Even Prince Harry‘s composure slips every once in a while, as his friends revealed in one story about his awkward encounter with Malala Yousafzai.
Prince Harry is known for being a well-traveled, likable figure representing the British Monarchy. He has a reputation for making dignitaries from any culture or country laugh. However, that was reportedly not the case back in 2014, when the prince spoke at a youth empowerment event in New York.
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The event’s co-founder, Craig Kielburger, spoke to Hello! Magazine about the ordeal recently, revealing that Prince Harry is human too.
“Here is a funny but true story. I had the honor to introduce Prince Harry to Malala, the young girl who of course stood up against the Taliban,” Kielburger said. “We were both backstage at We Day London. Malala, Your Highness so they met. Prince Harry put his arm around Malala for a photo and very loudly in the corner Malala’s mother in Urdu shouts ‘No, no no,’ which translated to ‘Not unless you marry her can you touch her.’”
According to Kielburger, the social faux pas embarrassed not only Prince Harry but Malala herself, who looked sheepish afterwards.
“The Prince was so red in his face at that moment and he was clasping his hands in the front,” Kielburger recalled. “Malala was so embarrassed.”
Kielburger said that the photo they did eventually take was markedly chaste.
“They posed like two teenagers would, no hands touching in a line up getting ready to go to a prom,” he joked. “Every young woman’s dream, and I don’t think the Prince had ever been told that he can’t put his arm around someone.”
Kielburger later added that the whole thing was “incredibly sweet and endearing,” which is why it sticks out in his memory.
The encounter took place an at event called the We Day assembly. The annual event promotes the empowerment of youth voices, including that of Malala, who famously stood up to the Taliban to demand an education. She and Prince Harry met at the event in London, though We Day takes place all over the world thanks to support from the United Nations.
Prince Harry supports this and several other humanitarian initiatives on a regular basis. The prince was given a Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership Award in 2012 thanks to the Atlantic Council.
Just last month, he also earned the Royal Canadian Legion’s 2018 Founders Award for helping to establish the Invictus Games.
