Prince Harry was in the UK last week for a series of engagements, and his visit to Ukraine to see injured soldiers was seen as part of his efforts to rejoin the Royal Family.
Harry is on a mission to rejoin the Royal Family, it’s being said (Image: Getty Images )
Prince Harry spent four days in the UK last week, and it appears the trip was a success, with accomplishment after accomplishment, including a meeting with his father, but before returning to the U.S, he made an overnight train journey to Ukraine to visit wounded soldiers.
The Duke is a veteran himself, having joined the British Royal Army in 2005 and serving for a decade, with a period in 2009 when he and Prince William both lived in a cottage just ten minutes from the Royal Air Force base.
With speculation mounting about Harry’s potential return to the Royal Family fold, and his representative describing it as becoming part of a “functioning wider family again,” this Ukraine visit could be viewed as one of several strategic moves toward that goal.
READ MORE: Prince Harry’s feelings over UK return laid bare alongside huge donationREAD MORE: Prince Harry speaks out post-meeting with King Charles ‘The focus really has to be on my dad’
Ian Pelham Turner, former royal photographer, told Mirror US why this development carries such significance: “This is a growing charm offensive by Harry to redefine his values, which could add significant benefits to the Royal Family.”
This comes after Harry’s UK visit, which included attending the WellChild Awards, BBC’s Children in Need, stopping by Clarence House to see King Charles, and meeting with Tessy Ojo, CEO of the Diana Award, which works to preserve the late Princess Diana’s legacy.
Prince Harry made his way to Ukraine before heading back to the US(Image: Getty Images )
While it appears to be an extensive agenda for such a brief timeframe, it doesn’t feel like the frantic pace of Harry’s previous year’s visit; instead, it suggests someone who is determined and capable of managing his priorities, with mending relations with his father and returning to the Royal Family clearly at the forefront.
Pelham Turner added: “Everybody’s cheering him, and I think, there’s a smile on his face, for once, that hasn’t been there – while in Britain – for quite a considerable amount of time.”
The former royal photographer, who worked at the Palace during Princess Diana’s era, elaborated on his observations and what he was witnessing.
People are seeing a change in Harry
He said: “You know, even though he’s performing in front of the cameras, which he’s never really been that comfortable with, he’s certainly, I’d say, matured a lot in the past year.
You can see a different means of presenting himself now, whereas before, he always blamed the media for the death of his mother.”Harry is back stateside with his wife, and their two children, , 6, and , 4, and what perfect timing with today being the Duke’s birthday.
The Duke has been seen smiling a lot more
Harry turns 41 on Monday, and that may be what Pelham Turner is observing: that Harry is growing into his own.
There’s a learning curve to life, especially when you’re a royal, and it appears like Harry is still working things out and he’s almost there, according to the expert.
“I think things are changing, but the things to look at are timelines.”