Why Prince Harry Is Mentioned in Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Against Diddy
One accuser noted that Diddy's perceived "affiliation" with Prince Harry gave him an air of "legitimacy" in spite of Diddy's alleged illegal activity.
Prince Harry's name was mentioned in a lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs, but was not implicated in any crimes or wrongdoing. Combs is facing numerous allegations of sexual abuse, and The Daily Mail obtained one prominent lawsuit filed against him by record producer Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones. In the court documents, Jones argued that Combs' association with Prince Harry helped to lend him an air of "legitimacy."
Jones filed his lawsuit against Combs in late February – the first man to join a growing chorus of women who accused Combs of sexual abuse. In Jones' case, he claimed that Combs sexually harassed him while they worked together, and that Combs drugged him and threatened him. While working with Combs as a music producer and videographer in 2022 and 2023, Jones claims he was groped, assaulted and exposed to illegal activities like drug use and prostitution by Combs and other members of his entourage. To some royal admirers' concern, Jones mentioned Prince Harry in the lawsuit as well.
The Duke of Sussex is mentioned once in the 73-page lawsuit, in a section explaining how Combs insulated himself from consequences for his alleged illegal activities. It says that Combs' "access to celebrities such as famous athletes, political figures, artists, musicians and international dignitaries like British Royal, Prince Harry" helped put people at ease and draw them into Combs' circle. The suit does not accuse Prince Harry of any wrongdoing or imply that he was aware of Combs' alleged activity.
Jones was the fifth person to sue Combs for alleged sexual abuse, and the fourth in under six months. Combs settled one lawsuit out of court in 2019, but a cascade of accusations went to court starting in November of 2023. Many accused Combs of participating in human trafficking, sexual assault and "revenge porn," with some allegations dating back to the early 1990s. However, these stories really began to make headlines last week when the Department of Homeland Security executed a coordinated raid on Combs' homes in Los Angeles, New York and Miami all at the same time.
Federal agents reportedly seized computers and other electronic devices during these raids, which were all a part of one ongoing investigation. However, the details of that investigation have not been made public. Combs has not been detained at the time of this writing and is currently out of the country on an approved vacation. It's unclear where lawsuits like Jones' are headed as well.