Resurfaced 2015 remark puts Prince Harry under fresh scrutiny

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, is facing renewed public scrutiny following the resurfacing of an 11-year-old comment regarding model Abbey Clancy. The remark was made during a UNICEF charity football match held at Old Trafford in 2015, where Harry met players in the dressing room following the game. During the encounter, the royal jokingly asked former England footballer Peter Crouch how he managed to "bag Abbey".

Radar Online reported that while the comment occurred long before Harry met his wife, Meghan Markle, its reappearance has prompted uncomfortable discussions. An insider stated that comments of this nature inevitably look different when viewed through a modern lens, adding that many would expect Meghan to cringe if she heard the exchange repeated today given the values she publicly champions. Another source noted that critics view the remark as the sort of language that would attract immediate backlash if used today, jarring with the image the couple currently projects.

The anecdote recently gained fresh attention after Crouch recalled the encounter on the Stick to Football podcast. The former footballer admitted he was caught off guard by the question at the time.

Social media users reacted strongly to the resurfaced choice of words, with one commenter labelling the royal as "Entitled and Rude". Another user criticised the remark for suggesting Crouch was not good enough for his wife and condemned the implication of talking about women as though they were a "game sport" to be won.