Prince Harry 'shoved' by Malala Yousafzai's mum in 'terrifying' moment

Prince Harry 'shoved' by Malala Yousafzai's mother in 'terrifying' moment

Prince Harry was pushed away by Malala Yousafzai's mother during a photo opportunity, an incident Malala described as "terrifying."

Though Malala called the Duke of Sussex "sweet," she revealed that her mother disapproved of his behavior. Malala, now 28, was treated in Birmingham after surviving a Taliban assassination attempt in 2012. She met Prince Harry after becoming the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 2014 at age 17, awarded for her advocacy of children's education rights.

The incident during the photo

Speaking to Lorraine Kelly on ITV, Malala explained:

"Prince Harry was very, very sweet and he put his arm around me when we were taking a photo together, and my mum because of the culture, it’s a man putting an arm around a girl. I was a little girl and she just went up to Prince Harry and she shoved off his hand and said, ‘Remove - no touch.’"

Malala added she felt terrified at that moment, and Prince Harry's face turned red but he remained respectful afterward.

Cultural misunderstanding

Malala’s mother reacted based on cultural norms she had witnessed growing up, which led to her immediate intervention to protect her daughter from physical contact with a man.

Summary

This encounter highlights the cultural sensitivity around physical contact and how even well-meaning gestures can cause discomfort depending on context and background.

Author's summary: A brief cultural clash between Prince Harry and Malala's mother during a photo moment illustrates the deep-rooted values influencing behavior across different societies.

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The Mirror The Mirror — 2025-11-03

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