Why Prince Harry got scolded by Malala Yousafzai's mom: 'His face went red'

Why Prince Harry Got Scolded by Malala Yousafzai's Mom: 'His Face Went Red'

Malala Yousafzai shared a story about an unexpectedly awkward moment during a royal encounter. On October 31, during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show, the Nobel Peace Prize winner recalled how her mother firmly reprimanded Prince Harry after he put his arm around Malala for a photo.

Cultural Traditions and a Strict Reaction

Malala explained her mother's strictness due to their cultural background. “My mum was very strict, she wanted me to stick to the Pakistani traditional culture,” Malala said. When Prince Harry placed his arm around her shoulder while taking a photo, her mother intervened immediately.

“My mum goes up to him and she says, ‘Remove.’ She just, like, shoves off his hand,” Malala recalled.

At the time, Malala was 17 years old. She described the protective attitude of her family, rooted in cultural traditions. On Lorraine Kelly's ITV show, Malala added more details about the incident:

“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.”

Later Connection

Despite the initial awkwardness, Malala and Prince Harry reconnected in 2020. They had a virtual conversation along with Meghan Markle on International Day of the Girl.

Summary

This encounter highlights the impact of cultural customs on interpersonal interactions, even during high-profile meetings.

The News International — 2025-11-04