Prince Harry has revealed he was bullied at school, that he’s not “ginger” and described himself as “Prince of England” in a surprising podcast appearance.

The Duke of Sussex also revealed his fairly basic grooming routine – “s—, shower, shave” – in a conversation with former England rugby player and Celebrity Traitors finalist Joe Marler.

The episode of Joe Marler Will See You Now, released this week, appears to have been filmed in London and recorded during Harry’s recent trip to Britain.

During the conversation, Marler asked Harry to introduce himself with his full name, before revealing his occupation.

“Henry Albert Charles David, Duke of Sussex,” Harry said.

“Full-time dad. British Army veteran. Prince of England. Duke. But for today, I don’t know. What do you want?”

He ultimately settled on “duke”.

The description of “Prince of England” has ignited criticism online.

“There is no ‘Prince of England’. Does he mean unemployed?” wrote one critic on X.

“It isn’t an occupation it’s a declaration of entitlement,” said another.

Other commenters were more supportive.

“He IS a Prince, that is a birthright,” one person said.

“It’s not his job but it might still be his status?” another said.

Marley also asked during the 42-minute conversation what people most often got wrong about Harry.

“That I’m not ginger,” the prince said.

“Hang on, hang on,” Marler interjected.

“I’m not. People think I’m ginger but I’m more of like a sunset auburn,” Harry said adding – as chuckles can be heard off screen: “I don’t know why that’s funny.”

He later revealed he’d been “bullied a lot” about his hair, saying he was often called “ginge” or “carrot top”.

Elsewhere in the wide-ranging interview, Harry joked that his head had “nothing really happening on top” after being asked about his “grooming routine”. In a candid response, he said all he did was “s–t, shower, and shave.”

“I get a haircut, otherwise I try not to look at what’s happening,” he said. “Um, and then, I don’t think … we don’t need to go there.”

The podcast appearance was just one event on Harry’s scheduled during his return to Britain last week, which included promotion of next year’s Invictus Games in Birmingham. There was also a reunion with his father the King, who saw Harry alongside wife Meghan Markle and the couple’s two young children, Archie and Lilibet.

The meeting at the King’s Highgrove House last Friday was the first time the monarch had seen his California-based grandchildren in four years.

Ahead of the Sussex visit, British tabloids and news broadcasts were filled with speculation about whether Meghan and the children would also make the trip.

Earlier in the week, amid fretting over security for the prince and his family, there were embarrassing scenes when royal officials first invited him to stay at Buckingham Palace, then rescinded the offer after he failed to accept it in a timely manner.

Harry’s visit also coincided with him losing his final lawsuit in his quest to tame the British tabloids. A judge ruled that he failed to prove his privacy invasion claims against the publisher of the Daily Mail.

Harry’s legal battles have been a source of friction with the royal family. He has said he wants to reconcile with his 77-year-old father, who is being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer.

“There were U-turns and backtracks, and it will have all added to the complete exasperation of the King and his aides when dealing with Harry,” royal author Russell Myers told People magazine.

“What was billed as a big homecoming – not only for Harry but potentially for Meghan too – turned into a nightmare. It was further evidence of the fractiousness of Harry’s relationship with the institution.”

In the end, Meghan and Harry’s children were not seen publicly in Britain at all. That they were even there was confirmed only when Buckingham Palace acknowledged the family meeting had been and gone – with an aide adding that no further details or images would be released.

“This is not the first time it has not been plain sailing with correspondence or trying to make things work,” a Sussex source described as “well-placed” told People.

“It all comes back to security. If that was resolved, there would be so much more certainty every time he comes – or they come.”

People said the up-and-down week was particularly painful for Meghan, who had expected to spend much of the time at Harry’s side.

“A source who knows the couple says she would have felt ‘humiliated’ watching the public back-and-forth unfold,” the magazine wrote.

Another source said Meghan was “very supportive” of Harry, but there was “a lot of sadness” at how the visit had unfolded and that she wasn’t able to be by his side.

“But, another insider adds, when it comes to Harry’s dealings with his family, ‘she always lets him lead’,” People said.