Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals in January 2020. Their announcement sent ripples through the United Kingdom as they made their move to California. While they still retain their titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, they are no longer called His and Her Royal Highnesses. This title change seems to be one of the only clear aspects of their departure, leaving many to wonder about the impact on their relationships within the royal family. Although the royals remain tight-lipped on the subject, their actions suggest a strained family dynamic.
Prince Harry’s Recent Visits to the U.K.
Since stepping down, Prince Harry has visited the U.K. several times. In February 2024, he had a brief 45-minute meeting with his father following the announcement of the king’s cancer treatment. His other visits have been for open court cases against newspaper publishers. Harry attended King Charles’ coronation in May 2023 without Meghan but they both attended the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June 2022, as well as her funeral in September of the same year.
In May, Harry attended a service at St. Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, a sporting event for injured veterans that he helped to establish. However, he didn’t meet with his brother Prince William or his father King Charles during this visit. According to royal expert Emily Andrews, Charles’ busy schedule didn’t permit time for a visit.
Missing Trooping the Colour
Unfortunately, this was not the only instance of perceived slight. Harry was also left off the guest list for Trooping the Colour, the Sovereign’s Birthday Parade, for the second consecutive year. Additionally, he was not invited to the wedding of Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, who is also the godfather of Harry’s son, Prince Archie.
“It’s been humiliation after humiliation for Prince Harry,” said Andrews. “Harry has broken many bonds of trust, making it hard to see him attending a high-society wedding or Trooping the Colour again. There’s also the fact that he won’t meet with the Prince and Princess of Wales because they are still understandably too hurt to see him.”
“No Longer Part of the Royal Family…”
“The reality is he’s lost his place among Britain’s high society,” an insider revealed. “There are days when Harry says he can’t take it anymore — the slights, the cold reception from the palace, it’s as if he’s no longer part of that family.”
The latest humiliation involved the royal family’s summer estate, Balmoral Castle. Despite many summers spent there during his childhood, Harry and Meghan have reportedly never been invited to the family’s Scottish Highlands retreat.
Keeping His Loved Ones Safe
Prince Harry is also hesitant to bring his family to the U.K. due to safety concerns. While living in the U.K., Meghan received serious threats, according to Neil Basu, the former head of counterterrorism for the Metropolitan Police. When the couple lost their police protection following their departure, Harry sought to have it reinstated, even offering to pay for it himself. However, High Court Judge Peter Lane upheld the decision to reduce their security. Harry plans to appeal this decision.
“The U.K. is my home. It is an integral part of my children’s heritage, and I want them to feel at home there as much as they do in the United States,” Harry stated in 2022. “This won’t be possible if we can’t ensure their safety on U.K. soil. I can’t put my wife in danger, and given my own experiences, I’m reluctant to put myself at risk as well.”
The Tabloids’ Actions Against the Royal Family
Harry continues to fight against the tabloids, having won a phone hacking lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers in December 2023. He believes this battle contributes significantly to the rift within the royal family. “Anything I say about my family results in a torrent of abuse from the press,” he noted. “I’ve made it clear that this is something that needs to be addressed. It would be ideal if we tackled this as a family. However, I’m doing this for my reasons.”
Despite the ongoing tensions, Harry added that his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, supported his efforts. “We had many conversations before she passed, and she supported this initiative. She knew how important it was to me and encouraged me to see it through to the end, without question.”
