What Prince Harry Said About Diddy in His Book

Prince Harry discussed booking Sean "Diddy" Combs to play at a concert in honor of Princess Diana in his memoir, Spare.

The Duke of Sussex was referenced in a court filing in a lawsuit accusing the rapper of sex trafficking brought by music producer Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones. There is no suggestion Harry was aware of allegations against Combs and he hasn't been accused of any impropriety.

Harry briefly references the only known meeting between him and Combs in his book, Spare, at a concert in honor of his mother, Princess Diana, which he held alongside Prince William in July 2007.

"To mark the tenth anniversary of our mother's death," he wrote, "Willy and I organized a concert in her honor. The proceeds would go to her favorite charities, and to a new charity I'd just launched—Sentebale.

"Its mission: the fight against HIV in Lesotho, particularly among children. (Sentebale is the Sesotho word for 'forget-me-not,' Mummy's favorite flower).

"While planning the concert Willy and I were emotionless. All business. It's
the anniversary, we need to do this, there are a million details, full stop.

"The venue had to be big enough (Wembley Stadium) and the tickets had to be priced right (forty-five pounds) and the entertainers had to be A-list (Elton John,
Duran Duran, P. Diddy)."

Harry's reference to Combs was just as brief as the court filing's reference to him, suggesting he didn't leave the meeting with any particularly strong or noteworthy memories.

Instead, he mainly talks about Elton John, a friend of Harry's and also of Diana's during her lifetime.

The prince wrote: "As the song ended, Elton jumped up, introduced us. Their Royal Highnesses, Prince William and Prince Harry! The applause was deafening, like nothing we'd ever heard.

"We'd been applauded in the streets, at polo games, parades, operas, but never in a place this cavernous, or in a context this charged. Willy walked out, I followed, each of us wearing a blazer and open shirt, as if going to a school dance. We were both frightfully nervous.

"On any topic, but especially on the topic of Mummy, we weren't accustomed to public speaking.

"(In fact, we weren't accustomed to private speaking about her.) But standing
before 65,000 people, and another 500 million watching live in 140 countries,
we were paralyzed."

Had Harry waxed lyrical about his love of Combs he would be in a deeply embarrassing position now, following the recent allegations against the musician, which have been gathering pace since November.

Combs' properties were also raided by Homeland Security on Monday, March 25.

As it stands, unless further evidence emerges, the vague connection between them is unlikely to affect Harry in the way that Prince Andrew's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein has damaged the Duke of York's reputation.

What the Court Filing Says About Prince Harry

A filing from Jones' New York civil lawsuit, seen by Newsweek, reads: "Mr. Combs was known for throwing the 'best' parties.

"Affiliation with and/or general business partnerships with Mr. Combs garnered legitimacy, immense success, and access to top and emerging artists, celebrities, famous athletes, political figures, musicians, and international dignitaries like British Royal and Prince Harry."

There is no other reference to Harry in the document, raising questions about why he was included at all. The case is at an early stage and further details could emerge later.

Aaron Dyer, Combs' attorney, said in a statement: "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."

Jack Royston is Newsweek's chief royal correspondent based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

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