A bizarre conspiracy theory that Prince Harry’s real father is not King Charles III, but rather ex-British Army officer James Hewitt, has circulated for years. The Duke of Sussex, along with others involved, have all dismissed these claims as nonsense.
The speculation began after it was revealed that Princess Diana had an affair with Hewitt while still married to Charles. Diana herself confirmed the affair during her notorious interview with BBC’s Martin Bashir, stating: “Yes, I adored him [Hewitt]. Yes, I was in love with him.”
This revelation, coupled with the fact that Hewitt also has ginger hair, sparked the rumours.
(Image: Getty Images)
However, some say it’s impossible for Hewitt to be Harry’s father, given that their affair started in 1986 and Harry was born on September 15, 1984. In his memoir Spare, released earlier this year, Harry addressed the conspiracy theory.
A face analysis expert even recently weighed in on the subject, joining the long list of people who have rubbished the rumours. Simone Malik reckons she knows this because Harry and Charles both have sharp eyes and high narrow foreheads. Simone adds that there’s no one else who has those “very close set, small but extremely sharp eyes”.
Malik added: “I have been hearing for years that conspiracy about Hewitt being Harry’s dad.
(Image: Getty Images)
“I always looked and thought, ‘No, not at all.’ I can see from the public’s perspective when they look at the ginger hair and their smiles from the side, they have a certain look and they think he is Harry’s dad.”
In his memoirs, Prince Harry disclosed that the Royal Family were aware of the rumours about his paternity and even claimed Charles would make light of it when Harry was a child.
“Pa liked telling stories, and this was one of the best in his repertoire,” Harry penned, adding that Charles would sometimes joke: “Who knows if I’m really the Prince of Wales? Who knows if I’m even your real father? Maybe your real father is in Broadmoor, darling boy!”
(Image: Ron Dadswell/REX/Shutterstock)
Harry continued: “He’d laugh and laugh, though it was a remarkably unfunny joke, given the rumour circulating just then that my actual father was one of Mummy’s former lovers: Major James Hewitt. One cause of the rumour was Major Hewitt’s red hair, but another was sadism.”
Hewitt himself denied these whispers in 2017, adding poignantly: “It’s worse for [Harry] probably, poor chap.”
Malik said she was always certain Harry and Charles are biologically linked. She said: “I am quite certain from my skill that King Charles is definitely Harry’s dad. Charles has a narrow and high forehead and Charles has exactly that. Diana also has a narrow forehead. Hewitt’s forehead is wide and deep.”
(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
A royal source disclosed to Australian magazine New Idea that Sarah Ferguson, a confidante of Diana, was once reportedly “nothing short of exasperated” by the ongoing speculation.
The insider revealed: “They had their tiffs over the years, but Fergie was one of the few people Diana could turn to with delicate matters.”
Adding to the defence, the informant said: “Fergie swore to take many of Diana’s secrets to the grave but Harry not being Charles’ kid is simply just not one of them.”
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