Prince Harry received an unexpected pop culture lesson during a recent podcast appearance, finding himself quizzed on the rumored feud between pop stars Taylor Swift and Charli XCX.
During their joint interview on Wednesday, October 29, comedian Hasan Minhaj, 40, posed a "tricky" question to the Duke of Sussex, 41. Minhaj asked, "What do you think of this supposed rivalry between Charli XCX and Taylor Swift?"
Harry’s immediate reaction was one of confusion, responding simply, "The what? Oh, no."
Minhaj then offered a detailed breakdown of the alleged tension between Swift, 35, and Charli, 33, to a seemingly expressionless Harry. The host probed whether Charli’s song was an attack. Minhaj noted that "Sympathy Is a Knife" seemed to be about something else initially, but then Taylor’s response, "Actually Romantic," escalated the situation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h79PRBY12rQ/
Minhaj mused on the fairness of the situation, questioning who initiated the conflict. "Sometimes I just think, ‘How do we move on from this?’" he added.
While Harry did not offer an opinion, fans have long speculated that Charli’s 2024 track, "Sympathy Is a Knife," was a subtle diss aimed at Swift. Lyrics such as, "I don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show / Fingers crossed behind my back, hope they break up soon," were widely interpreted as references to Swift’s brief romance with Matty Healy. Healy is a bandmate of George Daniel, who is now Charli XCX’s husband.
Charli later denied these speculations. She told New York Magazine in August 2024 that the song was entirely personal.
"That song is about me, about my feelings and my anxiety, about how my mind creates narratives and stories in my head when I feel insecure and about how I don’t want to be in those situations physically when doubt creeps in," Charli explained. She recounted telling her concerns to Matty and George, who both dismissed them.
The following year, Swift released her track "Actually Romantic" on The Life of a Showgirl. Fans quickly speculated this song was a direct response to Charli’s earlier release.
Swift’s lyrics included lines like, "Heard you call me a boring Barbie when cocaine clouds your brain / You shook hands with my ex and then said you were glad he stopped talking to me." She continued, "You wrote me a song saying you’re disgusted to see my face / Some people might be offended."
Earlier this month, Swift provided rare insight into the inspiration behind "Actually Romantic" during her Release Party of a Showgirl. The 14-time Grammy winner described the track as a "love letter to someone who hates you."
"It’s like, sometimes, you don’t know you’re part of someone else’s stories, but you are," Swift stated. She noted that it can be flattering when others create extensive narratives about her.
In an October profile for Vanity Fair, Charli XCX opted not to comment on Swift’s song.