Prince Harry's patronage rumour shut down by Princess Diana's hairstylist

Princess Diana’s former hairdresser is shutting down one of the most damaging rumours surrounding Prince Harry.

Speaking to People magazine in an interview published September 29, Mr. Dalton — who styled Diana’s hair for nearly a decade — revealed how painful the speculation about Harry’s paternity had been for the late ex-wife of King Charles III.

Ever since the Duke of Sussex’s birth, his striking red hair — which neither his parents nor brother Prince William had — combined with Diana’s admission to having an affair with Major James Hewitt has fuelled rumours about his patronage.

But Dalton insists the truth is far simpler.

"Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, when I used to cut his hair, his hair was bright red," he recalled. "Lady Sarah, also red. The Spencers definitely had red hair."

Despite this, the press refused to let go of the story. Even King Charles, Harry claims in his 2023 memoir Spare, would cruelly joke about the rumour.

"Pa liked telling stories, and this was one of the best in his repertoire," Harry wrote, quoting Charles as saying, "Maybe your real father is in Broadmoor, darling boy!"

Harry described the gag as "a remarkably unfunny joke" given the public obsession with Hewitt.

"Never mind that my mother didn’t meet Major Hewitt until long after I was born," he added. "The story was simply too good to drop."