Prince Harry’s decision to attend an NBA match on the same day as Trooping the Colour has been described as “curious” by a royal commentator.
The Duke of Sussex unexpectedly turned up at the NBA Finals in San Antonio on Saturday evening, witnessing the New York Knicks secure their first championship in over five decades.
The 41-year-old duke was present for game five of the series against the San Antonio Spurs, which concluded with a 94-90 victory for the Knicks.
Harry was accompanied by JP Lane, a US Army veteran who has received the Purple Heart.
The pair were seated just rows from the court, positioned next to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Grant Harold, a former butler for the Royal Family, said that Prince Harry’s appearance at the game on the same day as the King’s Birthday Parade illustrates how much the Duke of Sussex’s life has changed.
Mr Harold told GB News on behalf of CasinoHawks: “I think it was a conscious decision for Harry to attend the Knicks game that evening. He knew he would be photographed, and he knew everyone would talk about it.
"It’s like he wants everyone to know he’s having a great time in his new life. But if anything, it really just shows how much has changed in the last few years.
"There is such a huge contrast between these two events; it couldn’t be more different. It really does symbolise just how much his life has changed.”
The duke had already been in Texas ahead of the Warrior Games, a competition for military personnel who have sustained injuries or illness, which is run by the US Government.
Several high-profile figures were also in attendance for the historic match, with Euphoria actress Sydney Sweeney spotted alongside her boyfriend Scooter Braun, while actors Timothee Chalamet and Ben Stiller were among the famous faces courtside.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, did not join her husband at the game, nor did the couple's children.
Since relocating to the United States in 2020, Harry and Meghan have frequently been seen at major sporting occasions, including an NBA All-Star Game earlier this year in February.
The duke's appearance at the basketball came just hours after King Charles marked his official birthday with Trooping the Colour in London.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as working members of the Royal Family in January 2020.
The couple have not appeared at a Trooping the Colour parade since leaving their roles within the monarchy.
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