Prince Harry has spent years building a new life in California, but some royal watchers believe the Duke of Sussex may be struggling to move on from the past.
Six years after leaving Britain and stepping down as a senior working royal, questions are swirling about what Harry’s life in America is really like now — and whether he’s found the right path.
“Harry’s not really doing anything in America,” a source told the New York Post. “It seems he is still very wrapped up in the past.”
Between two worlds
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In January, Harry appeared in London’s High Court as part of a legal battle against Associated Newspapers Limited, publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, accusing them of unlawful information gathering.
During emotional testimony, he described the treatment his wife of nearly eight years, Meghan Markle, has faced.
“They continue to come after me. They have made my wife’s life an absolute misery, my lord,” Harry said in court, appearing to fight back tears.
Days later, he was mingling with filmmakers at the Sundance Film Festival alongside Meghan, where they were promoting the new documentary they executive produced, Cookie Queens.
“For Harry to go from the hearing — and pleading for privacy — to then go to Sundance just days after is nuts,” a Hollywood insider told the Post.
Big changes
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He signed multimillion-dollar deals with companies like Netflix and Spotify after relocating to the U.S. in 2020, but many of those have now ended or significantly changed.
Spotify announced its split with the Sussexes in 2023 after producing just one season of Meghan’s “Archetypes” podcast. Last summer, Netflix shifted to a first-look deal with the couple after projects like Harry’s Polo docuseries underperformed.
The former Suits star’s With Love, Meghan cooking and entertaining series also saw a drop in ratings with its second season. Reports confirm there are no plans for another full run following a December holiday special.
The couple does, however, have a few more projects in the Netflix pipeline through their Archewell Productions company, including movie adaptations of the novels Meet Me at the Lake and The Wedding Date. But there are no updates on when viewers can expect to see either.
Meanwhile, the Sussexes’ charitable foundation has undergone significant adjustments in recent months, too. The Archewell Foundation — now known as Archewell Philanthropies — cut staff and restructured operations.
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All these changes have fueled speculation about what Harry’s long-term professional path might be.
“I think Harry’s banking on speaking engagements for income right now,” the source told the Post.
Harry reportedly earned about $27 million from his bestselling 2023 memoir, Spare, but maintaining his life in Montecito, Calif. — including security costs that reportedly run between $2 million and $3 million annually — is expensive.
Still, the source suggested Harry might find more success focusing on the work that once defined his public life.
“He’s really great at service — look at the success of his Invictus charity. He really should just stick with that,” the source said.
His life in Montecito
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Harry reportedly spends much of his time close to home in Montecito with Meghan and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
According to the Post, Harry’s social circle in the U.S. remains relatively small, with many of his local friends coming through Meghan.
He supports local causes, including fundraising efforts for One805, a Santa Barbara, Calif., charity created after the devastating 2017 Thomas Fire and mudslides that backs first responders by providing mental health counseling, specialized equipment and emergency preparedness training.
Richard Weston-Smith, a co-founder of the organization, told the Post that Harry — a British army veteran — showed genuine passion when discussing mental health during a recent fundraiser.
“He really opened up about his experience of mental wellness issues, about friends that he’d encountered who’d been in Afghanistan and what he’d seen them suffer through,” Weston-Smith said. “You really got a sense that he fully understands this subject.
“He cares so much. He’s not boastful or brash or arrogant. He’s incredibly gentle and caring and empathetic.”
New trips and a solo path
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In recent months, Harry and Meghan have continued to maintain their presence on the global stage.
The couple visited Jordan in February for a humanitarian trip focused on supporting refugees and civilians affected by conflict in partnership with the World Health Organization and their own Archewell Philanthropies.
In April, they’ll travel to Australia for the first time in more than seven years to take part in “a number of private, business and philanthropic engagements,” according to a statement from their office.
Harry’s first solo engagement for that trip was recently announced, confirming he’ll deliver a keynote address at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit in Melbourne, where he’ll speak about workplace mental health.