Prince Harry Ridiculed For Skipping Pope Francis' Funeral To Attend Swanky Hollywood Event While Brother Prince William Attended With Fellow World Leaders — 'He's A Big Joke'
Prince Harry was slammed over skipping Pope Francis' funeral, which Prince William attended.
April 28 2025, Published 6:00 p.m. ET
Prince Harry has been slammed for choosing to attend a posh Hollywood event over Pope Francis' funeral, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Harry, 40, was branded a "clown" and accused of pandering to "Hollywood elites" while his brother, Prince William, attended the service alongside other world leaders and dignitaries.
William was selected to represent the Royal family at the funeral.
As photos of Harry giving a speech at the event made their rounds on social media, critics didn't hold back when comparing the brothers.
One X post blasted the Duke of Sussex, saying: "Prince William attending the funeral of Pope Francis. Prince Harry cracking jokes for Hollywood elites like a clown. What a difference."
A critic responded: "One is a statesman. The other is a loser, who buys awards to pretend he's accomplished something!"
Another chimed in: "I agree two very different men, with opposing moral compass."
Photos of Harry speaking at a Hollywood event on the same day of the funeral sparked outrage online.
While social media users slammed Harry for seemingly skipping the pontiff's funeral on April 26, one royal insider claimed he and wife Meghan Markle were never invited – and suggested they wouldn't have missed the PR opportunity if they had been extended an invitation.
The source told Hollywood insider Rob Shuter, who writes on Substack: "They absolutely would have gone if they were asked. It would have been a major opportunity for them to be seen on the world stage again."
Prior to the service, Buckingham Palace announced William, 42, was tapped to represent the Royal family at the funeral instead of King Charles.
A royal insider claimed Harry did not attend the funeral because he was not invited.
According to the insider, Harry and Markle would not have attended the funeral on behalf of the Crown because they are no longer full-time working royals.
The source said: "This wasn't about punishing them. They simply aren't working royals anymore. They don't represent the Crown.
"They like to claim they're happier outside the royal bubble. But moments like this remind them – painfully – just how far they've fallen."
While William attended the service, he did so without wife Kate Middleton by his side, sparking speculation about the state of their marriage as he transitioned to using the same lawyers who represented his late mother Princess Diana in her divorce from his father.
A source dismissed concern about William and Middleton, telling the Daily Mail: "William wanted to strike out on his own.
"He did not want to continue using his father's lawyers. It's as simple as that. He wants to be his own man."
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A royal expert further expected 'protocol' prevented King Charles from attending the service.
Royal expert Katie Nicholl further explained to Vanity Fair the king-in-waiting was chosen to attend the funeral because of "protocol and precedence, which dictates that the Sovereign does not attend funerals."
Another hurdle Harry would have had to overcome for himself and his wife to travel to the funeral is his ongoing fight for heightened security, an issue he's taken to court in the UK.
Despite the High Court upholding the government's decision to downgrade Harry and his family's security detail, the duke has not backed down and the case is currently being appealed.
