Prince Harry quit life as a working royal to move to Los Angeles with wife Meghan and their two children. However, royal expert Tom Quinn tells The Mirror the fifth in line to the throne misses what he once had at the centre of the fold
Prince Harry ‘misses his old life’, a royal author and expert has said
The Duke of Sussex, 39, moved to the US in 2020 after quitting life as a working royal. He and wife Meghan are now raising their children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, in the exclusive Los Angeles enclave of Montecito, thousands of miles away from his royal relatives back in Blighty.
He has made only a handful of trips back to the UK since, attending the funerals of Prince Philip and the late Queen and visiting father King Charles after his cancer diagnosis. Having lost his tax-payer funded security when he quit the Royal Family, Harry says he does not feel safe bringing his family to the UK.
The decision to leave and give up access to the royal coffers also meant that Harry and Meghan had to find new ways of making money, which they achieved by making deals with Netflix and Spotify and selling their stories. They’ve also had to carve out a new friendship group Stateside, given that Harry’s inner circle was UK-based and many also remain friends with his feuding sibling, Prince William.
And back in February, Harry gushed that he was loving ‘every single day’ of his new life, telling Good Morning America that it’s ‘amazing’.
However, behind the scenes, royal expert Tom Quinn says Harry isn’t perhaps as fulfilled as he seems. While he and Meghan have their forthcoming tour to Columbia to look forward to, beyond that, he says the royal is often ‘bored’ and ‘misses his old life’.
“He is trained from birth to do one thing only – to be a Royal and he has thrown that away. His one hundred percent support for his wife and her business ventures has never wavered but he doesn’t really have very much to do on a day-to-day basis. After he’s taken the dog for a walk and maybe gone for a drive, he has nothing to do other than support Meghan.”
Meanwhile, the expert adds that Harry’s hopes of a reunion with King Charles and Prince William are becoming more and more futile, leading him to rethink his strategy.
He said: “When it comes to his relatives in the UK, he is hugely conflicted. He is upset that he’s out in the cold more than ever and is beginning to think that his endless demands for apologies will have to be put on the back burner if some kind of truce is ever to be achieved. He wants a truce partly for selfish reasons – he’s finally realised that he needs to continue being some kind of a Royal if the United States is to continue to be interested in him.”
It comes after Harry and Meghan announced plans to travel to the Colombian capital Bogota after receiving an invitation from the country’s vice-president Francia Márquez, who serves as equality minister.
The trip will take place ahead of the first Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, which is set to be held in Colombia this November. Vice-president Márquez said: “They will have the exceptional opportunity to engage with leaders, youth, and women who embody the aspirations and voices of Colombians committed to progress. In addition to these meaningful interactions, The Duke and Duchess will experience the rich heritage of Colombia.
“The Archewell Foundation, founded by The Duke and Duchess, is renowned for its global leadership in fostering a safer online environment. The forthcoming conference will unveil a comprehensive framework for creating safer physical and digital spaces, tackling issues such as cyberbullying, online exploitation, and the mental health impacts of these threats. It will offer actionable solutions and commitments for countries around the world.”
The trip, which will be covered by one reporter, as well as official photographers and videographers chosen by the couple, is likely to see them guarded by heavy security. It follows their three-day tour of Nigeria earlier this year, when Harry and Meghan, 42, were left thrilled by the reception and coverage they received.
Speaking about the Colombia trip, a source told the Mirror: “Harry and Meghan will carry out a series of engagements aligned to the work of their Foundation and lifelong philanthropic endeavours. The visit is part of their ongoing commitment to global philanthropy, building on their previous work in various countries and continuing their efforts to make a positive impact worldwide.”