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 shared a royal encounter that took an unexpectedly awkward turn during her appearance on The Graham Norton Show on October 31. The Nobel Peace Prize winner recalled how her mother firmly corrected Prince Harry after he placed his arm around Malala for a photo.

Strict Cultural Traditions

“My mum was also very strict, she wanted me to stick to the Pakistani traditional culture,” Malala explained. When she met Prince Harry, and they posed for a photo, he put his arm around her shoulder. Her mother immediately intervened:

“Remove.” She just, like, shoves off his hand.

Malala, who was 17 at the time, said her family’s protective reaction stemmed from deep cultural values.

Recounting the Incident

On Lorraine Kelly's ITV show, Malala elaborated on the episode:

“Prince Harry was very, 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.”

Reconnection Later On

Despite the awkward first meeting, Malala and the Duke of Sussex reconnected in 2020 for a virtual discussion with Meghan Markle on International Day of the Girl.

Author’s Summary

This story highlights the intersection of cultural traditions and royal protocol, showing how respect and understanding can bridge different worlds even after awkward moments.

The News International — 2025-11-03