Why Prince Harry Got Scolded by Malala Yousafzai's Mom
Malala Yousafzai recently shared a story about an unexpectedly awkward encounter with Prince Harry. During her appearance on The Graham Norton Show on October 31, the Nobel Peace Prize winner recalled how her mother firmly reprimanded Prince Harry when he put his arm around Malala for a photo.
“My mum was also very strict, she wanted me to stick to the Pakistani traditional culture,” Malala explained. “So when I met Prince Harry, we were taking a photo together and he put his arm around my shoulder and my mum goes up to him and she says, ‘Remove.’ She just, like, shoves off his hand.”
Malala, who was 17 at the time, said her family’s protective behavior was rooted in cultural traditions. On Lorraine Kelly’s ITV show, she described the moment further:
“Prince Harry was very, very sweet and he put his arm around me… but my mum, because of the culture, it’s a man putting an arm around a girl. She just went up to Prince Harry and said, ‘Remove — no touch.’ I was terrified when that was happening — poor Prince Harry, his face went red.”
Despite this awkward first meeting, Malala and the Duke of Sussex reconnected in 2020 for a virtual conversation with Meghan Markle on the International Day of the Girl.
Author's Summary
This story highlights how cultural traditions shaped a memorable but awkward moment between Malala and Prince Harry, underscoring respect and understanding across different backgrounds.