Prince Harry Caught in Awkward Courtside Moment After Spike Lee Snubs Handshake at NBA Finals [Video]
Present at the Knicks vs. Spurs game sans his wife, the Prince had a rather awkward encounter with Oscar-winning Spike Lee.
While the entire royal clan was celebrating the Trooping the Colour, Prince Harry was miles away, seemingly getting snubbed by Hollywood celebrities at the NBA finals. Present at the Knicks vs. Spurs game sans his wife, the Prince had a rather awkward encounter with Oscar-winning Spike Lee, with whom he has had an interesting history over the years.
Dressed in a navy polo shirt, navy slacks, and a baseball cap, the Duke of Sussex was seen in a somber mood sitting in the eighth row of the finals. The Prince later found himself at the center of an awkward and highly publicized moment after award-winning filmmaker Lee appeared to reject the Duke of Sussex's attempt at a handshake. The uncomfortable exchange unfolded at Texas' Frost Bank Center during Game 5 between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, where we could clearly see the filmmaker refusing Harry's handshake. Watch the video here!
A video of the same going viral online shows Lee was a row higher, watching Harry greet another attendee in the stands before apparently calling out to the royal. When Harry noticed the Oscar-winning director pointing in his direction, he doubled back and extended his hand for a greeting. However, the moment took an unexpected turn when Lee appeared to decline the handshake. He instead pointed a finger at Harry while the Duke awkwardly placed a hand on the filmmaker's stomach.
While it was a brief interaction, it created an uncomfortable scene, with viewers describing it as embarrassing for the Prince. Despite the initial confusion, the pair eventually shook hands and continued chatting. However, their interaction did not end here. As Harry walked away, Lee pointed toward himself, seemingly asking a question, to which the Duke responded with an affirmative finger point before continuing to walk away. While the interaction's exact subject remains unclear, some royal watchers have speculated that it may have referenced Harry's long-rumored secret Facebook account, which operated under the alias "Spike Wells."
For the unversed, the unusual nickname has an interesting backstory of its own. Harry reportedly used the private account while dating former girlfriend Chelsy Davy and is believed to have created the pseudonym by combining his longtime nickname, "Spike," with his military alias. The account previously attracted attention from Lee, who publicly referenced it during a 2019 appearance. At the time, the filmmaker even asked Prince William to help solve the mystery, saying he had "a message" for the future king and requesting that he "ask [his brother] why he did that." During a later appearance on NBC's Today show, Lee revisited the subject, telling viewers: "I asked his brother to find out! When I know, you'll know!"
