In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry reminisced about a rebellious moment during a 2012 trip to Las Vegas, where he had a “dream” tattoo in mind, but was ultimately “physically stopped” by his friends from going through with it.
The trip, infamous for photos of the prince playing strip pool, also marked a moment where Harry’s desire for a tattoo almost became a reality. He explained that he wanted something to symbolize his sense of freedom, saying, “I need something to commemorate this trip… Maybe a tattoo?”
He even had a specific design in mind: a tattoo of Botswana, a country that holds special meaning for him. However, his friends, including Billy the Rock, strongly opposed the idea. Harry recalled that they were determined to stop him, saying they would “hold me down, knock me out, whatever it took” to prevent the foot tattoo he had planned. Despite his enthusiasm, he gave in to their demands, and the tattoo was put on hold for the evening. Instead, the group went out to a club, where Harry spent much of the time reflecting on his thwarted tattoo dreams.
Harry’s desire for a tattoo never fully dissipated. In 2024, he was spotted entering a tattoo parlor in New York City, but it was later revealed that this was a prank. The playful moment occurred during a light-hearted sketch for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, where Harry was joined by country singer Jelly Roll.
