The royal family is always looked at with scrutiny, and it seems as if anything they do is going to get some attention. That was true recently of Prince Harry when he went on a trip.
Prince Harry is often seen with his wife, Meghan Markel but when he attended some events recently, he did so without her along. This was a controversial move and many people were talking, but royal experts say that there are reasons why he was flying solo.
When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex left and moved to North America to build a new life, it really outlined the rift that had developed within the royal family. Often, they would make appearances standing side-by-side as a show of family strength.
Recently, however, a number of events were attended by Prince Harry and he didn’t have Meghan Markel with him. Royal experts are talking, and they say there are some reasons why he may have gone alone.
Looking back to the time when they left the UK, they said that they wanted to divide their time between their home in America and their home in England. They wanted to ensure that Archie appreciated his royal family line, but they wanted a private life as well.
According to many, the decision to move to America was not well received by the royal family. Prior to the public announcement, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William were not consulted, so the royal family was disappointed by the quick exit.
It was no secret that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were struggling because of all of the attention in their direction. Things did change within the royal family after they left.
In another turn of events, Prince Harry released a memoir, ‘Spare.’ In that memoir, he revealed that things were not very good between him and Prince William, including some fiery arguments and a physical tussle. This left Prince William and Princess Kate irritated.
Prince Harry said: “There has been a lot of pain between the two of us, especially the last six years. None of anything I’ve written, anything that I’ve included is ever intended to hurt my family.
“But it does give a full picture of the situation as we were growing up, and also squashes this idea that somehow my wife was the one that destroyed the relationship between these two brothers.”
After being constantly seen with Meghan Markel at public events, he decided to attend a charity benefit in California solo in September 2024. This event was hosted by Kevin Costner. He also attended a World Health Organization dinner, where he met the Queen of Belgium and other dignitaries. Again, he was alone.
The number of causes that Prince Harry was interested in outlined the next stop in New York. He was there for those causes, including African Parks, The HALO Trust, and The Diana Award.
He flew to London over the weekend for a commitment that he had with the annual awards ceremony for WellChild, but Meghan Markel was at home in America.
Royal experts have explained these solo trips and say that it is evidence that he is trying to make his own identity after moving away from the royal family. As he was preparing to turn 40, Prince Harry was trying to ‘assert himself’ without having his wife or is royal history overshadowing him.
We can only imagine how difficult it is to make a life-changing decision, such as leaving the royal family. Phil Dampier, author of “Royally Suited: Harry and Meghan In Their Own Words” weighed in on the subject. He felt that Prince Harry was looking for a meaningful life after leaving the royal family.
“Harry sometimes feels like a spare part, and he often looks unhappy when he’s out with Markle at events in California. I think he has reached a point where he wants more for himself. He’s turned 40 and must be asking himself what the future holds,” he said.
These solo trips may indicate that Prince Harry is trying to move forward in a new direction without his royal past and his marriage overshadowing everything.
When he visited the UK, it was reported that he got together with some old friends for his 40th birthday. Dampier said: “I’m sure he’s lacking some mates he can go out with for a beer and truly relax.
“The more he does things on his own and carves out some new projects, the more likely it is he can heal himself and eventually some of the divisions with his family, but it’s going to be a long road.”
Attending the events in London and New York do a lot to boost his personal and public profile. Tom Bauer, a royal expert remarked that the solo event showed a shift in his lifestyle and his strategy as he moves forward.
There were many rumors as to why he may have been attending these public events on his own, including the possibility of taking will royal duties. That doesn’t seem to be the case.
Another royal expert said: “These are undoubtedly exaggerated, but they highlight his increasingly awkward situation. He has a deep rift with his family. His New York appearances may give him a brief boost.”