Prince Harry’s Blue Cap Blunder Upsets Canada

The Duke of Sussex has issued an apology to Canada after wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers hat during Game 4 of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Prince Harry joked he was "under duress" when he donned the bright blue cap, explaining that he thought it was "the polite thing to do" after being invited to the game by the Dodgers' owner.

Canadian Fans React

His choice of headgear drew criticism from Canadians, who felt he should have shown allegiance to the only Canadian team in Major League Baseball. Prince Harry’s father, King Charles, serves as the head of state for Canada and 13 other Commonwealth realms, adding to the scrutiny.

A Lighthearted Apology

“Firstly, I would like to apologise to Canada for wearing it,” Prince Harry said. “Secondly, I was under duress. There wasn’t much choice.” During the interview, he sported a Toronto Blue Jays hat, quipping, “When you’re missing a lot of hair on top, and you’re sitting under floodlights, you’ll take any hat that’s available.”

Switching Allegiances

The prince promised to wear a Blue Jays hat moving forward and supported Toronto in subsequent games. The Duchess of Sussex, a Los Angeles native, shared a clip on social media showing Prince Harry cheering for the Dodgers’ win in Game 7.

Meeting Canadian Veterans

While visiting Canada, Prince Harry received a Blue Jays hat during a Remembrance event, meeting with the nation’s oldest veterans. He also noted that openly admitting his support for Toronto might make his reception in California more difficult.

Royal Life in California

Since stepping back as full-time royals in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, a former actress who lived in Canada while filming Suits, have resided in California. Their appearance at the Dodgers’ stadium drew mixed reactions from US fans, some unhappy about the couple’s front-row seats during the 18-inning game.

In a related essay published this week, Prince Harry wrote about “What it means to be British,” praising pub banter, sports culture, and good-humoured self-deprecation as defining traits of British identity, ahead of his visits with military veterans in Canada.