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Did Prince Harry get a secret tattoo while in New York City?

Here’s what we know.

Prince Harry was in New York City last week to attend and speak at multiple summits.

But it seems that attending these events wasn’t the only thing on his itinerary, as the Duke of Sussex was spotted at a tattoo parlour that has been frequented by many other A-list celebrities. Could the Prince be sporting some new ink?

Prince Harry in New York September 2024.
Prince Harry spoke at the Clinton Global Initiative on 23 September 2024. (Credit: Getty)

A video of the Duke leaving a popular New York tattoo parlour has gone viral on X (formerly Twitter), with royal watchers speculating on the likelihood that Prince Harry has gotten a tattoo. The parlour, East Side Ink, has tattooed numerous celebrities including Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Susan Sarandon, Ruby Rose and Bruce Willis.

According to PEOPLE, he was in the shop for about an hour on Wednesday, 25 September, although East Side Ink has neither confirmed nor denied whether the Prince actually got a tattoo while he was there.

Us Weekly alleges that Harry visited the parlour to shoot a promotional video for an unknown project.

Prince Harry and Jimmy Fallon.
While he was in New York, Harry appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. (Credit: Getty)

If the Duke of Sussex did in fact get a tattoo, it would be a huge stray from royal tradition, as senior royals typically avoid any body modification.

Despite having a reputation for being one of the more rebellious members of the British royal family, PopSugar reported in 2018 that it would be very unlikely for Prince Harry to get any tattoos.

However, the publication suggested that prior to he and wife Meghan Markle’s step back from royal life – could the Duke have had a change of heart?

Princess Eugenie and Lady Amelia Windsor's tattoos.
Princess Eugenie and Amelia Windsor both have tattoos. (Credit: Getty)

While it’s uncommon for royals to have tattoos, it’s not completely unheard of. 

Princess Eugenie of York has a small black circle tattooed behind her left ear, while Lady Amelia Windsor has many tattoos, including three bear cubs, a tiger on her left shoulder blade, and a petal on her rib cage.

These are some of the most modern cases of royals getting tattoos, but back in the 1800s, King George V also reportedly had some ink of his own.

It’s alleged the former monarch got a dragon on one arm and a tiger on the other while he was serving in the Royal Navy back in 1881.

Is Prince Harry the newest member of the British royal family to get a tattoo?

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