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Royal watchers were surprised when Prince Harry showed up at the Royal Courts of Justice in London for a hearing in his privacy case against Associated Newspapers Ltd. on March 27. The reason people weren’t expecting to see him there is because Harry had the option to stay at his home in Montecito, California and attend remotely.

Now a royal biographer is pointing to one reason and one reason alone that the Duke of Sussex made a grand appearance in person.

King Charles and Prince Harry, who is believed to have tried to outsmart his father during a recent trip to the U.K., at the Invictus Games together
King Charles and Prince Harry at the Invictus Games in London | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Prince Harry surprise appearance was seen as a ‘stunt’

Several commentators and experts analyzed the prince’s appearance and some viewed it as a “stunt.”

Australian journalist Daniela Elser wrote in news.com.au: “Harry’s trip to London has ‘stunt’ written all over it. You see, Monday’s courtroom outing was only a preliminary hearing and Harry was not there to give evidence. Remote access was reportedly provided meaning that Aitch could have watched things online from the comfort of his Montecito meditation yurt …

“Him turning up in person in the U.K., only the fifth time he has done so in over three years, was a sure-fire way to ensure that the court case got serious publicity.”

Harry tried to overshadow King Charles, according to biographer

But royal author Angela Levin, who spent time with the Duke of Sussex while writing Harry: A Biography of a Prince, believes that his visit to the country was for another reason. In a column for SkyNews.com.au, Levin opined Harry did so to “outsmart” and overshadow King Charles’ important trip.

“Legal wranglings with his old media nemesis aside, I believe the real spiteful purpose of the trip was to outsmart his father and stepmother,” Levin wrote, adding, “The visit coincided with day one of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla’s first state visit abroad since the beginning of the new monarch’s reign. The plan was first to Paris (which ended up being canceled due to protests), before moving on to Berlin as part of a six-day travel itinerary.

“It was inconceivable that another royal would try to steal the spotlight from such a significant occasion. But Harry’s respect for the monarchy and those working within it has disintegrated ever since he and his wife Meghan stepped back as senior royals in 2020.”

The monarch’s state visit to Germany was hailed as a success

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Even if Prince Harry was trying to “outshine” his father, the king’s state visit to Germany got a good amount of press and was hailed as a success.

As CNN noted, “[King] Charles was well received by politicians and the public alike. He was praised in local media, particularly for his firm grasp of the German language.

“Many had wondered how Charles would fare on the world stage when he became king, after spending more than seven decades as prince and heir to the throne. This [visit] marked the first opportunity we’ve had to see him interacting as head of state overseas. He showed how adept he is in wielding soft power and being a unifying diplomatic force and representative for Brand Britain.”

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