An American musician has asserted that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, having stepped back from royal duties in 2020, are no longer considered royalty by the American public. Huey Morgan, 55, expressed to Express U.K. that Americans see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as ordinary residents, contrasting with the traditional royal family members, who are still regarded as royalty.
Huey, known for his music career, remarked, "They gave up their royal titles right, so he's just a dude living in America like 340 million other people. I don't think people in America really look at them as royalty, I think they look at Charles, William, and his wife [Kate Middleton] as royalty, and he [Harry] is like the dude that skipped."
The musician also noted a general skepticism towards the Sussexes within the U.S., suggesting that their Hollywood associations evoke more eye-rolling than reverence. "The whole idea of royalty in America is a novelty," he added.
Tom Quinn, commenting on the couple's current standing, suggested Prince Harry faces pressure to maintain some connection with the royal family, partly due to the couple's new ventures and strained royal relations. Meghan Markle's launch of her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, has been compared to her previous blog, The Tig.
The royal expert told The Mirror, "Harry is under pressure to keep some sort of relationship with his family going if only for the sake of the couples' new ventures. Harry still has vague hopes that he will be forgiven and will be offered a minor role somewhere."
Following King Charles's cancer diagnosis, reports surfaced about Prince Harry's offer to temporarily resume royal duties, which Charles and Prince William reportedly rebuffed. After stepping away, Quinn further speculated on Harry's desire to reconnect with the royal family, cautioning against reintegration challenges.
"As Meghan and Harry become an older married couple and some of the fire goes out of their relationship, there's a real danger that Harry will feel lost," Tom explained, drawing parallels with Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. He suggested that a cooled relationship might prompt Harry to seek reconciliation with his brother and the royal family, although palace officials might resist such a reintegration.
Meanwhile, a body language expert has identified early indicators of strain within the Royal Family, as observed in Prince Harry's gestures during his and Meghan Markle's first joint interview in November 2017. The couple discussed the onset of their relationship and engagement, sharing positive experiences about Meghan's introduction to Royal Family members, including then-Prince Charles, Prince William, and Princess Kate.
Prince Harry described the excitement surrounding Meghan's integration into the family. "It was exciting. I mean, I'd been seeing her for a period of time when I literally didn't tell anybody at all," the Duke of Sussex said. He highlighted the eagerness of William and Catherine to meet Meghan, praising their neighborliness and the support provided by his father.
"A handful of teas and meetings and all sorts of gatherings over at his place as well. So no, the family together have been absolutely, you know, a solid support and my grandparents as well have been wonderful throughout this whole process," Prince Harry added.
However, Judi James, a renowned body language expert, pointed out a subtle but revealing gesture by Harry when questioned about introducing Meghan to his father and brother. According to Judi, Prince Harry's quick blinking and downward glance, followed by a look to the side, suggested an attempt to hide his genuine emotions.
"Harry performs some fast blinks to suggest a burst of adrenaline and then he looks down in a cut-off gesture to conceal his eye expression and therefore – possibly – his true feelings," Judi analyzed for the Express U.K. She interpreted Harry's asymmetric smile and hesitant speech as signs of his internal conflict about disclosing more.
This interview gained renewed attention following its mention in Prince Harry and Meghan's controversial Netflix series. Meghan described the interview as an "orchestrated reality show," alleging it was rehearsed, with the couple instructed on their responses. BBC interviewer Mishal Husain responded to these claims by stating, "Recollections may vary," echoing the words used by the late Queen Elizabeth II following Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah Winfrey.
