These days, most of the press surrounding Prince Harry has to do with his budding relationship with Meghan Markle.
But Harry’s been in the spotlight since the day he was born, and no matter how old he gets or how much he accomplishes, some folks who watched him come of age will always remain fixated on his tumultuous childhood.
Even if you’re not old enough to remember it or you’re new to the royal-watching game, you’re likely aware that Harry’s parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, had an absolute nightmare of a marriage.
Infidelity, abuse, intimidation … you name it, Princess Di suffered it at the hands of Prince Charles.
So perhaps it’s not surprising that she allegedly sought solace in the arms of other men.
One of those men (again, allegedly) was James Hewitt – a former British officer who admits (or claims) he had an affair with Diana in the early years of her marriage to Charles.
Due to what many see as a physical resemblance between Hewitt and Harry, rumors that the 58-year-old is Harry’s real dad have been persistent in the British tabloid media for decades.
Over the weekend, Hewitt finally addressed the rumors in an interview for Australian television:
Asked point-blank if there’s any chance he’s Harry’s father, Hewitt replied, simply:
“No, I’m not.”
Asked why he thinks the rumor has persisted for all these years, Hewitt answered:
“Sells papers. It’s worse for [Harry] probably, poor chap.”
For his part, Harry has declined to comment on the issue of his paternity for a number of obvious reasons.
Despite childhoods marred by tragedy, Harry and his brother, Prince William, appear to have developed into well-adjusted young men, both of whom have worked hard at developing romantic relationships far more stable and healthy than their parents’ marriage.
Currently, rumors that Harry is engaged to Markle are circulating online, but the couple has yet to confirm.
Harry and Meghan traveled to Jamaica last week for a friends’ wedding, and witnesses say they appeared to be very much in love.
Princess Di may not have been able to watch her children form grow into adults, but we think it’s safe to say she would be profoundly pleased by the young men they’ve become.
The rest of the world certainly is.