Prince Harry says he sees his mother Diana in Archie and Lilibet: ‘The Spencer gene is very, very strong’

Duke of Sussex says he thought there was ‘no way’ ginger gene would ‘stand up to my wife’s genes’

Prince Harry has opened up about the “ginger gene” he passed down from his mother’s side to his son and daughter, and why he didn’t think his and Meghan Markle’s children would inherit his hair colour.

The Duke of Sussex discussed the couple’s son Archie, three, and daughter Lilibet, one, during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday 10 January.

During the conversation, which saw the royal and late-night host discuss Harry’s memoir Spare as they took shots of tequila, Colbert asked the duke whether he sees any of his late family members in his and Meghan’s children.

“Having children helps us remember those that we’ve lost. Do you see your mother or your grandparents in any of your children?” Colbert asked the duke as he held up a family portrait of Harry, Meghan and their two children.

In response to the question, Harry said he “definitely” sees his mother, Diana, in his children, before joking that the “ginger gene is a strong one”.

“The Spencer gene is very, very strong,” the duke continued, referring to his mother’s family. Although Princess Diana did not have red hair, her older sister Lady Sarah McCorquodale does.

The royal then jokingly admitted that, before he and Meghan became parents, he had doubts about whether his red hair would be inherited by their children.

“I actually really genuinely thought at the beginning of my relationship that, should this go the distance and we have kids, that there’s no way the ginger gene will stand up to my wife’s genes,” Harry revealed, before concluding: “But, I was wrong.”

The duke then added a fist pump while adding: “Go gingers!” to laughter from the audience.

In previous photos shared by the couple of their children, both Archie and Lilibet appear to have inherited their father’s red hair.