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Privacy NoticeThe last four years have seen Prince Harry’s life turned upside down. In stepping down from his role as a senior royal, he left behind everything he knew – his upbringing, his position and, most sadly of all, his family. Yet, while the journey has been punctuated by many challenging and emotional times, the Duke of Sussex, 40, looked to have turned a corner last week. He jetted off to New York on a high-profile solo trip –without his wife, Meghan Markle – bringing together some of his greatest passions: conservation, the environment and preserving his late mother’s memory. And, if there is one thing this visit has proven, it is that Harry is successfully bridging the divide between his old and new lives – something that a leading royal expert says he should be applauded for.
He jetted off to New York on a high-profile solo trip
(Image: Getty Images)
“We have seen the old Harry again during recent events he’s attended in the UK and now in New York,” former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond exclusively tells OK! “He is brilliant with the people he meets, especially the children, and I think it shows the family back home that he is still determined to continue his kind of service without all the royal trappings. If he wants to use his platform to do good, then we should applaud him for it.” Even though he could simply enjoy his time as a devoted husband to Meghan, 43, and a proud father to Prince Archie, five, and three-year-old Princess Lilibet, the reality is Harry is still determined to use his public profile to benefit others. “There’s nothing to stop Harry having a pretty low-profile life now – he is, after all, a multi-millionaire and I’m sure he could just live a life of idle pleasure in the Californian sunshine,” Jennie points out. “However, he has chosen to use his platform to promote causes he cares about… to ‘serve’ even though he is not a working royal. “I don’t think he’s trying to put noses out of joint, I think he’s just following his instincts, as well as his mother’s example. It’s no coincidence that he has taken up several of the causes she espoused. I think he feels a real vocation to carry on her work.” The legacy of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales was a driving force of Harry’s visit to New York. He focused on the work of the HALO Trust – the charity that hosted Diana’s 1997 walk across an Angolan minefield – and also celebrated the 25th anniversary of The Diana Award.
Harry wore a Diana Award pin badge on his suit
(Image: Getty Images)
As he sat down at the 14th Concordia Annual Summit to discuss mental health and climate change, Harry spoke with two winners of this year’s awards, Chiara Riyanti Hutapea Zhang from Indonesia and Christina Williams from Jamaica. “I applaud you for having the confidence to be on this stage,” he told them. “I know my mother would be incredibly proud of you guys. Your activism is true to how my mother lived her life.” Jennie adds warmly, “Diana would, I’m sure, have been very supportive of the choices Harry has made. I think she would have been proud of him for having the courage to leave a life in which he was so unhappy. She probably would have giggled with delight at some of the barbs he had fired at Palace courtiers – the ‘grey men’ who she felt made her life such a misery. “But, saying that, she would have been distraught by the deep rift between Harry and his brother. She always made them promise they would be best friends for life. That, sadly, has proved impossible, but Harry is continuing to prove his loyalty to the causes and charities that mean so much to him. That is something that Diana would have admired and been proud of.” Another significant moment from the summit saw Tessy Ojo, CEO of The Diana Award, join Harry on a panel to talk about the global mental health crisis. Addressing the audience, Tessy described the Duke as “a passionate advocate for mental health”. She went on to say, “He actually said to me, as we came in, that actually, we should no longer talk about mental health, we should talk about mental fitness. His dedication to this cause strengthens our mission.”
Meghan and Harry have an equal partnership, according to Jennie
(Image: WireImage)
Prince Harry was visiting New York City during the significant UN General Assembly High-level Week and Climate Week to “advance a number of his patronages and philanthropic initiatives,” his representative said. This work goes to the very heart of all Harry wants for his future,” Jennie explains. “I don’t think he has some grand plan to rebuild his image, I think he just wants a more balanced life where he can come back to his home country, carry out engagements and, hopefully, spend a bit of time with his father, before returning to his home and family in California. “Friends of his say he is kind, funny and pretty damn normal… and that he cares passionately about injured veterans, mental health, internet dangers and the other campaigns he is involved with.” Showing that he is still determined to support causes close to his heart, Harry will be flying back across the pond on Monday, 30 September, to attend the WellChild Awards in London. Having been patron for 16 years, Harry praised the charity ahead of the event: “I am once again honoured to attend this year’s awards celebrating the remarkable courage and achievements of children living with complex medical needs. These incredible young people, along with the dedicated caregivers, nurses and professionals who tirelessly support them, inspire us all. It is a true privilege to recognise such extraordinary individuals.” Sign up to OK!’s royal newsletter to get updates sent to your inbox for free
Meghan has her own business interests and causes
(Image: SIPA USA/PA Images)
The fact that his visit to the US East Coast and the UK was a solo venture came after continued reports that Harry wishes to spend more time in his home country, while Meghan does not – something that royal expert Phil Dampier reflected upon, suggesting Prince Harry is somewhat “desperate”. Phil explained: “He’s turned 40 and must be asking himself what the future holds. I think he’s desperate to find some new meaning to his life and that seems to involve branching out on his own more. He clearly wants to find some causes he can get involved in and give his life some purpose. Meghan doesn’t want to come back to this country, so he will have to fly solo.” Echoing Phil’s thoughts, Jennie adds, “As Meghan has her own business interests and causes, it seems perfectly normal to me that they would sometimes carry out solo engagements, leaving one parent at home to look after the children. It strikes me that they have a very equal partnership which allows them both to stand out. And the truth is, Harry still shines brilliantly on his own.”Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnPrince HarryMeghan MarklePrincess DianaHarry and Meghan
