Prince Harry is reportedly going against the late Queen’s wishes with his recent actions, a royal author has said. Six years ago, the Duke of Sussex and his wife, Meghan Markle, quit royal life in the UK and moved to America.
While they were believed to have wanted to remain working for the Royal Family just across the pond while also being financially independent, this is something Queen Elizabeth II would not allow. This is because she did not want the couple, or any working royals, to have a “half in, half out” role which could see them use their royal titles for financial gain.
He then made the controversial move of entering political affairs, giving a speech at the Kyiv Security Forum in which he asked “American leadership” to support Ukraine.
Although Harry is not a working royal, and therefore his political comments are not particularly damaging to the Royal Family, his recent trips overseas and engagements indicate that he is trying to re-emerge into a lifestyle more akin to that of a working royal.
This is especially true of some of the engagements he has been undertaking, such as laying wreaths and visiting hospitals.
Speaking about this to People magazine, Valentine Low, author of Courtiers, said: “The monarchy is meant to be above politics and commercial imperatives. This is exactly what the late Queen wanted to avoid.”
While some may feel this way, a source close to the duke, 41, has said that Harry’s actions are not wrong as he is not doing it under the Royal Family’s name.
The source said: “This idea that he’s going against the wishes of the Queen by being half in, half out is nonsense. None of this is being done in the name of the institution.”
The Royal Family has not commented on Harry’s recent trips.