera indulging in a cigarette. In his tell-all memoir ‘Spare’, he also openly discussed dabbling in drugs.
The Duke of Sussex detailed his experiences with cocaine, marijuana, and psychedelic mushrooms, which he claims provided him with a glimpse of “the truth”.
According to Harry, these substances became a crutch for him through difficult periods following his mother’s demise and the challenges of fame.
Certainly, Prince Harry savoured his bachelor days before settling down, mingling with notable women such as Mollie King from The Saturdays, Caroline Flack, and Ellie Goulding.
Back in the heat of summer 2016 at a swanky pool gathering, murmurs swirled that Prince Harry and songstress Ellie Goulding were more than just pals, reportedly cozying up after exchanging messages for quite some time.
An insider confided to the Mail: “They’ve always got on very well, but things stepped up a gear recently. There was a complete ban on taking pictures at the polo party so that Harry and the other celebrities there could feel comfortable.”
Adding fuel to the fire, they revealed: “Harry and Ellie only had eyes for each other all night – they spent a lot of time sitting together under blankets. They were seen having a kiss before Harry had to go because he was playing polo the next day. Ellie left about five minutes later.”
Former Love Island presenter Caroline Flack opened up in her memoir about briefly dating Harry, detailing how their romance fizzled out once it became public knowledge. She candidly expressed: “Once the story got out, that was it. We had to stop seeing each other, I was no longer Caroline Flack, TV presenter, I was Caroline Flack, Prince Harry’s bit of rough.”
Mollie King, a member of The Saturdays, remained tight-lipped about her brush with royalty, downplaying a past date with Harry. With a touch of humour, she remarked: “He’s very out of my league, come on.”
Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here.