Prince Harry 'Shoved' by Malala Yousafzai's Mother in 'Terrifying' Moment
Prince Harry was pushed away by Malala Yousafzai's mother during a photo opportunity, in an incident the activist later described as "terrifying." Despite calling the Duke of Sussex "sweet," Malala revealed her mother did not approve of his behavior.
Meeting Context
Malala, 28, had been treated in Birmingham after surviving a Taliban assassination attempt in 2012. She was meeting Prince Harry following her achievement as the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate, receiving the prize at age 17 in 2014 for advocating children’s right to education.
The Incident
- Malala joined Prince Harry for a photo, during which he put his arm around her.
- Due to cultural reasons, her mother reacted strongly, as it was a man touching a young girl.
- Her mother quickly removed his hand, saying, “Remove - no touch.”
- Malala described feeling terrified as the moment unfolded, noticing Prince Harry’s face turn red.
- Following that, Prince Harry behaved very respectfully.
“Prince Harry was very, very sweet and he put his arm around me when we were taking a photo together, and my mum because of the culture, it’s a man putting an arm around a girl. I was a little girl and she just went up to Prince Harry and she shoved off his hand and said, ‘Remove - no touch.’ I was terrified when that was happening - poor Prince Harry, his face went red. He was then very very respectful but in that moment, I was thinking of what my mum had seen growing up as a kid.”
Cultural Sensitivity Highlighted
Malala’s mother’s reaction reflects cultural norms regarding physical contact between men and young girls, emphasizing the protective stance shaped by her experiences.
Author’s summary: Malala Yousafzai described a tense moment when her mother stopped Prince Harry's affectionate gesture due to cultural boundaries, highlighting respect and sensitivity across cultures.