Why Prince Harry Got Scolded by Malala Yousafzai's Mom
Malala Yousafzai recently shared a royal encounter that took an unexpectedly awkward turn during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show on October 31. The Nobel Peace Prize winner recalled how her mother firmly admonished Prince Harry after he put his arm around Malala for a photo.
Cultural Differences Lead to a Tense Moment
“My mum was also very strict, she wanted me to stick to the Pakistani traditional culture,” Malala explained. “So when I met Prince Harry, we were taking a photo together and he put his arm around my shoulder and my mum goes up to him and she says, ‘Remove.’ She just, like, shoves off his hand.”
Malala, 17 at the time, revealed that her family’s protective response was rooted in cultural customs. She added more detail during an interview on Lorraine Kelly's ITV show:
“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.”
A Friendship Reignited
Despite the socially awkward first meeting, Malala and the Duke of Sussex later reconnected in 2020. They had a virtual conversation with Meghan Markle on International Day of the Girl, showing that the initial cultural clash did not prevent their friendship from growing.
Summary
This story highlights how cultural values can influence interactions, even between high-profile figures, sometimes leading to surprising but human moments.