Prince Harry Lookalike Reveals How He Feels Now That the Real Duke Is Back in the U.K.
Prince Harry has been in the headlines just about every day since he returned to the U.K., and that’s a good thing for someone who gets paid to dress, look like, and talk like the Duke of Sussex for a living.
A man named Rhys Whittock works as the prince’s lookalike and he is sharing what it’s been like for him over the last few years since the duke has been in the news so much, plus how he feels now that Harry’s back in England.
Speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo Online, Whittock told Showbiz Cheat Sheet how he practiced Harry’s voice and mannerisms, saying, “I used YouTube a lot. Also, because of his autobiography Spare, he recorded an audiobook. You’ve got his actual voice to listen to for hours and hours. So, I studied it and practiced the speed he speaks at and his tone. His voice is very Etonian and quite deep, so it’s quite different to mine in a way. I’ve got a little bit of a Welsh accent, so I have to try and hide that.”
When asked about his thoughts when Meghan and Harry left the U.K. in 2020, Whittock recalled, “Initially I thought, ‘Oh, this is an amazing job, and it’s all going to finish.’ But when Harry started doing deals with Netflix, Spotify, and that Oprah Winfrey interview, I got bookings. I had to do reenactment shots for a TV show, and Prince Harry’s book Spare kept me incredibly busy.
“There were a few things that did make work go quiet, mainly because Harry did leave the U.K. Then COVID hit, and that really killed events completely for a couple of years. The other thing that was really detrimental to being busy was the passing of the queen. She was the most popular royal for people outside of the U.K., and everyone really looked up to her.”
Now that the duke and duchess are back in Britain, Whittock said, “It was a big shock for me personally, and I think the announcement caught everyone by surprise. I am very pleased to hear that they’re back. It is now believable that you could bump into them at an event. I think they obviously want to keep their privacy pretty tight, but I’m sure we’re going to see Harry going to events, and enquiries for me have been coming in.
“Personally, I think it’s been quite clear that he really loved growing up in the UK. He loves his country, and there are multiple reasons why I think he came back. He is keen for his family to grow up here, and he seems to want to reconcile with everyone, but it was always going to be tricky with an ocean between you.”
Being Harry’s doppelgänger isn’t Whittock’s only job. Today, he also works in real estate.
“I didn’t have another job before COVID as there was enough work. The phone would always be ringing, and emails would be coming in,” he shared. “When things really quietened down, I got a serious day job, so I’m now working as an estate agent.
“Obviously now Harry’s a man in his forties, just like myself. I think lookalikes come in and out of fashion a little bit. It’ll be really interesting to see what happens over the next few months. Eventually we’ll have to see Harry and Meghan at some point in the U.K.”
