6 Times Prince Harry Couldn’t Help but Break Royal Protocol (Because He’s Just too Damn Nice)

In 2019, Prince Harry attended the fifth anniversary of the Invictus Games at the Guildhall in London. When he arrived at the reception, Prince Harry got out of the vehicle and shut the car door on his own, so no one had to do it for him. Gasp! There’s an unspoken rule that members of the royal family aren’t supposed to open or close their own doors; someone else should.

Harry repeated the mishap when he met the Royal Marines at the Commando Training Center in Dartmoor. The Royal Marines sarcastically apologized on Twitter for the breach in royal protocol, writing, “We thought the visit had gone so well until we saw this report of an epic planning fail on our part. We can only apologize to the nation for letting you all down. You have a right to expect better Royal car door etiquette from your Commandos.”

Flashback to the royal tour of Africa, when Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, broke protocol by showing PDA. On the first day of their tour, the royal couple held hands and touched each other’s backs while meeting children and dancing with a group of teens. They also clutched hands as they visited the District Six Museum and Homecoming Centre in Cape Town later that day. Scandalous, indeed.

Believe it or not, Prince Harry’s wedding cake broke royal protocol. Instead of selecting a traditional vanilla-cake-and-white-icing confection, the royal couple opted for a modern dessert, which included a lemon elderflower cake with buttercream frosting and fresh flowers.

During the royal tour of Australia, Prince Harry couldn’t help but say “yes” to a girl who asked for an unofficial photo. While he’s not supposed to take selfies with the public, the Duke of Sussex made an exception because the girl looked like a young Meghan Markle (and he’s a genuinely nice guy).

During a recent charity visit, Prince Harry comforted an emotional volunteer, whose son had just lost his father. Although the royal family isn’t supposed to hug members of the public during official outings, the duke abandoned coronavirus protocol and embraced the tearful woman as a kind gesture. Now that he’s stepped down as a senior royal, Harry is no longer tied to the family’s rulebook, so we’ll let it slide.