Prince Harry does not regret stepping down as a senior member of the royal family last year and is now doing what he has “always wanted,” according to a royal historian and biographer.
Robert Lacey claims that Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, are not having second thoughts about their move, despite speculation that their royal titles could be removed in an upcoming review with the Queen in March.
He said that Prince Harry was tired of “being a spare” and wanted to get away from the royal system, where he had spent years in “subservience” to those more senior to him, including his older brother and heir to the throne, Prince William.
The Duke of Sussex dreamed of starting a new life, according to Lacey, and has now been given the opportunity to carve out his own identity away from the royal family with the help of his wife.
The couple took a “leap of faith” when they stepped down last year and moved to California, where they have since purchased a home worth $14 million.
Lacey stated: “Meghan and Harry took a huge leap of faith to embark on their new life. Despite everything that has been going on this year, they don’t regret their move to the US. To stay in the royal system is to go along with subservience to those more senior than you. He has asserted his own identity.”
They are now focusing on projects and causes which they are passionate about, including through their new Spotify podcast Archewell Audio — that launched over the holiday period last month with special guests including James Corden and Sir Elton John, who spoke about their perspectives on 2020 and the coronavirus pandemic.
According to sources, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also want to achieve financial independence, which they are currently seeking through their commercial deals, including a partnership with popular streaming platform Netflix.
Dickie Arbite — a commentator on the British royal family and former press secretary to the Queen — believes the couple have been “drip-feeding” the press with content about their activities over the last year and said it is “extraordinary” that they claimed to be stepping down for more privacy when they are now making multiple appearances with different corporations and organizations.
Arbite explained: “They love that they are able to focus on projects and causes that are important to them. It was always their dream to be financially independent and pay their own way. Harry was finally doing what he’d wanted to do for years, and to have Meghan and Archie with him was all he could have asked for.”
The two figures have become polarized for some royal fans.
