Prince Harry’s hair has been a topic of conversation over the past few years following various appearances, but his former hairstylist gave him some savage advice – get a hair transplant.

The discussion heated up when the Duke of Sussex mocked brother Prince William’s thinning hair in his memoir Spare. Then, when a photo of Prince Harry appeared from his collaboration with corporate company Better Up, fans questioned if his hair had been altered, Photoshopped or if he bit the bullet and really had a transplant.

It’s clear from recent photos that the 40-year-old hasn’t. But his former hairstylist had enough and spoke out about his ginger locks.
Harry’s former hairstylist has taken a swipe at his “thinning” locks (Credit: Cover Images)

What has happened to Harry’s hair?

Much like many people around the world, mostly men, it seems Prince Harry hair has been suffering from thinning out.

He follows in the footsteps of his brother and heir to the British throne, William, and dad King Charles. Male balding, or hair loss, can be caused by genetics, hormones or a mixture of both.

It’s a normal part of aging. It typically follows a pattern where the hairline recedes and/or the hair on the crown and top of the head thins out.

But Prince Harry has been given advice from his former hairstylist, Sam McKnight MBE, over his “thinning” hair. Sam has urged the royal to “let it go” and embrace a clean shave – just like his older brother, Prince William. Sam McKnight is a celebrity hairdresser who famously worked closely with William and Prince Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana.

He shared his advice, reminiscing about the days when both princes had “magnificent, thick, healthy crowning glories”.

Celebrity hairstylist tells Prince Harry he needs a hair transplant

Prince Harry, pictured here in 2008, had thick hair growing up (Credit: SplashNews.com)
In a cheeky but cutting post, Sam urged Prince Harry, 40, to accept his thinning locks and opt for a short haircut like his brother William.

“It’s time, Harry! Many moons ago, when you and your brother were young boys, you both had the most magnificent, thick, healthy crowning glories, just like mum,” Sam wrote.

If I were your age, I’d go for a transplant – so much more natural these days.

He recalled spending afternoons shaping and thinning the young princes’ hair but admitted that those days are long gone.

Sam said: “However, just like myself, the lush hedging is no more – a mere wisp or two of its former self.” While suggesting a close shave as the best solution for Prince Harry, Sam also cheekily said that the royal might want to consider a hair transplant to restore his famous ginger locks.

He said: “If I were your age, I’d go for a transplant – so much more natural these days, unlike the plug plants of yore.”

Noting that California offers some of the best hair restoration clinics, he joked that Harry wouldn’t even need to take a quick trip to Turkey, a hotspot for hair transplant tourism.

“And no need for a quick EasyJet trip to Turkey! You’re in California, where they have the best!” he continued.

Sam wrapped up his lighthearted but pointed advice with a final plea.

He concluded: “So Harry, from one baldy to another, it’s time. As they say in Disneyland – ‘Let It Go’. Sent from your old hairdresser, Sam, with love, a wink and a smile.”
The Duke of Sussex’s hair loss has become more and more noticeable (Credit: Cover Images)

Harry’s comments about Prince William’s ‘thinning’ hair

Prince Harry has seemingly been battling hair loss for years, just like his William and father King Charles. In his controversial 2023 memoir Spare, Harry mocked William’s baldness. The duke called it “alarming” and said it was more “advanced than mine”.

Despite making jokes at William’s expense, Harry himself has allegedly been spotted seeking hair restoration treatments.

In 2020, the Duke of Sussex reportedly visited the prestigious Philip Kingsley Trichological Clinic in London’s Mayfair. The clinic specialises in hair thickening treatments for the ultra-wealthy.

“Harry’s visit caused a real stir,” a source at the time told The Sun. “This company is so prestigious. It’s one of the best places in the world.”

Unlike his younger brother, Prince William has fully embraced his baldness. In 2018, the Prince of Wales famously debuted a No1 buzz cut.

Prince Harry mocked William’s ‘thinning hair’ in his memoir (Credit: Tayfun Salci/ZUMA Press/Cover Images)

Why don’t the royals get hair transplants?

While there are no specific rules for royals when it comes to cosmetic treatments, it’s likely down to embracing aging naturally and avoiding public scrutiny they’d face if they did go under the knife.

It simply seems they’re comfortable with their look and don’t feel the need to change it. It’s up to the individual if they want to pursue a hair transplant – whether that was Prince Harry or William.

Taking King Charles as an example, his bald patch made headlines when he was the Prince of Wales. It caused such a stir that Charles made a point of speaking with the photographer who took his photo.

Arthur Edwards, who snapped the picture, remembered the iconic moment all those years ago.

He said: “I photographed him leaving the polo match in the late ’70s, maybe ’78 or ’79. [King Charles] had this huge bald patch at the back of his head, he hadn’t bothered to comb over it because he was in a rush to get back to London.

“It appeared as a splash picture the next day, it would have been the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, that’s the day it was.

“It was a massive picture, it had a headline ‘Oops Charles, you’ve got a patch in your thatch’.

“Three days later, a policeman said at a polo match in Windsor, ‘He wants to have a word with you’. He came up, ‘Are you the person who took a picture of my bald spot?’ I said ‘Yes sir, have you been getting a lot of stick about it?’

“‘Who saw it?’, [Edwards replied] ‘Well, it would have been about seven million people’.

“He said ‘Oh my god, that’s why everywhere I go people are photographing the back of my head’. He was quite cheerful about it, but that was my first conversation with him.”

Read more: Prince Harry seen in new video message after being ‘heartbroken’ and ‘wounded’