Prince Harry And Orlando Bloom Built A Friendship On Their Disdain For The Paparazzi

The paparazzi have been a thorn in Prince Harry's side for a long time. He even had to give Meghan Markle a stern warning about the paparazzi when she smiled in their pictures. Harry's disdain for the paparazzi bonded him with another target for photograph hounds. In 2021, Harry spoke on the "Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard" podcast about how he and his neighbor Orlando Bloom both deal with unwanted media attention, even around their own homes.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stayed with Tyler Perry in LA when they first moved to America, and the paparazzi were insatiable. He explained on the podcast that children of public figures are forced into the spotlight and that constant attention wears people down, making them not want to leave their houses at all. Harry admitted the paparazzi situation was better in Montecito, California than it was in LA. "But just, what, two days ago," Harry said on the podcast, "Orlando Bloom sent me a message because he's down the road and we sort of keep in contact because of the paparazzi. He sent me a photograph, which his security got of this long-haired guy ... with his massive camera lying in the back of his 4x4 truck." 

Harry explained that the photographer had a woman accomplice as his getaway driver and Bloom revealed he took pictures of him and Katy Perry with their child. "How is that normal?" Harry lamented. "How is that acceptable?"

Orlando Bloom and Prince Harry have another connection — Bloom voiced Harry in "The Prince," a cartoon created by Gary Janetti that made fun of the royal family. The satire has been criticized for being mean-spirited, but before the show's release, Bloom spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about playing Harry and what he thought about the show. "I'm not someone who wants to poke fun at anyone normally," Bloom said, "but this was so clever, witty and affectionately done. Actually Katy [Perry] saw one bit of it and was like, 'You've got to do this. This is genius.'"

Bloom didn't meet Harry until sometime after agreeing to voice him in "The Prince." He told the outlet, "This guy is so nice, and I think he's got a great sense of humor. I hope he maintains that through this because they're sort of on a pedestal." He added that the teasing "is done with affection" and "it's a sign of appreciation." 

Harry never publicly shared how he felt about "The Prince," but there was some potential animosity between his and Bloom's wives. Meghan Markle reportedly held a grudge against Perry, due to comments the pop star made about her wedding dress.

The Daily Star reported on Meghan Markle's speculated beef with Katy Perry in 2022. The outlet's source also mentioned that Prince Harry and Orlando Bloom are not that close, despite Harry's comments in "Armchair Expert." The insider said, "While Harry is sincerely grateful to anyone that is proactive in protecting his family, The Duke of Sussex and Orlando fit more into the acquaintance category than friends." That may no longer be the case, though, because in November 2023, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex went to Las Vegas to see the last performance of Perry's residency. Bloom was in attendance as well. 

Kinsey Schofield, a royal commentator, was interviewed by Sky News Australia about the Sussexes' Vegas outing. She believed Bloom was the one orchestrating the friendship between the families, or attempting to. "From what I understand here in the states," Schofield said, "it's Orlando Bloom that is trying to initiate this friendship because he feels guilty about his portrayal as Prince Harry in an HBOMax (very short-lived) comedy called 'The Prince.'"

Schofield also remarked that perhaps Markle went to the concert because she's trying to build up her own friend group like Taylor Swift's. Although none of that is confirmed, it's possible that the past is the past and Harry, Meghan, Bloom, and Perry may strike up a deeper friendship.