Sean Ono Lennon, the son of the late musician John Lennon and Yoko Ono, unleashed a scathing attack on Prince Harry, labeling him an “idiot.” The 48-year-old country artist stirred controversy when he shared a biting joke about the Duke of Sussex’s memoir, Spare, on social media. Lennon wrote, “My long awaited review of Prince Harry’s autobiography is two words. ‘Spare Me.’”
The musician’s remark sparked an immediate backlash from Prince Harry’s supporters, who rallied to defend the royal. Despite the criticism, Lennon intensified his verbal attack, recounting a previous encounter with Princess Diana‘s youngest son. He declared, “Actually I am aware [that we have things in common]. We met once. That was before I realized he was an idiot.”
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As the controversy escalated, Lennon sought to justify his initial post, clarifying, “It was a pun. But he deserves to be mocked after that todger episode. He’ll be fine.” (The “todger” reference alludes to a passage in Prince Harry’s memoir in which he describes using his late mother’s favorite lip cream to treat his frostbitten penis, which he referred to as his “todger.”)
In the face of mounting support for the duke, with many highlighting the personal tragedies he has endured, Lennon remained steadfast in his criticism. He stated, “That is very sad. I don’t hold any of that against him. It’s the stupidity that bothers me.” The musician further elaborated, “Just because I made a joke does not mean I don’t empathize with him. I do actually. Also why I’m very disappointed with his outlook. I was hoping he’d be smarter.”
Lennon’s scathing critique of Prince Harry’s memoir was more than just disagreement, as he expressed disappointment with the royal’s perceived whining. “I do empathize with him generally. But the way he whines and wangs on about things is really too much,” the Oscar-winning singer retorted to another commenter. “I’m just having a little fun. I think he’s earned some mockery. (I’m sure I have as well).”
When a Sussex fan suggested that Lennon might be envious of Prince Harry’s success as a best-selling author, the musician swiftly dismissed the notion, asserting, “I mean, I don’t care but I did win an Oscar this year so…I think I’m doing okay.” Lennon won an Academy Award in March for Best Animated Short Film for War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko. He co-wrote the film with director Dave Mullins.
The uproar surrounding Lennon’s comments took a troubling turn when he revealed that he had received death threats in response to his mockery of Prince Harry and his memoir. In a statement on X/Twitter, the musician’s son disclosed, “I’ve had 3–4 death threats since making fun of Harry’s book title and then later saying it was justified because he’s an idiot and that he and I both deserve to be mocked. Yay internet.”
