Prince Harry arrived at London’s High Court on Monday to continue his legal battle against media group Associated Newspapers, but it was his appearance — rather than the case itself — that drew widespread
attention online.
The Duke of Sussex and six other household names in Britain sued Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) in October 2022 over phone hacking, tapping and a slew of alleged unlawful information gathering practices. Years later, the case has finally gone to trial.
The Duke of Sussex appeared in court on Monday, however, netizens focused on his noticeably receding ginger hair, contrasting it with a recent throwback video shared by his wife, Meghan Markle.
On January 17, Meghan posted a black-and-white video and photos as part of a popular “10 years ago” nostalgia trend. The clip showed the couple dancing in a grassy field, while another image captured them embracing in water during one of their early dates in Botswana. In both visuals, Harry appeared to have a fuller head of hair.
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“When 2026 feels just like 2016… you had to be there,” Meghan wrote in the caption, referring to the early days of their relationship.
The contrast between the throwback imagery and Harry’s courthouse appearance did not go unnoticed. As footage emerged of the prince arriving at court, social media users commented on his thinning hair, with some questioning whether the video shared by Meghan was recent or from earlier years.
“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,” a netizen guffawed.
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
“He should just shave it,” another suggested.
“The aerosol can of spray-on hair was removed from his carry-on by the TSA in California,” a third person commented.
“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,” another user noted.
Several users also drew comparisons between Prince Harry and his elder brother, Prince William, who has been open about his own hair loss.
“Honestly, if he hadn’t mocked William’s hair loss, most people wouldn’t even comment,” one person said. Another wrote, “Alarmingly bald, I believe is what [Harry] called his brother. What does he call his current state of hair loss?”
Prince Harry stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and currently lives in Montecito, California. They share two children: Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4. While the siblings are usually kept out of the spotlight, Meghan and Harry occasionally feature them in family photos and philanthropic work.
