Prince Harry made a surprise appearance at the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin yesterday, joining the Mercedes F1 team at the Circuit of the Americas. It's not his first time attending a race; in fact, his interest in the sport spans two decades, and Princess Diana brought 9-year-old Harry to the British Grand Prix back in 1994.
When Princess Diana took Prince Harry to the Silverstone Circuit in Northhampshire that summer, it was two years after she and then-Prince Charles had announced their separation. Diana was still present at royal family events and undertaking engagements such as presenting the trophy at the F1 race; they wouldn't officially divorce until 1996.
The 1994 British Grand Prix was a solo outing for Prince Harry with his mom; instead of bringing Prince William along, it appears as if one of Harry's friends joined them.
The outing with Diana was not Harry's first time attending a Grand Prix; a year earlier, he and his brother were at the 1993 European Grand Prix at Castle Donington.
Later, that year, Harry attended the British Grand Prix in 1993, where he met drivers and watched the racing. It doesn't appear as if Princess Diana or Prince Charles brought Prince Harry to the event in 1993, rather, it seems as if his cousin, Peter Phillips, accompanied him.
Prince Harry's various F1 outings over the years—including yesterday—are part of a long history of British royals attending Grand Prix events; including when King George VI, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret went to the first-ever Formula One race, which was held at the Silverstone Circuit in 1950.
It's clear his love for the sport has persisted through the years, and started when he was just a young boy. Indeed, yesterday's visit to Austin ties back to his time as a working royal, as one of Prince Harry's last-ever engagements as a working royal was at the Silverstone Circuit to open a museum. It remains to be seen whether or not we'll see the Duke of Sussex next month in Nevada for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.
