Peckham punters got a royal surprise when they walked in on a waxwork Prince Harry enjoying a pint in a local boozer.
A Meghan Markle figure accompanied the prince to the aptly named Duke of Sussex pub for his 40th birthday on Sunday – a rare public outing for the Madame Tussauds couple.
Alan Day, pub manager, said customers were “quite amused” by the surprise encounter and many were shocked by Harry’s 6’ 1” stature.
“I never realised how big Harry was,” the manager said. “The Prince Harry was pretty good and the detail was pretty impressive.”
Rumours have swirled that the estranged prince is trying to return to the Royal fold – especially after Prince William wished his brother happy birthday on social media.
It was the first public birthday greeting since 2021 when the Sussexes accused an unnamed royal of racism in an interview with Oprah Winfrey.
But the publican said locals were happy to give the pair some much-needed privacy: “To be honest, people round here were talking about the fact they were in the pub and not about their personal lives!”
Prince Harry’s and Meghan Markle’s figures normally reside in Madame Tussauds London’s Culture Capital zone.
They share the exhibition with fellow British icons including Sir David Attenborough, Stormzy, suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, William Shakespeare and Sir Lewis Hamilton.
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Social media users were quick to react to the news, with many sending birthday wishes to Harry. One user said: “Sounds like fun. Happy birthday Harry,” while another commented: “Love it! ! ! ! I would so visit just for this.”
Harry’s visit was Peckham’s second brush with the monarchy in under a week after Prince William and Kate Middleton donated £3,500 to the Southwark Foodbank on Peckham High Street.
Southwark News broke the story that thieves had ransacked the centre prompting the King-in-waiting to make the generous contribution.
