Prince Harry slammed as bizarre gesture spotted in royal tour video

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Australia last week.

Prince Harry pictured at Bondi Beach on April 17 (Image: GETTY)

Prince Harry has been slammed by royal fans after a bizarre gesture during his visit to Australia was caught on camera. The 41-year-old made a four-day visit Down Under with his wife, Meghan Markle, a trip that saw the couple take on numerous joint and separate engagements.

On the final day of their trip, Harry and Meghan walked alongside lifeguards and spectators towards the coast of Bondi Beach, the site of a terror attack last year, which claimed the lives of 15 people and injured many others.

In the video, the Duke of Sussex could be seen slapping the bottom of one of the male lifeguards – a move that didn’t go down well with royal fans. The clip, shared on social media, attracted widespread attention, with many clearly disappointed by Harry’s “inappropriate” gesture to a stranger.

Taking to X, one fan commented: “Not appropriate at all! Could you imagine Prince William slapping a stranger’s bottom on a work engagement?

“And no, the guy didn’t look happy. I mean, this was the place where people were slaughtered in a terror attack, Meghan’s posing for pics, and he’s slapping butts?”

Another commented: “Oh my goodness, I did not see that. What in the world is wrong with this guy?”

A third added: “A grown man slapping a rescuer’s behind (on camera no less) makes zero sense. What the heck is going on here!”

Later that day, Meghan appeared at the first day of the Her Best Life podcast retreat – where Harry was spotted in the audience supporting his wife.

The couple then returned home to the US to be reunited with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.