A simple baseball game turned into a major diplomatic hiccup for Prince Harry, sparking online fury and leading to a public apology from the Duke of Sussex. The incident, now famously dubbed 'Hatgate', occurred when Harry and Meghan Markle were spotted enjoying the World Series game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Spark That Lit the Fire: A Simple Baseball Cap
The controversy centred entirely on Prince Harry's choice of headwear. He was seen sporting a cap for the LA Dodgers, a decision that did not sit well with fans in Canada. Given that the opposing team was the Toronto Blue Jays, many felt the Prince, who has deep personal ties to the Commonwealth nation, should have shown his support for the Canadian side.
The backlash on social media platform X was swift and severe. One user expressed the collective disappointment, writing, "This was literally Harry in his Dodgers cap at the game. He doesn't give a s*** about Canada OR the Jays." Another critic questioned his loyalty, stating, "Doesn’t he realize that it would have been so much cooler if he got those seats, and wore a Blue Jays hat? Show a little conviction, loyalty maybe?"
Prince Harry's Public Apology and Explanation
Faced with the growing international incident, Prince Harry directly addressed the controversy in an interview with CTV News. Labelling the event "Hatgate", he began by stating, "Firstly I would like to apologise to Canada for wearing it."
He then offered a two-part explanation for his sartorial choice. Firstly, he claimed he was "under duress" as a guest of the LA Dodgers owner. "I was invited to the LA Dodgers box or the dugout by the owner himself so I thought I was doing what was the polite thing to do," he explained.
Secondly, the Duke lightened the mood with a self-deprecating joke about his receding hairline. "But the other piece to this was... when you're missing a lot of hair on top and you're sitting under floodlights, you'll take any hat that's available," he said. He was quick to reassure everyone that his allegiance lay with Toronto, stating he supported the Blue Jays through games five, six, and seven, and jokingly added that this admission would make it "really hard for me to return to Los Angeles."
Why Canadians Took the Hat So Personally
The strong reaction from Canada was rooted in the couple's significant connections to the country. Meghan Markle lived in Toronto for seven years while filming her hit show 'Suits', and has often referred to the city as her home. For his part, Prince Harry trained with the Canadian forces during his military career. As a British prince and a figure within the Commonwealth, the expectation for him to support the Canadian team felt like a natural show of solidarity to many.
Fortunately, his public apology seems to have quelled the anger. Social media sentiment shifted, with one person commenting, "Prince Harry apologized to CA for wearing the LA Dodgers hat. Lov this man," indicating that the 'Hatgate' scandal had reached a peaceful resolution.
