Prince Harry 'shoved' by Malala Yousafzai's Mother in "Terrifying" Moment
Prince Harry was pushed away by Malala Yousafzai's mother during a photo opportunity, in an incident that Malala described as "terrifying."
Meeting Between Prince Harry and Malala Yousafzai
Malala, now 28, survived a Taliban assassination attempt in 2012 and was treated in Birmingham. She became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 2014 at age 17 for her advocacy for children's education.
During a meeting for a photo, Prince Harry placed his arm around Malala. However, her mother, due to cultural reasons, quickly intervened and removed his hand.
“Prince Harry was very, very sweet and he put his arm around me when we were taking a photo together, and my mum because of the culture, it’s a man putting an arm around a girl. I was a little girl and she just went up to Prince Harry and she shoved off his hand and said, ‘Remove - no touch.’ I was terrified when that was happening - poor Prince Harry, his face went red. He was then very very respectful but in that moment, I was thinking of what my mum had seen growing up as a kid.”
Context From Lorraine Kelly Interview
On the ITV morning show with Lorraine Kelly, Malala explained how her mother’s cultural perspective influenced her reaction, emphasizing the protective nature of her mother’s response to physical contact.
Summary
Despite the cultural misunderstanding, Malala described Prince Harry as "sweet" and noted his respectful reaction following the incident.
Author’s summary: This incident highlights cultural sensitivities and protective instincts intersecting during a high-profile meeting, showing respect and understanding on both sides.