Prince Harry Slams Joe Rogan Over Comments on Coronavirus Vaccine

Prince Harry was a guest on the latest episode of Dax Shepard's podcast Armchair Expert, and he did not hold back his frustration with podcasterJoe Rogan's dismissive rhetoric over the COVID-19 vaccine."The issue is in today's world with misinformation endemic, you've got to be careful about what comes out of your mouth," Prince Harry said to Shepard and cohost Monica Padman. Prince Harry and Rogan both have exclusive podcasting deals with Spotify, so it's notable that the royal was willing to call him out.

"If you're like 21 years old, and you say to me, 'Should I get vaccinated?' I'll go no," Rogan told listeners of The Joe Rogan Experience. "If you're a healthy person, and you're exercising all the time, and you're young, and you're eating well, I don't think you need to worry about this." Over the course of the pandemic, 3.34 million people have died from the coronavirus worldwide, including 584K in the United States alone, many of whom were young and healthy when they contracted the virus. Additionally, asymptomatic people can still give the virus to others, putting the vulnerable members of society at risk.

Rogan later clarified his remarks. "I said, 'I believe [the vaccines are] safe,' and I encouraged many people to take them… My parents were vaccinated. I just said, 'I don't think that if you're a young, healthy person, that you need it.'" Prince Harry explained that Rogan's remarks were out of line and that it would have been better for him to "stay out of it" because "with a platform comes responsibility." Shepard repleid that he thought Rogan's remarks were "ridiculous" and "stupid," but stated that the podcast host was entitled to his opinion.

Prince Harry and Shepard discussed many things over the course of the interview, including the "vile, toxic abuse" that he and Meghan Markle had received online as well as how they kept a low profile during their courtship. He also revealed how "free" he felt now that they had moved away from the Royal Family and were living in California. Prince Harry said that "living here now I can actually lift my head and actually I feel different, my shoulders have dropped, so has hers, you can walk around feeling a little bit more free," adding that he "can take Archie on the back of my bicycle. I never had the chance to do that."