CULTURE

Prince Harry Had to Convince a 4-Year-Old That He’s Actually a Prince

He's already a natural around kids.

March 21, 2019

The Duke Of Sussex Visits St Vincent's Catholic Primary School In Acton

Karwai Tang/WireImage

Prince Harry very well may be one of the most recognized people in the world, but he received a reality check when he visited a school in Acton, England, this week. While he was at St. Vincent’s Catholic Primary School, Prince Harry had to convince one of the students that he was actually a prince.

As he greeted children on the playground, “One of them tapped him and said, ‘When is Prince Harry coming?’,” as teaching assistant Philomena Frattura recounted to People. “He said, ‘But I’m Prince Harry.’ The student then said, ‘When is the real Prince Harry coming?’”

Prince Harry, who is expecting his first child with his wife Meghan Markle, then went into full-on dad mode. He made light of the situation with an adorably corny joke, telling the student, “‘I’m the real Harry. I’ve just had my hair cut for the occasion.’”

Apparently, the 4-year-old student was confused because Prince Harry wasn’t wearing a crown when he met the children. The Duke of Sussex was fully prepared for this possibility, though, since this isn’t the first time he’s been mistaken for a commoner. A few years ago, he joked about how he often has to convince the children he meets that he’s actually a prince. “Every time I get to meet kids and they have been told a real-life prince is coming, the disappointment on their faces when they see me without a crown or a cape,” he told People in 2016 before an Orlando, Florida, trip.“I’m worried because the American kids, especially next to Disney World, are going to be thinking, ‘You ain’t no prince, you ain’t dressed like a prince, you’re having a laugh! So I am going to pack a crown and a cape this time and some funny pointy-toed shoes. I’m going to sign the crown out!”

These jokes will come in handy soon when Prince Harry has his own child to answer to. Although, with his niece and nephews—Prince William and Kate Middleton’s three children—Prince Harry has already gotten ample experience around children. According to Markle, the may be as early as late April or early May.