Who is prince harrys real father mark dyer

Prince Harry has shifted his entire life within the past several years. It has been well-documented that the prince struggled in the spotlight and then in his royal role. Though he hoped things would change when he married Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, they got worse in many ways.

As a result, Prince Harry decided to leave royal life behind for a new path in California. He’s also tightened his friend circle considerably. However, the prince has remained incredibly close to his mentor, Mark Dyer.

Prince Harry has always been wary about being in the public eye. He even described feeling paranoid that the media was watching him during his teen years. As a result, the Duke of Sussex has always maintained a tight-knit circle of friends around him, including Dyer.

Dyer is a former Welsh Guards officer. In the 1990s, he was a royal equerry and served Prince Charles. As a result, he began especially close to Prince Harry and Prince William, particularly following Prince Diana’s tragic death in 1997.

“It was Mark, not Charles, who raised Harry after Princess Diana died,” an insider told New Idea. Though we’d take this with a grain of salt, it’s no secret that the red-headed prince is especially close to his redheaded mentor. Royal expert Penny Junor told The Sun that Prince Harry described Dyer as “one of the few people who talks some sense into him.”

ELATED: Kate Middleton and Prince William Don’t Have Any Photos of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Their Living Room

Mark Dyer is not Prince Harry’s real father

There has been much speculation about Prince Harry’s parentage, especially considering Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s tense marriage, and the Duke of Sussex’s red hair.

There was speculation that Dyer was Prince Harry’s birth father for a time, which has been debunked. For years, there was also speculation that the prince’s father was cavalry officer James Hewitt, with whom Princess Diana had an affair.

However, the late princess’ former butler Paul Burrell revealed that this is impossible. “Diana didn’t know James Hewitt when Harry was born,” Burrell revealed on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here. “She hadn’t yet met James.”

Still, Dyer and Prince Harry are very close. The prince attended Dyer’s 2010 wedding and is godfather to his son, Jasper who was also a pageboy in the Sussexes’ 2018 wedding.

Mark Dyer is one of Archie Harrison’s god parents

When Prince Harry began dating Meghan in 2016, Dyer and his cousin Princess Eugenie were two of the people that he introduced her to first. “Harry introduced Meghan to Mark before anyone,” an insider told New Idea. “She instantly shared Harry’s love for him.”

Dyer ran The Sand’s End, an exclusive bar where Meghan and Harry had secret dates. Also, Dyer is now a trustee of the charity Sentebale, co-founded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006.

Though the Sussexes’ have never publicly named their son Archie’s godparents, The Sunday Times named Dyer and Prince Harry’s former nanny Tiggy Pettifer as the royal toddler’s godparents.

Prince Harry's 'second dad', Mark Dyer, has returned home in time to celebrate his 55th birthday after spending six weeks in hospital.

MORE: Revealed: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's views on having a third baby

The former Welsh Guards officer, known to friends as Marko, looked happy to be home over the weekend as he posed for pictures with his wife Amanda and family friends Natalie Pinkham and her husband Owain Walbyoff.

WATCH: Prince Harry says Princess Diana 'smashed the wall down' around HIV stigma

"GOOD NEWS ALERT!! After 14 hours of Cancer surgery and 6 weeks in hospital (with strictly no visitors) our great mate Marko Dyer was allowed home yesterday in time to celebrate his birthday with his gorgeous wife Amanda, 2 kids and us today… PURE JOY!! #fuckcancer #goodnews …at last," Natalie wrote alongside the snaps which she posted on Instagram.

READ: 17 times the royals were spotted in unexpected places

RELATED: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle take part in first joint appearance of the year - and Doria joins them, too!

Prince Harry would have no doubt been happy to hear about Mark's triumphant return home.

Mark Dyer posed with wife Amanda and family friend Natalie Pinkham

Mark has been an important figure in Harry's life. The pair go back a long way since Mark acted as a mentor and companion to Prince Charles' youngest son during his gap year.

They apparently travelled together in Australia, Lesotho and Argentina, and still frequently socialise together when the Duke of Sussex is in London.

Back in 2020, before his move to America, Mark treated Harry to a farewell do at his Brook House Pub in Fulham.

Harry is also godfather to Mark's son Jasper and the 55-year-old was an usher at Harry and Meghan's wedding back in May 2019.

Mark posed with Natalie's husband Owain

Natalie's post was inundated with well wishes from friends, with one calling him "gingersuperman" and others a "true gent".

Peter Phillips' ex-wife Autumn also commented, writing: "Oh wow. What a legend. Sending love and strength." Whilst Princess Beatrice's husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Ben Shephard and Janette Manrara all liked the post.