Prince Harry 'spotted in UK pub' on birthday weekend as Duke of Sussex turns 40
Royal enthusiasts were in for a surprise when they 'spotted Prince Harry' in the UK on his 40th birthday.
The Duke of Sussex, who marked the milestone 40 on Sunday (September 15), has been living in Montecito, California with his wife Meghan Markle since their departure from the UK in 2020. His birthday was celebrated on social media by fans and distant family members, despite his limited visits back to Britain in recent years.
However, Londoners were taken aback when they seemingly saw what appeared to be the prince enjoying time at a pub in the capital over the weekend. But it turned out that the 'prince' was actually just a wax figure.
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Madame Tussaud's lent the realistic waxwork of to the Duke of Sussex pub in the south-eastern neighbourhood of Peckham in honour of its namesake's birthday, and it was displayed alongside a wax model of Meghan. The story was shared on Virgin Media News' X (previously known as Twitter) account, in a post which read: "In London, The #DukeofSussex pub in Peckham marked #PrinceHarry's 40th birthday with a special celebration.
"The pub hosted a wax figure of Harry, on loan from Madame Tussauds London, alongside a figure of his wife, #MeghanMarkle. #RoyalFamily."
Social media users quickly reacted to the news, with numerous people extending birthday wishes to Harry. One user commented: "Sounds like fun. Happy birthday Harry," while another added: "Love it!!!! I would so visit just for this."
Affection poured in from Royal enthusiasts as one commented: "Happy Birthday to our one and only Prince Henry [Harry's birth name]. The Duke of Sussex."
Another expressed regret at missing out: "Wow had I been to London this weekend was going to go there and have a pint."
But the waxwork model of the royals drew scepticism from some quarters. One individual remarked with candour: "No one else wanted it so what the heck....."
Meanwhile, a different commentator quipped: "Did they pull the figures out of the dumpster behind Tussauds? No one is interested in them anymore."