Why Prince Harry got scolded by Malala Yousafzai's mom: 'His face went red'

Why Prince Harry Got Scolded by Malala Yousafzai's Mom

Malala Yousafzai recently shared a humorous and awkward memory involving Prince Harry during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show on October 31. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate recounted a royal meeting that took a surprising turn due to her mother’s cultural sensitivity.

An Unexpected Moment

Malala explained that while taking a photo with Prince Harry, he casually placed his arm around her shoulder. Her mother, adhering to traditional Pakistani customs, reacted firmly.

“My mum was also very strict, she wanted me to stick to Pakistani traditional culture,” Malala said. “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 says, ‘Remove.’ She just shoved off his hand.”

Malala shared that she was 17 years old at the time, and her mother’s reaction was a reflection of her family’s deep respect for their cultural values.

More Details from Another Interview

Later, on Lorraine Kelly’s ITV show, Malala elaborated further on the story, recalling how embarrassed she felt by the incident.

“Prince Harry was 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.”

After the Awkward Encounter

Despite the momentary discomfort, Malala and the Duke of Sussex stayed on good terms. They reconnected virtually in 2020, joining Meghan Markle for a discussion on International Day of the Girl.

Author’s Summary: Malala Yousafzai recalled an awkward but good-natured encounter where her mother corrected Prince Harry’s casual gesture, highlighting the clash between tradition and modern norms.

The News International — 2025-11-03