Original Coverage & Source Attribution: www.aol.com
EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry has attended several engagements in the last few weeks since he and Meghan Markle returned to the U.K., but there could be a reason.
A royal expert thinks there’s a reason for Prince Harry’s increase in appearances as he and Meghan Markle continue to navigate their return to the U.K.
In late August, the Duke, 42, and Duchess of Sussex, 45, relocated back to the U.K. with their two children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five. On September 7, as they settled in the Cotswolds, King Charles issued a letter confirming that the couple would remain non-working members of the Royal Family.
Since then, Meghan has mostly kept out of the public eye, focusing on settling the children into their new schools, while Harry has attended several engagements, including the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards and the WellChild Awards. Now, former royal butler Grant Harrold has revealed why he thinks the Duke could be keeping up appearances. It all goes back to his family.
Speaking on behalf of OLBG, Harrold, who worked for Charles at Highgrove between 2004 and 2011, told The Express US, “Prince Harry has been attending lots of solo engagements since his return to the U.K., it’s what he’s good at and what he enjoys doing. I imagine it’s something he really missed while he was away.
“But I think the priority for Meghan has been focusing on building a network of friends, which I think is going to be important if the couple want to settle here for a while.”
A royal expert thinks Prince Harry has made several appearances lately because of the Royal Family (Image: Getty)
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The former royal butler added, “She seems to be more focused on home life at the moment, while Harry is carrying out more events to raise their profile. I can imagine Meghan wants things to settle a bit first.
“Another reason that could be motivating Harry’s increased workload is that he wants to send a clear message to the Royal Family. He may want to put a real ‘royal’ stamp on this new U.K. life, showing them he’s doing engagements and ready to work.”
Speaking to Smooth Spins Casino, Smooth Radio’s gaming brand, Harrold previously said that, with the “eyes of the country” on him now, Harry would have picked his first engagement “very carefully.”
The royal insider said it’s no surprise that he chose the Invictus Games, which represent him and Meghan and are “something that’s important to them.”
Outside the Invictus Spirit Awards and the WellChild Awards, the Duke has also attended a black-tie gala supporting Ukraine before he made a brief return to the U.S. for engagements in New York. A report from Closer claims that Harry and Meghan have divided their responsibilities following their move.
A source told the outlet that Harry has agreed to take control of the family’s finances, while Meghan focuses on raising their children and managing her lifestyle brand, As Ever.
The source further alleged that the couple is not trying to pressure one another but rather to split their responsibilities to keep things running amid the immense drama surrounding their return.
“Her view is that they should divide and conquer and Harry agrees, but it does mean a whole lot more pressure on his shoulders and absolutely zero time to himself because the moment he’s free from work he’s got to rush home to give Meghan a break from parenting duties,” the source said.
However, Harry and Meghan have now marked their first joint engagement since returning to the U.K. On October 15, they visited Nottingham.
While the outing has already been labeled a bust due to low turnout, Robert Jobson, a prominent royal journalist and author known for his criticism of the couple, has also accused Harry and Meghan of disregarding and bypassing the protocols set out in Charles’ letter.
In a recent Substack post, Jobson noted that the Sussexes’ representatives are referring to their then-forthcoming appearances as “engagements,” and that the duo has effectively “just walked back in the door.”
He stated, “They have decided to do what they said they were going to do when they first put out that Instagram notice while the late Queen was alive. They didn’t care what the rulings were then, and they don’t now. As far as they are concerned, the standing agreement is gone.”
In a post on X, he added, “Surely the Palace should act?” However, in his Substack piece, he said that the Palace is “pretty powerless to stop two people with enough money and enough fame doing exactly what they want to do.”
Harrold believes the Sussexes picked Nottingham to make a statement about wanting a “fresh start.” Speaking to OLBG, he previously said, “This is Harry and Meghan making a statement, showing the royals and the public that they intend to undertake engagements as part of their new U.K. lives.
Some experts have said that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are treading along royal territory (Image: Getty)
“Their choice of location is no coincidence. Nottingham in particular holds special significance, as it was the location of their first official joint appearance following their 2017 engagement.”
The former royal butler added about the outing, “Meghan and Harry don’t seem to do anything without careful thought. This is likely their way of sending a very clear message to the Royal Family – ‘we’re starting over again, we’re starting fresh.'”
Harrold explained at the time that it would be difficult to say how the engagement would be perceived because “celebrities do these appearances and Harry and Meghan have every right to do them, but it depends on how they approach it.”
He continued, “I think people forget that, although they aren’t senior working royals, they are still royals; they are a Duke and Duchess, and they still have their HRH titles.
“But in recent years they’ve become more like ‘celebrity royals,’ and by carrying out these engagements, they risk crossing over into a similar territory to working royals – and this is something the King has made very clear that they are not in the U.K. to do.”
Harrold concluded, “They are making it clear that this is what they are going to do for the foreseeable future; they will be doing these engagements, and they are going to be seen out and about. It’s going to be interesting what people think of it and whether they view it as a royal visit and how they are treated.”
