The September 15 Prince Harry turns 40, an important milestone in anyone’s life, even more so in that of the Duke of Sussex who, after the historic decision to leave his institutional role within the Royal Family in 2022 and move to Montecito, California, finds himself today, probably, having to take stock.
Is the prince happy with his choice or not? This is the big question that everyone is asking themselves. It is difficult to give an answer and test Harry’s real mood, also because of the contradictory news that continually come out about him in the media all over the world: one day it is said that he is happy in the United States where he crowned his american dream. Another, we read, instead, that the second son of King Charles is in crisis, that he can’t wait to return to the United Kingdom, that he feels alone, without his circle of friends and that he terribly misses his previous life in England. Who will be right?
One thing is certain, the recent rumors that the prince was preparing a return to London do not seem to be founded. Authoritative English royal journalists, including Emily Nash of the magazine, deny them. Hello!, who explains that Harry is actually “very happy” with his new life in Montecito with his family and has no intention of returning to London as a working royal. “He’s obviously very happy there. He’s done everything he can to start this new life, with Meghan and their children in California. Of course, that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t like to spend more time in the UK, supporting his patronages. You know, he’s still very closely linked to a lot of organizations.”
A return home now seems unlikely, however, given the still high tension between the Duke and his family of origin. With his brother William, hurt by the public accusations that the Sussexes have made several times against Kate, there is now a chill. The relationship with his father Charles is not much better, even if it is said that lately the king, advised by some religious figures close to him, wants to reconcile with his youngest son and is willing to forgive. At the same time, however, King Charles is said to be fed up with Harry’s obsessions on the security that was denied him in London and, tired of talking to him about these issues during this period of therapy, it seems he does not always answer his calls.
In ten years everything has changed
While we cannot know what feelings are stirring in Prince Harry’s soul at this moment, this birthday will certainly be very different from the one that marked his 30th birthday and which he celebrated with a tuxedo party at Clarence House organized by his brother, with Highgrove champagne sent by his father. This time, near the prince, who will celebrate his first forty years in the house in Montecito, there are no longer his brother or his father but his new family consisting of his wife Meghan Markle (who has a big surprise in store for him) and his two children, Archie and Lilibet. The celebrations will continue with a weekend of freedom with his closest friends, including the polo player Nacho Figueras. People magazine wrote that for this important occasion, the prince wanted to gather his closest friends for “a boys’ getaway” like in the old days.
In ten years, however, everything has changed. To the grey skies of London, the Duke of Sussex has preferred the sun of California and instead of Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, today his “castle” is an 11 million pound villa, with thirteen bathrooms and nine bedrooms in the exclusive Montecito. His Californian days are spent between walks on the beach with the dogs, bike rides and trips to school to see his children. Harry practices meditation (30-40 minutes every day) and does regular physical exercise, even if he is rarely seen in public, hidden by an impressive security team. The Duchess is spotted a little more often, at the farmers’ market or having lunch with friends in some chic restaurant, and it seems she dedicates herself to mahjong, a Chinese board game that is enjoying great popularity. The couple frequents a small circle of friends drawn from among millionaires, billionaires, business leaders, successful entrepreneurs, politicians, actors and producers.
Despite his few appearances, the prince has continued, even from California, to make people talk about him and fill the pages of newspapers with interviews and scandalous books, with public appearances, million-dollar contracts with Spotify and Netflix and of course with the never-ending family tensions and legal disputes. The latest battle, still ongoing, is with the British Home Office regarding taxpayer-funded protection. The case concerns the decision of the Royal and VIP Committee (RAVEC) to revoke the prince’s police protection when he is in the United Kingdom, after he renounced his royal duties. A decision that the Duke of Sussex considers unjust and against which he has been fighting for three years to obtain the reinstatement of full protection during his visits to the United Kingdom, which would allow him to return more regularly.
Surprise visit to UK for uncle’s funeral
Security concerns did not prevent Harry from making a surprise visit to the UK a few weeks ago to attend the funeral of his uncle, Robert Fellowes, husband of Lady Jane Fellowes, sister of Lady Diana. Lord Fellowes, 82, a former private secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, died on July 29.
To everyone’s surprise, including those attending the private funeral held on August 28 in Snettisham, Norfolk, Harry showed up at the church where his brother William was also present, with whom there was no contact. The two apparently did not even exchange a glance. Prince Harry’s trip was kept secret until the last minute, so much so that even many people close to the family were completely unaware of it. One of those present told the magazine People: “Most people were amazed by Harry’s presence. He was in great shape, and you could tell he was very happy to see everyone. He was very happy to have come.”
The secrecy of that visit was apparently desired by the Duke of Sussex himself, to avoid the funeral becoming the usual show. “He didn’t want it to become the theme of a day that was obviously very sad for his family,” explained Emily Nash of the magazine Hello! On this occasion, the Duke of Sussex stayed at the Althorp residence, hosted by his uncle, Earl Charles Spencer, who has always been particularly in tune with Lady Diana’s youngest son. Charles Spencer himself is also said to have invited his favorite nephew and his family to Althorp to celebrate Christmas. Recall that when Harry last visited the United Kingdom in May, he declined his father Charles’ invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace, stating that his safety could not be guaranteed and opted for a hotel instead.
The birthday present: £8 million
He certainly has no shortage of money, especially considering the substantial gift worth £8 million that the prince will receive when he turns 40. In 1994, the Queen Mother set up a trust fund for her great-grandchildren, allocating around £19 million for them. This sum was divided into two installments: one released when they turned 21 and the other when they turned 40. The fund was created with a dual purpose: to ensure a significant inheritance for their great-grandchildren, but also to enjoy the tax advantages of this action. According to rumors, the sum destined for Harry could be even greater than that of his brother William, who has already received £23.6 million as Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall, after King Charles’s accession to the throne.
The Queen Mother’s inheritance will further swell the nest egg accumulated by Prince Harry, who had already received around 10 million pounds by the time he turned 30 as an inheritance from his mother, Diana. And then there are the 22 million pounds from the sales of his book, Spare, and other major deals, the 25 million pound deal with Spotify for Archewell Audio and the 81 million pound deal with Netflix. However, the prince was keen to stress that: “The best gift I have ever received has been, without a doubt, my children.” “I love watching them grow day by day and I love being a dad.”
Upcoming engagements in New York at the end of September
The projects continue, however, and the Sussexes are a volcano of ideas. Meghan has recently launched her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchardadvertising the venture by sending 50 limited-edition jars of jam to a few select friends, including Kris Jenner and model Chrissy Teigen. The brand has yet to take off, however, and the former actress seems to be having trouble with the Patent Office, which has contested some irregularities in her products (ranging from tableware to spreads), citing a lack of transparency in the descriptions.
Prince Harry, on the other hand, as announced by the media, will travel to New York at the end of September to participate in a series of events related to the charities he supports. Two important international events will take place during his visit to the Big Apple: the United Nations General Assembly (which will begin on September 24 and last until the 30th) and Climate Week (which will be held from September 22 to 29), which will bring together political, business and philanthropic figures to discuss wars, economic inequality and food insecurity. Harry’s aim is to promote a series of his patronages and philanthropic initiatives, such as the fight against the climate crisis and the new Archewell Foundation project, Parent’s Network, against the dangers of the Internet for children and young people. “During his stay in the city, Harry will participate in engagements for African Parks, HALO Trust, Diana Award and Travalyst,” a spokesperson said. Prince William, who was present last year at this time in New York for theEarthshot Prize Innovation Summitwill not be there this year as he is busy preparing the fourth edition of the Earthshot Prize Awardswhich will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, in November.
Together in the bookstore with Oprah Winfrey
Meanwhile, Meghan and Harry were recently photographed at the opening of the new Godmothers bookstore in Summerland, a few miles from her Montecito villa, founded by the famous literary agent Jennifer Rudolph Walsh and Victoria Jackson, a successful entrepreneur in the cosmetics field. At the event, which was attended by several celebrities including her friend Oprah Winfrey, Meghan was one of the speakers as shown in some videos shared on social media, in which Harry’s autobiography, Spare, can be seen prominently displayed on the store’s shelves, along with The Bench, the children’s book written by the former actress.
Source: Vanity Fair
I’m Susan Karen, a professional writer and editor at World Stock Market. I specialize in Entertainment news, writing stories that keep readers informed on all the latest developments in the industry. With over five years of experience in creating engaging content and copywriting for various media outlets, I have grown to become an invaluable asset to any team.
