Behind the Scenes of Prince Harry's Tattoo Parlor Video: 'He's Got Comedic Chops,' Says Shop Owner (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Prince Harry and Jelly Roll.Photo:Devin Kasparian

Devin Kasparian

Prince Harry’smysterious visit to a tattoo parlorduring hisSeptember trip to New York Cityleft many questions unanswered. But the world now knows what was unfolding inside the Lower East Side shop.

The artist behind the fake ink (yes, it’s fake!) is Josh Lord, owner of East Side Ink, who appears at the start of the video with Harry.

Josh Lord and Prince Harry.Devin Kasparian

In addition to appearing in the video, Lord, who is known for his intricate, custom tattoos and counts Cate Blanchett, Scarlett Johansson and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry as clients, also designed the fake tattoo on Harry’s neck.

“Luckily, I have a long history with fake tattoos, and they hadn’t originally planned for that part of it, so I was able to provide a small level of assistance,” says Lord, who won an Emmy for his realistic work on the first season of HBO’sTrue Detective.

As for who decided the tattoo should go on Harry’s neck, Lord says, “Jelly is fearless and Harry knew it had to be epic, so they had a true moment where they both knew where it had to go after all the jokes.”

So, did Harry stick around after filming to get his real first tattoo? Not yet, but Lord isn’t ruling it out.

“He hasn’t said no, and he definitely expressed a curiosity," he shares.

Jelly Roll and Prince Harry.Devin Kasparian

And in a room full of tattoo artists with more jaw-dropping stories than they ever imagined sharing in front of royalty, Lord reveals that Harry was the biggest surprise of all.

“Absolutely, the person who was unexpectedly the funniest was Harry,” he says. “Here we are, a room full of people who have seen some things, but Harry was probably the bravest and funniest of all of us, really. Behind the scenes, he’s got comedic chops that I didn’t expect.”

Including Harry’s believable scream when the needle hits his neck. “That was the first take!” Lord says with a laugh.

“He’s a very laid-back, normal guy if you let him be,” he continues. “I can’t imagine the world that he grew up in and how difficult it must have been, but he’s managed to maintain a level of humanity and kindness in everything he does, which is remarkable.”

“They were both going to be in New York — I think there was a crossover of about two hours — and their teams put it in front of them and they both were game,” she says. “They were so excited to be able to connect. The Duke was thrilled to have Jelly Roll agree to play at the closing ceremony.”

As for Lord’s role, McVicker says he was the real “star of the show.”

“He was so awesome and really created a safe space for everybody just to hang out and pull off what I think is one of the most hilarious announcement videos,” she says.

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The celebrated tattoo artist shares that they all aimed to bring an “element of levity” to a serious issue—the well-being of veterans, which is central to the Invictus mission. The cause is equally important to those at East Side Ink. Lord, along with his partners Yadira Mendez-Firvida and Jen Terban-Hertell, is involved with the veteran-operated nonprofitSAR Flag (Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Flag), which works to break the stigma surrounding mental health, suicide, and seeking treatment within the veteran community, ultimately supporting suicide prevention efforts for veterans and military personnel.

“We can’t fully comprehend the mental stress they endure,” Lord says of veterans. “I can only hope that this moment I was part of helps shine a light on this critical issue.”

source: people.com