After cutting ties with the royal family and moving to the US in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have seemingly been living the American dream in California. But despite now socialising with the likes of the Kardashians and Serena Williams, sources tell Closer that behind the scenes, the Duke of Sussex, 41, is feeling ‘lost and lonely’ in Montecito – where the couple live with their two children, Archie, six, and four-year-old Lilibet.
An insider says, ‘Prince Harry has never felt more adrift than he does now. He’s devoted to the children, yet quietly wrestling with a sense of displacement that has only grown deeper as the year draws to a close.
‘Harry’s world has shrunk dramatically. While the public sees a man smiling through appearances and charity work, the reality behind closed doors is far more fragile. Harry clings to Meghan because he’s got nobody else. It’s not love he’s lacking – it’s a life of his own.
‘Harry gave everything up for Meghan. His home, his family, the structures that grounded him. And now he’s asking himself what he gets in return. Not emotionally – Meghan loves him – but in terms of identity. He doesn’t know who he is anymore.’
Harry has a new life in California with Meghan ©Karwai Tang/WireImage
But while many would assume Harry’s feelings would put a strain on his marriage, the source reveals that Meghan isn’t worried about losing her husband of seven years, or him leaving for the UK. ‘Meghan wears the trousers,’ they say. ‘Harry’s not going anywhere, and she knows it. She is confident, decisive, and forward-driving – qualities Harry once relied on but now occasionally feels dwarfed by.’
In recent weeks, the pair have been spotted socialising with Hollywood’s elite. Partying at Kris Jenner’s Bond-themed 70th birthday party on 8 November – which was held at the $165million home of Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos and his new wife, Lauren Sanchez – the couple mixed with fellow attendees such as Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King, the Hilton sisters, and even Beyoncé and Jay Z.
But sources told Closer at the time that the evening wasn’t Harry’s cup of tea. ‘Meghan was in her element and went home totally starry eyed, gushing that the sky’s the limit now they’ve been officially accepted into Kris’s high-powered clique,’ they said. ‘From Harry’s perspective, it was surreal to be hanging out with that crowd, and not in a good way.’
Insiders say Harry is feeling homesick ©Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Project Healthy Minds
Meghan, 44, is also part of a close girl group with her best friend of over 20 years, Kelly McKee Zajfen – a former model who co-founded Alliance of Moms, a non-profit organisation that supports pregnant and parenting teens in the foster care system. While these may be connections from his wife’s old life in LA, Harry previously sought solace in the company of close friend and professional polo player Nacho Figueras – who regularly visits nearby Santa Barbara for the summer tournaments.
But despite their 18-year friendship, the source says that Harry is no longer close to the Argentinian, 48. ‘Nacho was his escape valve. They understood each other,’ the source goes on. ‘Now, Harry has drifted. He mostly sees Meghan’s friends. While they’re lovely people, they aren’t his people.’
Although he’s delivered a series of scathing accusations against his family in the five years since the US move, Harry admitted in May that he would ‘love a reconciliation’. And four month later, on 10 September, the prince had a private tea at Clarence House with his father – their first face-to-face meeting in 19 months.
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A source told Closer last week that the duke is ‘adamant’ that he wants to be with Charles, 77, over the festive period. ‘Harry is on tenterhooks waiting for the go ahead to visit at Christmas, and is adamant that he needs to be with his father any chance he gets,’ they said. ‘Truth is, he’s terribly homesick and finding Hollywood a very lonely and foreign place to be right now – and he’d love to see his family and catch up with some of his old friends, too. He’s talking seriously about extending the trip and blocking off much of December.’
But the insider adds, ‘Harry wants his children to know his family. He wants them to run through the grounds, meet their cousins, feel rooted in something real. But Meghan won’t budge – she kicks back every time he brings up going home and says she won’t let him leave.
‘Harry misses people who knew him before everything went nuclear. The Spencers – his family on his mother Diana’s side – are particularly worried. They want him to feel loved, and to have a family that anchors him. People think Harry wants a new life. But deep down, he just wants his old life back – the parts that made him feel safe. One day, something’s going to give. No one can live feeling split in half forever.’