Prince Harry spotted on commercial flight returning from Rome

Passengers aboard a British Airways flight travelling from Rome to London were surprised to find a royal among them - Prince Harry.

The Duke of Sussex was in the Italian capital earlier this week to attend the Sentebale Polo Cup, held for his Sentebale charity, which he founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to support children living with HIV/AIDS.

The new father was recognised by a woman travelling on the same flight, who shared her experience as well as pictures she took of the royal on social media

These were then shared to an Instagram fan account for the couple.

“As I’m standing there, I look over and see a guy who looks like Prince Harry,” the fellow passenger wrote. “And he has a wedding ring on and looks very tired. The guy next to me looks like security and is glaring at me. Finally my brain clicks and I realise, it is Prince Harry on the way back to London from Rome.”

When he realised he’d been recognised, the passenger said Harry politely smiled and said: "Hi."

The woman also noted that the royal thanked the first class crew and pilot before getting off the plane.

The images have since been liked more than 19,000 times.

Some fans said they were pleased that the royal was so down to Earth, while others compared him to his mother, the late Princess Diana.

“Diana raised him right, I would have been thrilled,” one person wrote.

Another said: “He truly is very humble just like his mum!”