A report reveals how Prince Harry’s past behaviour led to the rejection of a Royal Mint proposal to honour Queen Elizabeth II’s grandchildren

Prince Harry’s controversial actions have reportedly cost his brother, Prince William, and other royal cousins a special recognition. In 2012, the Royal Mint had planned to release commemorative coins to celebrate the eight grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth II. However, the proposal was scrapped after concerns arose about some family members not maintaining “entirely positive public profiles,” according to a report by The Express.

The coins were intended to feature William, Harry, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Zara Tindall, Peter Phillips, Lady Louise Windsor, and James, Earl of Wessex. However, after discussions, the committee decided to abandon the project, fearing it would attract criticism and online trolling. Documents obtained through freedom of information laws by Sunday Mail highlighted that the key issue stemmed from Prince Harry’s negative press at the time, which overshadowed the proposal.

Royal biographer Andrew Lownie noted that Harry’s past controversies—including wearing a German WWII uniform to a costume party and a viral naked photo—were significant factors in the decision. “Prince Harry was certainly having a bad press at the time,” Lownie said, adding that while he disagreed with the idea of commemorating the Queen’s grandchildren on coins, the negative attention surrounding Harry played a major role.

While the Royal Mint’s rejection of the commemorative coins is seen as unfortunate for Harry’s family members, some still argue that the idea was overly extravagant. Lownie added that he doubted people would have eagerly purchased such coins, given their focus on the royal family rather than the monarchy itself.