Alison Hammond and Prince Harry shared an embrace in Birmingham on Friday, July 10, 2026, during the countdown to the Invictus Games. The TV presenter, known for her role on This Morning, called the Duke of Sussex 'babes' live on air, sparking some criticism but underscoring their close bond. Harry is currently in the UK on a solo visit, without wife Meghan Markle or their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
First Meeting in 2017
Their friendship traces back to December 2017, when Harry and Meghan made their first joint royal outing in Nottingham for World AIDS Day. During the event, Hammond shouted out to the couple from the crowd, exclaiming: 'Megs! ITV! Megs. Meghan, we love you!' and 'Harry, come and get warmed up by me.' The moment went viral after Harry appeared to 'body swerve' her, and it later featured in Harry and Meghan's Netflix documentary. Hammond recalled: 'It was actually in the documentary – so I was watching the documentary, and I was like, “That’s my voice!” I was like, this is so good! I’m all over this documentary.'
Harry's Impression of Alison
Harry demonstrated his appreciation for Hammond by performing an impression of her on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He recreated a memorable moment from her appearance on The Great British Bake Off, where she misunderstood a contestant. When she thought he said 'beg,' she exclaimed, 'You’d want me to do what? Beg?' After clarification that it was 'bake,' she burst into laughter. Harry lip-synced the skit with host Stephen Colbert, showcasing his playful side.
Defending Harry and Meghan
Hammond has frequently used her platform on This Morning to defend the couple. In 2022, she questioned the backlash over their Netflix series, stating: 'If the Kardashians do it why can’t they? They’re damned if they do, damned if they don’t.' On another episode, she told Camilla Tominey: 'Meghan can't control what is put in the papers, can she? It's not her fault that everyone... she's been bigged up and been the number one person.'
Meghan's Private Messages
In December 2025, Hammond revealed on Loose Women that Meghan had direct messaged her on Instagram after Harry's GBBO impression. Hammond shared: 'I’ll be honest with you, she “at-ed” me in, so she knew who I was, first of all. So she is obviously following the Ham, do you know what I mean? And it came up on my direct messages, so I thought, “Oh my god!” I have to say something, what do I say? So I was like: “I love this!” I just thought I would keep it cool. Not too much. I didn’t want to beg it. And then she just sent me an emoji of a heart. So, I’m in there. Am I in there?'
Hammond Fan Club
Harry disclosed that his children, Prince Archie (seven) and Princess Lilibet (five), are huge fans of Hammond. During their recent Birmingham encounter, Hammond invited Harry to her house, saying: 'I live in Birmingham, are you going to come round to my house today or a little bit later?' Harry replied, 'Uh, maybe.' She then offered saltfish, to which Harry said, 'Alright, let me think about it.' Hammond responded: 'Alright, have a think about it. I'll go and get everything ready at the house, a little tidy up, bleach my toilets.' Harry jokingly countered: 'Why do you need to tidy up? I'll come and bleach your toilets. For you, anything.'
