Prince Harry opens up about being ‘picked on’ and having his nose broken on the rugby pitch at Eton

Prince Harry has discussed how he was picked on while playing rugby when he was at Eton during his interview with trauma expert Dr Gabor Maté.

The Duke of Sussex, 38, is fielding questions from Dr Maté in what’s been billed as an ‘intimate conversation’ about ‘living with loss and personal healing’, with the £17-a-head tickets including a copy of his memoir, Spare.

During the conversation, which opened with the royal insisting that he does not see himself as a victim, Dr Maté described the prince as being ‘dangerous’ on the rugby pitch, as he ‘wasn’t afraid’ of physical pain.

Harry replied: ‘I was a good candidate for for rugby team…I got picked on quite a lot, pushed into rugby posts and had my nose broken a couple of times.’

While the royal’s broken nose was not reported on at the time, it was confirmed in 2010 that he had sustained the injury at Eton when he was 16-years-old.

Confirmation of the broken nose came as a portrait of Prince Harry, alongside his old brother Prince William, was unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery.

The painting, by artist Nicky Philipps, marked the first oil portrait of the two royal brothers, then aged 25 and 27.

Speaking about the piece, Nicky said she felt ‘particularly pleased’ with Harry’s profile – including what she described as his broken nose.

‘Prince Harry has the most wonderful profile,’ she said. 

‘When he was a little boy he had a bit of a ski jump nose but apparently he broke it at school and it has since straightened itself out.’ 

The brothers are shown in the painting wearing the formal dressuniform of the Household Cavalry Blues and Royals. At the time, bothwere lieutenants in the regiment.   

William is depicted in his dress uniform with the blue sash and star of the Orderof the Garter and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal.

Harry also wears the Golden Jubilee medal alongside his award for service in Afghanistan.

Prince Harry (pictured during his Eton school days) said he was pushed into rugby posts when playing the sport at school 

The pair are depicted ‘in casualconversation’ during an imagined moment just before they leave the lateQueen Mother’s former residence, Clarence House, to take part in the2008 Trooping the Colour.  

In fact the princes had sat severaltimes for the artist at her studio in South Kensington, while she latervisited Clarence House to fill in the background. 

Today’s ‘intimate conversation’ comes amid concern from the Sussex camp over the recent revelation that they will be asked to move out of their Windsor home – which may be handed over to Prince Andrew.

News of Prince Harry’s broken nose was confirmed in 2010, some years after he sustained the injury during his school days

The couple were allegedly given ‘weeks’ to pack up their British home at Frogmore Cottage after Harry’s memoir Spare hit the shelves in January.

Earlier this week, journalist Omid Scobie claimed that some members of the Royal Family were ‘appalled’ by the decision to evict Harry and Meghan, with the couple also said to have felt ‘stunned’.

An insider allegedly told him: ‘It all feels very final and like a cruel punishment. It’s like [the family] want to cut them out of the picture for good.’

But the couple are not as ‘stunned’ about leaving as previous reports have suggested, believing that ‘if we need to move out, we will get ourselves out’, a source told The Times.

The revelation comes as preparations are taking place for King Charles’ Coronation in May amid speculation that Harry may not receive an invitation.