Prince Harry, once a central figure in the British royal family, is reportedly grappling with regret over his decision to leave the U.K. and settle in the United States. The Duke of Sussex, who stepped down as a working royal in 2020 and relocated to California with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children, is said to be feeling increasingly isolated and nostalgic for his former life.
According to sources close to Harry, the move has not turned out as he had hoped, and he now finds himself yearning for the adoration and acceptance that his brother, Prince William, and sister-in-law, Princess Kate, enjoy back in Britain.
An insider, described as one of Harry's oldest friends, shared that the Duke is struggling with the reality of his new life. "He's an angry boy. Things haven't turned out how he wanted," the friend told The Times. "I think he misses being over here [in the U.K.] desperately and wants to be admired more. Anyone who knows him feels he'd rather be top of the pops here with everyone loving him, as they do with William and Kate."
This sentiment is echoed by others who have observed Harry's increasing disillusionment with his Californian lifestyle, which, despite its outward glamour, seems to have left him feeling isolated from his past.
Harry's longing for his former life in the U.K. is not just about missing the physical environment but also about the deeper connections and sense of belonging he once had. Another friend noted, "I know how important it is for him to have a happy, settled family life, but you need to do more than that if you're him. He has ended up isolated from his family and most of his old mates, in an environment where your friendships are not like the ones you forged as a young man."
This friend also expressed doubts about whether Harry truly fits into the Californian lifestyle, suggesting that the life he has built in the U.S. may not be fulfilling the deeper needs he has as someone who was once at the heart of the royal family.
The couple's move to the U.S. was intended to allow them to carve out a new path, free from the constraints and scrutiny of royal life. However, it appears that the reality of their decision has not lived up to their expectations. While Harry and Meghan have established a life in Montecito, an exclusive enclave in Los Angeles, and engaged in various charitable and media endeavors, the distance from his royal roots and the lack of the public's adoration that he once enjoyed seem to be weighing heavily on Harry.
The Duke's increasing sense of regret and isolation is compounded by the fact that his relationship with his family remains strained. Despite attending significant events such as the funerals of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II, and visiting his father, King Charles III, after his cancer diagnosis, Harry's ties to the royal family have not mended.
Commentators suggest that Prince William, now more protective of his own family, has drawn a firm line, making it clear that Harry is not welcome to rejoin the royal fold. Hilary Fordwich, a royal expert, told The Times, "It is widely known within the family that Prince William has laid down an absolute ban on Harry returning in any way, shape, or form into his former royal family fold."
Despite King Charles' continued affection for his son, evidenced by his willingness to consider reconciliation, the deep rift between the brothers seems insurmountable. William, still reeling from the revelations in Harry's memoir "Spare" and the couple's Netflix series, remains resolute in his decision to keep his brother at a distance.
