Prince Harry declares he is 'anti-selfie' as he refuses picture with young woman

The Prince's stance puts him at odds with other senior royal family members who are more receptive to the craze

Prince Harry, left, meets South Africa's Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu as part of his week-long visit to South Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, Monday, Nov. 30, 2015.
Prince Harry meets South Africa's Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu in Cape Town as part of his week-long visit to South Africa Credit: Photo: AP

Prince Harry has put himself at odds with other senior royal family members by declaring that he is “anti-selfie” as he refused to be photographed with a young woman in South Africa.

Responding to a request from a member of Desmond Tutu’s entourage for a photograph, he said: "I'm afraid I'm anti-selfie."

The Prince made the comments in the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation on the Cape waterfront, after presenting presented the retired Archbishop with the Order of the Companion of Honour.

Prince Harry presents the Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu with the Order of the Companion of Honour at the offices of The Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town on the first day of his visit to South Africa, November 30, 2015

This is not the first time the fifth in line to the throne has taken a hard line against the practise.

"No, I hate selfies," the Prince told her. "Seriously, you need to get out of it. I know you're young, but selfies are bad."

He added: "Just take a normal photograph."

However, the Prince has on occasion relaxed his no-selfie rule.

During his first visit to Estonia last year, to lay a wreath to the country’s war dead in Freedom Square in Tallinn, he posed with an attractive blonde woman while she took a picture on her phone.

Meanwhile, other royal family members are more receptive towards selfies.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge appeared in a whole clutch of photographs taken by people in the crowd in Sydney, some of which they agreed to pose for, while others were cheekily snapped as they passed by.

Nina Kiwarkis, 52, from Sydney, managed to get separate pictures of herself with first the Duke and then the Duchess outside Sydney Opera House after she was chosen to be introduced to them because she is waiting for a heart and lung transplant.

Marian Khamis and the Duchess
Marian Khamis and the Duchess

Her friend Marian Khamis also managed to get a selfie with the Duchess before she moved on further down the crowd and was photographed by Chloe Skafte, a 19-year-old student who gave the Duchess a bunch of flowers.

A teenager tries to take a selfie infront of Queen Elizabeth II during a walk around St. Georges Market in Belfast

Andrew took the photo at the final of his Pitch @ Palace competition at St James’s Palace, and posted the image to Twitter.

Andrew took the photographic self-portrait at the final of his Pitch @ Palace competition at St James’s Palace

However, he later bemoaned the royal selfie craze as he admitted he finds it "disconcerting" when he is faced with banks of iPads rather than faces when he is attending public engagements.

According to Matthew Barzun, the American ambassador to the UK, the Queen told him she found it "strange" to look out on a sea of mobile phones in a crowd. "She was essentially saying, 'I miss eye contact'," he said.

In Johannesburg he will meet Mr Mandela's widow Graca Machel and visit a centre dedicated to the former world leader.

Prince Harry and Archbishop Desmond Tutu wave during their meeting in Cape Town

A Kensington Palace spokeswoman said: "Prince Harry was keen to focus on a number of key themes where he has been actively working for some time, and where he feels he can make a difference.

"First of all, he was keen to understand some of the issues facing the hardest to reach young people in South Africa today and the positive ways they are being supported to overcome this.

"He also wanted to support his brother's work in drawing attention to the ongoing critical conservation crisis, and the efforts being made on the ground by the highly skilled rangers.

Prince Harry holding hands with the Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu after he presented him with the Order of the Companion of Honour at the offices of The Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town on the first day of his visit to South Africa, Monday November 30, 2015.

"In addition he asked to highlight the recent history of South Africa. His visit will come shortly before the second anniversary of President Mandela's passing on 5th December 2013, and provides an opportunity once again to reflect on the legacy of this great man and how it is inspiring South Africa's younger generations to take the country forward."

Prince Harry visiting Ottery youth detention centre in Cape Town

The Prince met visited Tutu at his foundation's offices in Cape Town and learned about the Nobel Peace Prize winner's work in promoting human rights and helping young people get jobs.

Tutu thanked the Prince for his work in Lesotho, saying he was "touched" by the prince's commitment to the country, where Tutu once served as bishop.