Prince Harry Apologizes to Canadians for Wearing L.A. Dodgers Baseball Cap at World Series

Prince Harry is speaking out about what he called “hatgate”—his decision to don a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball cap while attending game four of the World Series alongside wife Meghan Markle on October 28—and issuing an apology to Canada in the process.

The Duchess of Sussex is an L.A. native and a Dodgers fan; the Duke of Sussex, meanwhile, is likely more inclined to root for the Dodgers’ opponent, the Toronto Blue Jays, as Canada is a member of the Commonwealth. Coincidentally, Harry is in Toronto this week for Remembrance Day events—which can be considered the U.K. equivalent of the U.S.’s Veterans Day—and he addressed his decision to wear a baseball cap supporting the Dodgers while taking in the game at Dodgers Stadium. The L.A. team ultimately bested the Blue Jays and won the World Series on November 1.

During an interview with CTV News on November 6, Harry was asked, “Is there anything you would like to say about wearing that L.A. Dodgers hat last week and getting into hot water?” His response? “Oh, the L.A. Dodgers hat—hatgate. Well, firstly, I would like to apologize to Canada for wearing it.”

“Secondly, I was under duress,” he continued. “There wasn’t much choice. I was invited to the L.A. Dodgers box or the dugout by the owner himself. So I was doing what I thought was the polite thing to do.”

Putting a Blue Jays hat on during the interview, Harry continued, “I’m going to wear this from now on to make sure I don’t make any more of those mistakes.” He then quipped, “When you’re missing a lot of hair on top and you’re sitting under floodlights, you’ll take any hat that’s available.”

Though he may have worn a Dodgers hat, he clarified that he was cheering for the “Blue Jays throughout.” That was evident in a clip Meghan shared to her Instagram Story shot in the home theater of the Sussex house in Montecito, California, where Harry seemed less than enthused after the Dodgers took home the World Series crown in game seven.

Meghan’s friend Kelly McKee Zajfen—who was watching the game alongside the Sussexes and cheering for the Dodgers—confirmed that Harry was rooting for the Blue Jays, reposting Meghan’s celebratory Instagram Story video and writing, “Best game ever!!!! Sorry H your team didn’t win but mine diiiiiiiiid. @dodgers I LOVE YOU!!!!”

Harry admitted that it would be “really hard” to return to L.A. after revealing who he was rooting for, but the Duke of Sussex doubled down, saying on Thursday that he was “very sorry to the Canadian public. I’m devastated that the Blue Jays lost—but go Jays.”