Prince Harry's name has appeared in court filings made in connection with music producer Rodney Jones' $30 million lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs.
Jones filed his lawsuit on February 26, making a number of accusations against Combs, including sexual misconduct and grooming. Jones has also accused Combs of participating in sex-trafficking activity.
Attorneys for Combs have strongly denied the allegations, previously telling Newsweek: "We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies."
Jones' filing to the federal district court in New York lists in detail his allegations, with one section claiming that Combs' music industry associates (who are also named in the lawsuit) financially benefited from facilitating his alleged unlawful behavior, gaining access to his powerful connections—including Prince Harry—in the process.
Among the benefits enjoyed by music industry parties, Jones' lawyers claimed, was "affiliation and access to Mr. Combs' popularity."
In the court filing, seen by Newsweek, it is alleged that through this popularity Combs' associates gained access to "celebrities such as famous athletes, political figures, artists, musicians, and international dignitaries like British Royal, Prince Harry."
The prince has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Newsweek has approached representatives of Prince Harry via email for comment.
The extent, if any, of Combs' association with the royal is not known.
Harry and Combs have been publicly photographed together only once.
In 2007 the rapper was invited to play at a special concert in London, organized to mark the tenth anniversary of Princess Diana's death.
Titled "Concert for Diana," the lineup of performers included Combs, Elton John, Pharrell Williams, Lily Allen, Kanye West and Andrea Bocelli.
After the show, both Princes William and Harry were photographed meeting groups of the performers, with images showing them posing with Combs and Kanye West.
Five years later, Combs gave an interview to The Sun newspaper in Britain ahead of a trip to London in which he said he would like to party with Harry.
"I really can't wait to get to the U.K. as London is one of my favorite cities. I'm also hoping I'll get to catch up with Prince Harry while I'm there. He's such a cool guy and it's about time we hung out," he said. "I need him to take me to some of those wild Mayfair clubs!"
Jones is not the only associate of Combs to file a legal suit against him in recent months. In November 2023, the rapper's ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, filed a lawsuit alleging sexual abuse. This was settled out of court after filing.
In December 2023, a lawsuit was filed by a party identified as "Jane Doe" which alleged the star had trafficked and sexually abused her. On December 6, in a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), Combs appeared to respond to the recent allegations made against him, issuing a strong denial.
"Enough is Enough," he said. "For the last couple weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth."
On March 25, 2024, federal agents conducted raids on Combs' homes in Beverly Hills and Miami.
The Associated Press reported that the raids were connected with allegations of sex trafficking, citing law enforcement sources.
In a statement on Tuesday, Combs' attorney, Aaron Dyer, said: "Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs' residences. There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated. Mr. Combs was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities.
"Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way. This unprecedented ambush—paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence—leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits. There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name."
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Update 03/27/24, 5:12 a.m. ET: This article was updated with a statement from Combs' lawyer.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
