Prince Harry has raised concern over what he described as a deeply troubling increase in anti-Semitism across the United Kingdom, using a detailed opinion article published in The New Statesman to call for a clearer distinction between political protest and prejudice against Jewish communities.
Writing about what he called a “divided kingdom,” Harry acknowledged the emotional impact of ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, saying the destruction and suffering shown in images from the region had shaken many people profoundly. However, he warned that public outrage over international events is increasingly being mixed with hostility directed at specific communities.
According to the Duke of Sussex, protests against government actions are legitimate, but when frustration and anger are redirected toward people based on religion or identity, the issue moves beyond activism and becomes something destructive and dangerous.
Harry pointed to recent violent incidents in London and Manchester as examples of the growing tensions. He referenced the fatal attack on worshippers at a synagogue in Manchester in October, as well as the stabbing of two Jewish men in North London last month, both of which he cited as evidence of a worsening climate of hatred.
He stressed the need to break what he described as a cycle of division, arguing that injustice cannot be answered with further injustice. Harry called for a firm and unambiguous rejection of anti-Semitism and linked the issue to broader forms of hatred, including anti-Muslim prejudice and racism, saying they all stem from the same culture of division.
In a personal reflection within the article, Harry said he remains “acutely aware” of his own past mistakes, an apparent reference to the backlash he faced in 2005 after attending a costume party dressed in a Nazi uniform.
His comments come amid growing concern over hate-related incidents in the UK. Figures from the Community Security Trust showed that nearly 3,700 anti-Semitic incidents were recorded in 2025, making it the second-highest annual total ever documented by the organisation. For the first time, every month during the year recorded more than 200 incidents, roughly double the monthly average seen before late 2023.
At the same time, anti-Muslim hate crimes have also increased sharply. Tell MAMA, which monitors anti-Muslim incidents, recorded more than 6,000 cases within a single year.
The rise in tensions and hate-related crimes has prompted the UK government to raise the national terror threat level to “Severe” as of April 2026. Authorities also announced an additional £35 million in funding to strengthen security around Jewish schools, synagogues, and communal institutions.
Harry and his wife, Meghan, have become increasingly vocal on social and political issues in recent years, a shift that continues to set them apart from the traditional political neutrality usually observed by working members of the British royal family.
