Prince Harry has apologised to Canada after he was spotted donning a Los Angeles Dodgers hat during their World Series game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Duke of Sussex quipped that he was “under duress” while wearing the cap during Game 4 of the series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on 28 October. His wife, Meghan Markle, joined him for the game, the BBC reported.

Prince Harry sets the record straight on ‘hatgate’

The 41-year-old Prince Harry faced backlash for wearing a Dodgers hat, rather than extending support for the Toronto Blue Jays, the only Canadian team in Major League Baseball (MLB). His father, King Charles, serves as the head of state of Canada as well as 13 other Commonwealth realms.

Several fans criticised Harry for not extending support to a team from a Commonwealth nation, according to People magazine.

On Thursday, 6 November, the Duke of Sussex joked over the controversy and highlighted his affection for Canada. In an interview with CTV News, the host asked Harry for his comments on the controversy surrounding the incident.

“Oh, the L.A. Dodgers hat — hatgate. Well, firstly, I would like to apologise to Canada for wearing it,” People quoted Harry.

He went on to joke that he was “under duress” while talking about his experience watching the game.

Harry said there “wasn’t much choice” for him since he was invited to the Los Angeles Dodgers box or the dugout “by the owner himself.”

“So, I was doing what I thought was the polite thing to do,” he added.

The Blue Jays defeated the Dodgers in Game 4, but the Dodgers bounced back to win Game 7, thereby emerging as the World Series champions.

Harry added that he will “wear this (Blue Jays hat) from now on to make sure I don’t make any more of those mistakes”.

Also, he quipped that when “you are missing a lot of hair on top and you are sitting under flood lights, you will take any hat that’s available”.

Prince Harry’s Toronto visit

Prince Harry is in Toronto for Remembrance Day events, an occasion which is equal to Veterans Day in the UK.

On 6 November, he visited the Veterans Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

FAQsWhy did Prince Harry travel to Canada?

Prince Harry visited Canada to take part in multiple events commemorating Remembrance Day.

When did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle get married?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot in May 2018.

When did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle step down as royals?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior members of the royal family in January 2020.