The musician achieved global fame after competing with One Direction on The X Factor. He got his start on British TV, but where is Harry Styles really from?
Harry Styles is British. He was born and raised in the country of England, part of the United Kingdom. Harry embraces his British identity and culture even though he is now a global phenomenon.
Harry Styles’ British Identity
British nationality refers to anyone from the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom contains England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Harry Styles was born in Redditch, Worcestershire, England, and grew up in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, England. Since he was born and raised in England, he is completely British.
Harry Styles comes from a very British family, too. His ancestors were farm laborers from the rural county of Norfolk, England.
Harry Styles in British Culture
Harry Styles became a global celebrity known for his British identity. He got his start in One Direction on the British talent show, The X Factor.
Harry Styles is not only known in the British music scene, though. Harry made his acting debut in the British film Dunkirk. Harry played a British soldier fighting in WWII.
One Direction as a British Boy Band
One Direction heavily embraced their British identity. The cover of their 2012 album Take Me Home featured the band on top of a red telephone box, a classic symbol of British culture.
Harry Styles and One Direction merchandise also highlight their British identity. Phone cases proclaim, “keep calm and love Harry Styles” over the British Union Jack, and One Direction tee shirts also feature the British flag.
When One Direction gained global traction, some called it a second British invasion. The band was compared to The Beatles, who brought British music and culture to America and the entire world in the 1960s.
One Direction embraced this British label and even titled their 2012 documentary movie “The Invasion,” a nod to the comparison to The Beatles’ invasion. The film featured the British Union Jack in its cover, further solidifying their British identity through imagery.
Not All Of One Direction is English
Although most of Harry’s band One Direction hails from the island of England, one member does not share this common heritage. Niall Horan is Irish and was born and raised in Ireland.
Although Niall is Irish, he is also British like Harry Styles. Since Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, the entire band is able to call themselves British.
Harry Styles and British Politics
Harry Styles is not only a British icon, but an involved British citizen as well. He spoke out against Brexit in a 2017 interview, and said he believes “the world should be more about being together and being better together and joining together.”
More recently, in 2019 Harry Styles received backlash for taking a stronger political stance. He joined in singing Stormzy’s lyrics against the UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Harry Styles As a British Fashion Icon
Harry Styles is known for taking risks. Interestingly, however, many people have pointed out that his fashion taste also aligns with his British heritage.
Famous American fashion designer Michael Kors admired Harry’s unique fashion. Kors said that Harry Styles is “the modern embodiment of British rocker style.”
Harry Spends Considerable Time in the United States
Although Harry is a British citizen, fans have speculated that he has a special visa in order to spend extra time in the United States. He has multiple houses in London, but also owned property and occasionally lived in Los Angeles and New York.
Harry has also dated multiple women from the United States, including Kendall Jenner and Taylor Swift. He has been seen making frequent trips to the US for dates with these girlfriends in the past.
In 2020, Harry Styles spent more time in the United States than he may have bargained for. He was caught in Los Angeles when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, causing him to be “stuck” in the country and unable to go home to the UK.
Although Harry has traveled the world and defined himself as an international celebrity, he still holds true to his British roots. He admits that he misses his family when he is away from the UK. No matter where his life takes him, he will always be known as a small-town British boy that found global stardom.